Let me, as a concerned and friendly European, let concerned Americans know why some parts of the world might seem a little unfriendly to them. It's a quote I once heard of a doctor (the profession you normally associate with saving lives): "I don't care how many Iraqis die as long as I have my air conditioner running"... It's because some people think they're so star spanglin' awesome (awesome dude!!!) that they never wonder how and why much smaller countries beat the US in many ways. If US history, no matter how rich, has around 250 years, some people may still believe the world is 6000 years today. However, the truth is always more interesting than fiction. PS There are no white dragons in Russia, some might confuse it with Tolkien.
Pretty sure the doctor said that sarcastically, in criticizing, by mimicking the mentality of supporters of, Bush's Iraq war. Try THAT in Russia. America is a baby, a youth. That may be why it persists in following it's ideals, despite some missteps. Older cultures tend to strongman rule, western Europe excepted.
monokhem the UK has political machinations that make the claim of 'freedom for all' in the US look like a fairytale...which by and large it is their politicians are actually ANSWERABLE.... in the US its all about the dollar the rest of the countries you mention arent even comparable
monokhem what am i supposed to have conceded to? LOL 'When the US has votes every sixth moths about what country it is and regrets every vote then it will conduct its foreign and domestic affairs as childishly as the UK. ' see what you just posted there? its just shite LOL
No way on god's green Earth would I consider the bus. It would take me almost an hour and a half to go 13 miles TO work, and I couldn't get home FROM work. And I live in a major metropolitan area. And that doesn't take into account the people that ride the bus.
Here we are in 2022 and those pieces of legislation have solved the climate crisis, health care is perfect, and rich people can own their own space programs! It's a Brave New World!
Maybe you told yourself that, but thats your problem. The office of the presidency doesn't exist to tell people what to do, how to think, or govern from the top down. He's not there to sell you mindsets.
+Alan Lloyd That's a tough one. They're all good. Personally, John Oliver is my new favorite, but I still love Maher. Definitely have different niche's, though. Olliver is better at bringing to light crap that nobody would ever fucking care about, and actually making people care about them, and Maher is much better at shaming the worst that the Republicans and others have to offer.
Here we are in 2022 and those pieces of legislation have solved the climate crisis, health care is perfect, and rich people can own their own space programs! It's a Brave New World!
"We're Number 1 so why try any harder?" There's the explanation for you folks. People still thinking it's the 1950's and regurgitating the same tired crap they have been spoonfed to believe since childhood.
Jesse Ventura 2016. He was right all along. We need to get rid of the two-party system. The two-party system makes people want to serve their party a lot more than they want to serve their country. When the Republicans shut down the government last year regardless of how many innocents it hurt, just because they weren't getting their way, that was politics at its absolute worst. One of the greatest presidents we've ever had was not a member of any party, and that was George Washington himself.
I think we should pay to have George Washington cloned, then he can come back to us in all his wig wearing glory and beat the shit out of our politicians.
I agree with you here 100%! Because of this, people will always clash. At the end of the day, we all need to realize this. I remember learning about this in a social work class I took years ago, Social Problems. We as humans wanted to create society so that we would not feel alone. I guess we got what we wished for, because so many are still lonely & stuck in a rut. Very sad indeed! Too much freedom seems to be humanity's downfall...
Answer: Politicians like to entertain themselves with the belief that their goal or agenda is just to go in and win an argument. They rather win an argument only than to actually get things done because getting things done means spendng money they don't want to let go. And results have to be positive for all sides and not just who you represent.
America is like a drunk college chick from drinking two island iced teas. We can be talked into anything. We can also be talked out of anything-either way, it's almost pathetic but a tad funny too.
+Susan Exler monokhem is NOT wrong Susan Exler. if only women would stop supporting feminism that would make a huge difference also LOL go make me my sandwich you worthless mooch! and keep your sexism to yourself. and by the way, your response tells me how insecure you really are. You can make a difference.
+MrBanausos If only the rich would pay their bills or taxes, things would be different but no, they would rather blow so much money on lobbyists so they can get away with not paying their taxes. It's just totally unacceptable. That's not to mention america's defense spending and the list goes on and on and on. They've run up SO MUCH DEBT. america's national debt cannot be paid. Not a chance in hell.
@monokhem women won and earned the right to vote, through speeches, they were arrested, went on hunger strikes. It's good history to read. Women fought hard. Men don't give anything.
I used to have a car built in 1997 that could go 40mpg in city! It was Nissan and it was restyled model, where it's engine was first built in 1992. Yes, that model was made European market...
When the UK's National Health Service was started the health insurance industry was put out of business. The man who created the NHS, Aneurin Bevan, told the insurance companies that the nation's health was more important than their profits. No-one in western politics would be able to do this today, it would end your "career" to even try.
I'm not a conservative, and don't watch those shows either, and for the same reason. And you're right, a debate with you would be mindless. Again, I have to commend you on your honesty.
That would be Bertrand Russell. "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wise people so full of doubts."
