All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[Rosa Luxemburg]

Truth! Who even is his audience?

Cool liberals™

People who think they have the most progressive politics because they aren't republicans, while still being racist (they might even say the n word), sexist, transphobic, Islamophobic, and jingoistic. Unlike leftists and SJWs, Cool liberals™ are fun, sensible, and aren't overly sensitive about silly things like injustice and oppression.

[Malvolio]

I enjoy Bill Maher. No I don't always agree with him, but I usually see where his views come from. Yes, he hates militant Muslims, but no more than he hates fundamentalist Christians. When he sees something he considers absurd, he comments on it as such, regardless of whether or not that absurdity centers on an oppressed group of people. And yes, he has hateful people like Milo Y. and Ann Coulter on his show. I don't want to watch shows where the host only has on people he agrees with most of the time.

And finally, even when I disagree with Maher so much on an issue that I'm disappointed in him, I don't go, "Oh I can't watch him any more!" and curl up in a cocoon. I straighten up and accept the fact that there will never be any television host that I agree with 100% of the time. If that makes me a "cool liberal," then go ahead and brand me with your ridiculous label. I, on the other hand, have no time for such foolishness.

[InformationGeek]

...so what's your take on him being an anti-vaxxer then?

[Gray Lensman]

...so what's your take on him being an anti-vaxxer then?

That makes him a dangerous idiot. Anti-vaxxers aren't people who merely want to make their own choice about something, they are effectively people who are playing Russian roulette in a crowd, after having loaded the gun with armor piercing rounds. And aren't even pointing it at themselves, but at their kids.

Basically, imagine some moron who lives in an apartment complex who lines the walls with fireworks, then insists they should be allowed their 'personal' choice.

[jetengine]

I enjoy Bill Maher. No I don't always agree with him, but I usually see where his views come from. Yes, he hates militant Muslims, but no more than he hates fundamentalist Christians. When he sees something he considers absurd, he comments on it as such, regardless of whether or not that absurdity centers on an oppressed group of people. And yes, he has hateful people like Milo Y. and Ann Coulter on his show. I don't want to watch shows where the host only has on people he agrees with most of the time.

And finally, even when I disagree with Maher so much on an issue that I'm disappointed in him, I don't go, "Oh I can't watch him any more!" and curl up in a cocoon. I straighten up and accept the fact that there will never be any television host that I agree with 100% of the time. If that makes me a "cool liberal," then go ahead and brand me with your ridiculous label. I, on the other hand, have no time for such foolishness.

Ah so your cool with bigots. Neat.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

Yes, he hates militant Muslims, but no more than he hates fundamentalist Christians. When he sees something he considers absurd, he comments on it as such, regardless of whether or not that absurdity centers on an oppressed group of people.

He's Islamophobic.

He has specifically said Islam is hundreds of years behind Christianity. He simplifies the cause of terrorism and excuses the violence caused by Western nations.

If someone were saying racist **** about black people, but also said stereotypical things about white people, would that excuse their racism? Because that's your logic.

Maher Islamophobic, but it's ok because he doesn't like Christians either.

And yes, he has hateful people like Milo Y. and Ann Coulter on his show. I don't want to watch shows where the host only has on people he agrees with most of the time.

He disagrees with leftists.

He can continue his show without ever having those who perpetuate violence against the marginalized, but he doesn't.

While he sometimes has leftists on, Cornel West the most prominent example, he has far more dirtbag right-wingers on his show, and guests that sucesfully challenge him are rarely brought back. Has Rula Jebreal been on his show since she exposed his ignorance?

And finally, even when I disagree with Maher so much on an issue that I'm disappointed in him, I don't go, "Oh I can't watch him any more!" and curl up in a cocoon. I straighten up and accept the fact that there will never be any television host that I agree with 100% of the time. If that makes me a "cool liberal," then go ahead and brand me with your ridiculous label. I, on the other hand, have no time for such foolishness.

Islamophobia, racism, sexism, and transphobia are not just things I disagree with. They devastate lives.

The only ones curled up in a cocoon are those that ignore the harm he contributes to. If it doesn't effect them, it's just something they disagree on.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

In 2012 Maher came out in defense of the SOPA and PIPA while being his typical racist self, because people had pirated his documentary.



Maher has no principles, every issue comes down to how much it inconveniences him.

[Tami]

The Mueller Report’s Secret Memos

The 448-page report issued by then–special counsel Robert Mueller last March was the most hotly anticipated prosecutorial document in a generation, laying out the evidence of Russia's interference in the 2016 election and the Trump administration’s efforts to obstruct the inquiry. That report, however, reflects only a small fraction of the billions of primary-source documents that the government claims Mueller’s team may have amassed over the course of its two-year investigation.

Those documents are a crucial national legacy, a key to understanding this important chapter in American history. But the public has not been allowed to see any of them. Until now.

[Read the documents here.]

Beginning last April, BuzzFeed News has pursued five separate Freedom of Information Act lawsuits to pry loose all the subpoenas and search warrants that Mueller’s team executed, as well as all the emails, memos, letters, talking points, legal opinions, and interview transcripts it generated. In short, we asked for all the communications of any kind that passed through the special counsel’s office. We also requested all of the documents that would reveal the discussions among Attorney General Bill Barr, former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, and other high-ranking officials about whether to charge President Donald Trump with obstruction.

Justice Department lawyers said the volume of records at issue could total 18 billion pages and could take centuries to produce.

At a hearing earlier this month, US District Court Judge Reggie Walton was not sympathetic. “It shouldn’t fall on the backs of the citizens to wait years to find out what the government is up to,” he said. If the Justice Department couldn’t handle the request in a more timely fashion, he added, it should ask Congress for money to hire more help.

