Bill Maher’s back after his summer vacation, and his latest “new rule” bit starts in with some hard criticism of the “far far Left”—the progressives—for being close to Communists, and the Democratic Socialists of America for using Communist jargon. I’ve talked before about the DSA’s platform, which includes abolishing the Senate and ditching the President and Supreme Court. as well as getting rid of the police and jails. But some of them go further, advocating seizing private property and “seizing the means of production”—straight out of Marx.
As for the pathetically small sample of 13 Democrats (10 in Congress) who signed the “Promise to America” (text at the link), the Dallas Express gives the list:
- Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) — Co-leading the initiative
- Rep. Adam Gray (D-CA) — Co-leading the initiative
- Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)
- Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV)
- Rep. Don Davis (D-NC)
- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D-TX)
- Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY)
- Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-OR)
- Rep. Kristin McDonald Rivet (D-MI)
- Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH)
- Jessica Killin (candidate)
- Marlene Galán Woods (candidate)
- Bobby Pulido (candidate)
The pledge is not some kind of right-wing manifesto, but a reasonable centrist Democratic view. I’m appalled that more Democrats in Congress wouldn’t sign it.
Oh, and my favorite Democratic curmudgeon, James Carville, appears with a quote about the “progressives”:
“There’s just some shit that I can’t be in the same tent with. . I”m done. I’m not in that fucking political party.”
The guests are Erin Brokovitch, Scott Galloway, and Peter Hamby, with the last two shown in this bit.
Oh, and I think the DSA members aren’t wearing masks to ward off covid; I believe they’re doing it to hide their identities.
Re “… getting rid of the police and jails”
Really? Seems like a bit a fear mongering here.
“Demilitarize police departments, disempower police unions, and redirect funding to public services as steps towards fully abolishing the police and prison system which protects the rich and jails the poor. Treat drug addiction and mental illness as health issues, not crimes. End qualified immunity and empower civilian oversight bodies with real authority over the police.” (From DSA’s website)
No, because what you posted shows that the goal of the DSA is eventually to fully abolish “police and the prison system.” Since they said that, why are you saying they didn’t. “Civilian oversight bodies” have been mentioned by others before, but of course that’s completely stupid.
There’s a quote – I THINK – from Sam Harris – that applies here – paraphrased :
They really believe it. Believe them when they tell you.
… this accounts for the difference between the example Bill shows – in which the politician Francesca Hong says some gobbledygook which would get an “eye roll” if it was in the context of a beauty pageant — but on the political stage, …
It “hits different” (as the kids say).
… this book comes to mind :
Politics as Religion
Emilio Gentile
Translated by George Staunton
Princeton University Press
2020
ISBN 1400827213, 9781400827213
200 pages