I certainly cannot comment on anyone's life other than mine ... I know someone that works as a custodian who said they "didn't realize there would be so much manual labor" a devout Republican who feels his employer doesn't deserve their full effort because it is simply a job, not their planned career who then says "people need to understand that for business to succeed, workers need to give employees what they are paying for." ... and of course those who feel their "work ethic" is good simply because they show up (and yes ... if they show up sick and do half a job it is still ok to take a "sick day" as a mini vacation when they are healthy). We really need to get back to respect AND consideration, as opposed to "It's all about me".
Am I glad I found this man maybe there is still hope for America. I am from Holland and the last 8 or 9 years I have thought there are strange destructive forces at work in the U.S.A. (especially for the little people). When Obama wants to tax the rich the counter argument is: "that is gonne rise the unemployment rate". Well here in Holland the rich people pay 52 % tax and the unemployment rate is just 5 % In the USA the rich pay 20 % or so and unemployment is 9 % (what to make of that)
It is pretty sad how much emphasis is put on crap like on demand tv, cell phones, and religous preferance ... and not push harder for change in what matters like things such as healthcare, the economy, and unemployment.
+Jordan F Wow it is a whole lot worse than I thought. Carlin was right we love war because we are good at and we can not stand not to be messing with someone.
+Jordan F Conflicts people! CONFLICTS. we dont declare war any more. that would be old school shit. the word war does not win people over. or we will put BOOTS on the ground, or we will send a expeditionary force in to the region, to check on things. all bull shit if you ask me.
+Wayne Johanson Yeah, where still # 1 only in 3 things now. War, throwin poor ppl & minorities in Jail 4 havin a Dime Bag on them. & believing in a Fairy-Tale, called the Trinity ! Boy r we all Fu*cked !
He is, he has opened up the conversation. He makes jokes, but makes people think and talk and that leads to action, he also gave 1 million to the Obama re-election...
Car companies could build cars that can get over a hundred miles to the gallon or more if only big oil didn't force our government to make such improvements illegal.
When you average together all the polls done on whether Americans are satisfied with their healthcare coverage, it comes to 87%. If you want to give more power to the people, fight for decentralized government. Vote for constitutionalists who will respect the sovereignty of states.
Germany has governments which are unable to solve the most simple things for longer than I live and since 2005 the press acts as if it is adorable. You don't want that.
+Brandon Pennington So Trump is gonna do better? We just have to put way more pressure on our politicians, remind them they have to be just as far to the left as Republicans are to the right, that they can't come in expecting the other side to cooperate. There was not enough pressure on the Democrats throughout this presidency, and there might have been even more accomplished had there been that pressure (path to single-payer, quicker transition to clean energy, removal of the housing bubble risk by forcing large banks to break apart and punishing wrongdoers, closing Gitmo. Believe me, there is so much I wish Obama could've done, but he did what he could. He faced a Republican party that treated him as a foreign enemy and didn't receive as much help from Democrats in Congress to counteract that. 8 years have come and gone and we cannot do anything about it. That doesn't mean let Trump be president. Trump will erase even the tiny steps toward progress Obama made. People will lose health insurance, clean energy will decline in favor of nonrenewables, diplomacy will be extremely difficult, wars will become even worse and even more perpetual, and assuming he can somehow put his racist policies in place, we could face sanctions of some sort from other countries. Letting Trump win is not the answer. Unfortunately you have to close your eyes, plug your nose, hope for the best and vote for Clinton. You can improve the situation by voting in new progressives. They will put the pressure on the president and the Republicans to make sure things are running smoothly and progressing as they should.
I don't see how. The first amendment CLEARLY states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". Like I said, the private citizens making decisions based on their faith, while idiotic, is another story. I'm talking about what the government is allowed to do. The founding fathers made it very clear that it is unfair for those in power to make those sorts of decisions.
He's not really helping anyone through talking. I personally don't hate him, he's just stating the obvious in a humorous fashion. Real change in America will be made when we reinvent the guillotine.
No matter what side you are on, our country is getting slower to fix any problem. I can't believe we can have so many problems without any of them getting fixed soon.
As Bill Hicks pointed out, it doesn't make a difference as long as the current system exists. Whoever gets elected is led into a dark room, a screen comes down and a film is played showing an angle of the Kennedy assassination never seen before. The only question the new President asks at that point: "What's my agenda?"
Yeh man, people need to accept that times are tough and you can't always get what you want. If you have to pay more tax, do it. If you there is policy you don't like, just accept it.
Yeah, it takes a little while 4 this 2 sink in with some of these Ppl. Its Sad that Good Change takes so long 2 happen ! Like GC said, b4 he passed. Where Finished as a Nation, so b hpy with what u have. & in the Fullness of time we will c that he wuz Rite ! PS my Hero is, Sponge-Bob !
The U.S. could be totally off of gasoline in ten years but big oil, pays up and pays up well, therefore that utopia that we "could" be living in, or at least trying to achieve, is as usually permanently on hold.
Mitchell Cleveland That's very true -- and one thing both Dems and Repubs have in common is: Treat the SYMPTOM of the problem, not the cause(s), and debate, debate, debate and DON'T DO ANYTHING...wait, that's two things. :(
There is too much division in the country, so nothing is going to get passed. Both houses have to have a majority on one bill to pass anything and so most bills have to eek by with quite a bit of compromise. Also with all of the interest groups and lobbying, many of the bills that do get passed are often counteracted, in part, by legislation that does the exact opposite effect.