Today, in response to a court order, the Justice Department has released the first installment of documents: 500 pages of summaries of FBI interviews with witnesses, available here for the first time. Another installment will be released every month for at least the next eight years.

[Gray Lensman]

He's Islamophobic.

He has specifically said Islam is hundreds of years behind Christianity. He simplifies the cause of terrorism and excuses the violence caused by Western nations.

If someone were saying racist **** about black people, but also said stereotypical things about white people, would that excuse their racism? Because that's your logic.

Maher Islamophobic, but it's ok because he doesn't like Christians either.



He disagrees with leftists.

He can continue his show without ever having those who perpetuate violence against the marginalized, but he doesn't.

While he sometimes has leftists on, Cornel West the most prominent example, he has far more dirtbag right-wingers on his show, and guests that sucesfully challenge him are rarely brought back. Has Rula Jebreal been on his show since she exposed his ignorance?



Islamophobia, racism, sexism, and transphobia are not just things I disagree with. They devastate lives.

The only ones curled up in a cocoon are those that ignore the harm he contributes to. If it doesn't effect them, it's just something they disagree on.

This is a much better explanation as to why Maher shouldn't have an audience than merely saying "You're ok with bigots then."

[Rosa Luxemburg]

Greenpeace ranks the 2020 candidates on how they'll address the climate crisis.

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/climate2020/

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Any group that actively seeks to control and regulate women, women's health, and choices regarding their own bodies aren't likely to welcome a female president, much less a female president and a vice-president.

They loved Palin.

[Tami]

They loved Palin.

Somehow I don't think that counts.

[zinderel]

I generally think Maher is an overly smug ass, but I'm more or less with him on this. Churches should be taxed. That policy isn't something a presidential candidate should be championing. The issue isn't ripe yet, and the payoff isn't worth picking it early.

Democracy is about more than just being right on the issues. Otherwise we'd elect scientists, engineers and accountants more often.

Overly smug ass who is drifting further and further into right wing conspiracy nut territory with every anti-feminist guest, pro-fat-shaming/anti-vaxxer rant, and right wing mouthpiece he has on and allows to speak nonsense and lies unchallenged.

I used to love his show, even when he would bring on tools like Breitbart (before his *cough* tragically early death...) or Kelly Ann Conartist (before she became a shill for Trump, but after she already was well settled in as Right Wing Meth Scarecrow Barbie) or Milo, or Michelle Malkin, or what have you. It was informative, irreverent, and most importantly, funny. But this last few years have had him getting more and more insufferable by the episode. His anti-Islam rants are less about fundamentalists and WAY more frequent and virulently hateful about Islam in general than anything he says about Right Wing Christian Fundamentalism (the latter of which is BY FAR the more extant threat to American freedoms than anything Islam could ever do to us...) He supports anti-vaxxer nonsense and spreads it on his show and gives anti-vaxxers a platform on his show to reach a wider audience. It’s just...not as smart, insightful or funny as it used to be as Bill becomes more and more reactionary in his old age.

[Theleviathan]

I enjoy Bill Maher. No I don't always agree with him, but I usually see where his views come from. Yes, he hates militant Muslims, but no more than he hates fundamentalist Christians. When he sees something he considers absurd, he comments on it as such, regardless of whether or not that absurdity centers on an oppressed group of people. And yes, he has hateful people like Milo Y. and Ann Coulter on his show. I don't want to watch shows where the host only has on people he agrees with most of the time.

And finally, even when I disagree with Maher so much on an issue that I'm disappointed in him, I don't go, "Oh I can't watch him any more!" and curl up in a cocoon. I straighten up and accept the fact that there will never be any television host that I agree with 100% of the time. If that makes me a "cool liberal," then go ahead and brand me with your ridiculous label. I, on the other hand, have no time for such foolishness.

I appreciate your ability to think complexly in a complex world. Dont let anyone shame you into doing otherwise.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Overly smug ass who is drifting further and further into right wing conspiracy nut territory with every anti-feminist guest, pro-fat-shaming/anti-vaxxer rant, and right wing mouthpiece he has on and allows to speak nonsense and lies unchallenged.

I used to love his show, even when he would bring on tools like Breitbart (before his *cough* tragically early death...) or Kelly Ann Conartist (before she became a shill for Trump, but after she already was well settled in as Right Wing Meth Scarecrow Barbie) or Milo, or Michelle Malkin, or what have you. It was informative, irreverent, and most importantly, funny. But this last few years have had him getting more and more insufferable by the episode. His anti-Islam rants are less about fundamentalists and WAY more frequent and virulently hateful about Islam in general than anything he says about Right Wing Christian Fundamentalism (the latter of which is BY FAR the more extant threat to American freedoms than anything Islam could ever do to us...) He supports anti-vaxxer nonsense and spreads it on his show and gives anti-vaxxers a platform on his show to reach a wider audience. It’s just...not as smart, insightful or funny as it used to be as Bill becomes more and more reactionary in his old age.

Trump winning made him a giant for lack of a better word "pussy" and he's been fucking absurd and scared of his own shadow ever since and now he's coming up with all these crazy opinions. The Islamaphobia I could take or leave because he's been an ******* about virtually every religion and has mocked and denigrated all the others, so it's silly to pick out that one as examples of his bad behavior. He's an ass when it comes to relgion, you either excepted that or didn't.

I think though after Trump he's, as you mentioned, more reactionary. He's just a dude throwing **** at the wall trying to find some secret formula.