The Inherent Problem

soupsoup:

“So, what we have is one perfectly good party for hedge fund managers, credit card companies, banks, defense contractors, big agriculture and the pharmaceutical lobby; that’s the Democrats. And they sit across the aisle from a small group of religious lunatics, flat-earth-ers and Civil War re-enactors who mostly communicate by AM radio and call themselves the Republicans. And who actually worry that Obama is a socialist. Socialist? He’s not even a liberal. I know he’s not because he’s on TV. And while I see Democrats on television, I don’t see actual liberals. And if occasionally you do get to hear Ralph Nader or Noam Chomsky or Dennis Kucinich, they’re treated like buffoons. Okay, these are not three of the world’s most charismatic men, but then nobody is going to confuse Newt Gingrich for Zac Efron. And I have to look at his fat face on TV more often than that free credit report song. Shouldn’t there be one party that unambiguously supports cutting the military budget, a party that is straight up in favor of gun control, gay marriage, higher taxes on the rich, universal health care—legalizing pot—and steep, direct taxing of polluters? These aren’t radical ideas. A majority of Americans are either already for them or would be if they were properly argued and defended.”

— Bill Maher (via azspot)

Bill Maher (via azspot) (via soupsoup)

I know that it was done in a shitty Robin Williams movie, but can this guy run for office? Not that I’m stepping up to the plate (though, at 23, I have an excuse), but why is that the smartest people are the ones lobbing bombs from the outside?

I love what Bill Maher stands for, and I think he’s fucking hilarious. The problem is, people with his values and brains, they don’t go into politics — they make money in comedy or technology, and then when they try to make a difference, they find the gates are closed.

Here’s the real issue: fighting for these beliefs, as a politician or DC player, is in no way monetarily rewarding, or, let’s face it, fun. Those in the corporate corner get all the perks: the cocktail parties, the big fundraisers, the illegal vacations to Scotland. Co-Ops and unions, as much as I love them, don’t give those out.

So it’s the conservative brains (you can be smart and a fucking idiot) that end up in DC, soaking in all the sin of power. The liberal brains are in NY and LA, having fun and sinning, but ethically.

This is why I’m so impressed with Al Franken. Senator Al Franken, thank you very fucking much.