I agree with Maher on this (surprisingly.) Nothing ever seems to get better. I'm begining to wonder if there really are "men in the shadows" that do not want things to get better for their own greedy purposes.
While I agree that Gov should not be bailing out these large companies, Gov' paying an amount towards your healthcare should have happened years ago. It is kinda sickening when you realize there are some people in this country who can afford multiple transplants, cosmetic procedures that costs 10's of thousands, yet the lower bracket have to decide whether they can take the day off to even visit the doctor and still make enough money to pay the bills, not only for the house, but the doctors bill
It's pretty simple. If insurer A has 100k clients, & insurer B has 50k, A has better bargaining pwr w/hospitals re rates. But if all 150k were w/one insurer, it would have even more bargaining pwr. Also, billing multiple insurers is very costly. Ask ppl in that field. It's easy to invoke bureaucracy, but govt programs like SS & Medicare run efficiently. Govt wouldn't provide care, it'd simply be the non-profit insurer: SINGLE PAYER. Quality of care would still rest w/actual healthcare providers.
No they can't. Only the treasury can print money.The Federal reserve is independent but not private.It is controlled at the top by the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate and the Board of Governors is a 100% government agency.
I like Bill Maher and I agree The citizens of the United States are generally branded as socially inept in an imperfect world. The main problem is the social framework we have allowed ourselves to come to. Yet very few complaints come from our technology and exports that keep us on the map. maybe we need to evolve from being a frayed society to something that the world is waiting for. It seems the world is always waiting for us to come with new Ideas yet our society is so far behind the standards of the nations who have had thousands of years to mold their own societies. Compare us to other nations and yes we do fall short on health, education costs as well as a myriad of other issues but remember we work hard, we are proud to stand up and defend people against brutal dictators. As for the comments jabbing at the citizens of the U.S. I am a socialist and I like the example Scandinavia has left for the United States but give a little credit before you slam Americans as a whole
The rest of the world isn't waiting on America. You voted in a man who publicly stated he would fuck his daughter and there's the wee fact that the damn KKK and scientology still exist publicly in the US. People outside the US don't like the US because of shit like gun control, illegal wars and an irrational hatred of socialism
During the depression, America built the infrastructure we use today. Today after the boom, and before Bush's Great Recession, we cant build 1/2 of San Francisco's Bay Bridge while in the time it's taking to finish it, China has rebuilt 10 cities the size of New York, built the world largest dam, have the fastest computers, and built an infrastructure we should be jealous of. Is it me? or has the America I grew up in died?
Most cars made today (outside of the USA ,that is ) do get that sort of mileage. Here in the UK; where gas is about $10 a gallon, the average wage earner just couldn't afford to run a big bore V8. I myself have a VW Polo ( just 3 cylinders ); and going at 70 mph ( with a/c, music, etc ) on the freeway, I can get 50 mpg plus.
I never said persecuted. You did. But you are right. In the US (from which I am not), anyone except christians are a minority. But that does not mean that their rights are worth less than yours. In fact, you as the majority, should fight to ensure their rights. That is the foundation of freedom and democracy. When there are laws that specifically states that only those of a certain religion, are allowed to hold public office, you do not have freedom or democracy.
Change doesn't pay for the outrageous price of gas that is making the oil companies richer and richer. Then there is the cost of health care. The cost of living keeps going up but my wages don't go up to offset the difference. So... No... The change I have left isn't enough. Too demanding ain't I?
Sounds like your health care system rocks. I wish we could implement something like that. I've worked with a lot of people from other countries, mainly European, and invariably, what they have to say about their health care systems speaks very poorly of ours.
Partly, also because it's something that will take sacrifice which no one is willing to do. Why would anyone give up a bunch of money and privilages when they can just pass the buck and not do anything?
Hell yea. When the Republicans screwed up the federal grant for fiber internet in my state. I emailed and wrote them a letter. Bashing the shit out of them.
Well if you want to be specific. Only the treasury can actually manufacture money. Federal Reserve controls money supply. But congress decides how much money can be spent by the government.Every dollar has to be approved by congress. So if congress doesn't approve the money. The government shuts down like in the 90's when Republicans pulled that debt ceiling crap once again.
SUVs are great for shopping, great for picking up and dropping off the kids at school, and often get better than 20 mpg. Lots of self-proclaimed environmentalists drive them too - partly because SUVs are handy vehicles, but also because environmentalists tend to be hypocrites. People aren't stupid. They make choices based on what is most to their personal advantage. Most Americans live quite close to the places where they shop, and to where their kids go to school. That's how they save gas.
Our occupation troops became a lucrative source of income for the Germans living near our bases, Frankfurt in particular has benefitted handsomely from having US troops stationed nearby (and I must say, I enjoyed my short time in Frankurt too). There are some German towns that depend almost entirely on US servicemen for their economies. At present, their role is mainly as a rapid reaction NATO force. I think the contingent is closer to 30-40 thousand by the way, in about two dozen locations.
