Bill Maher Explains the Problem with Trumpism 5 Years Ago

[pgerman]

Originally Posted by JurisDictum [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Accountability at a state and local level is far below that of the national level. There is a complete lack of voter interest in anything below a gubernatorial election. The turn out for local level elections is something like 20% at HIGHEST. Government corruption at the city level is famously common.

There are no examples of any country with high GDP per capita and low wealth inequality that use our decentralised system. As far as I can see, this system works great for a divide and conquer strategy by large corporations. It creates a "race to the bottom," where states and municipalities are competing with each other to offer the most subsidies and tax breaks to potential "job creators." It's pretty common for them to use up their subsidy package and then move on to the next state.

Ask Daywolf how happy he is with that super accountable state government in California*. Where the Democratic party is the only game in town -- so you get rich assholes like Gavin Newsom running the show. Watch that dumbass try to stand up to a guy that barely graduated high school:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42wbI7LxRns (Adam Carolla)

I'm not going to get into to Republican state corruption unless someone implies it isn't there.

Look, states made sense in the 1800s. People in each state had a lot more in common then, and the federal government wasn't nearly as accountable as it is now. When we were using horses for travel I don't think I would have been a big fan of federal government. And it is not that I'm a "big fan" now, its just that I recognize that it is the only tool powerful enough to actually stand up to elites. And we know the sword can cut both ways...we just need the right wing to know that too.

*for some reason I think Daywolf is from CA, I can't remember why and don't want to take the time to confirm.

Edit: There is no "individual" in control of the U.S. government. All a president can do is try to get CONGRESS (535 people all over the country) to pass a law. That law must be upheld by 9 Justices. It is far easier to prevent something from happening in our government than it is to make something happen. That's the way it is designed.

Another reply.

All governments are easily corruptible that is true. That is really the point behind no centralized power.
Individual corrupt powers are still divided in their ideas , and have limited power to rape the people.

As soon as you give the federal government 100% control, they have 100% power, and only one source needs to be bought and paid for. Instead of screwing around paying off 50,000 different local officials. They can go straight to Hillary Clinton and get what they need.

You have to assume the worst of humanity, and put road blocks in place to just slow the process of corruption down. You will never stop it.

The worst places on the planet, are where human governments have existed the longest. The USA is still young, and the deathgrip on its people is not set in stone yet.

[AzzarTheGod]

Originally Posted by Pokesan [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

this is a dunk.

cosigned and underwritten; ATG Esq.

[Lune]

Originally Posted by pgerman [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The worst places on the planet, are where human governments have existed the longest. The USA is still young, and the deathgrip on its people is not set in stone yet.

I bet this dope actually thinks the USA is the best place to live

[Daywolf]

Originally Posted by Lune [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

This dope actually thinks the USA is the best place to live

In modern times pretty much, at least outside of democrat controlled cities. For ancient times, many historians tend to agree on 2nd century roman empire. I guess it depends on your value of freedom and clean drinking water. Or maybe you were thinking modern Africa, though they don't have any socialist healthcare, since even the flies will kill your ass.

[R Flair]

Of course its the best place to live... if you care about freedom and liberty and not just sitting in your basement playing EverQuest.

[Lune]

I watch merger after merger after merger happening at a quickening pace over the last 10-15 years. Every industry is quickly being conglomerated into as few as 1-3 entities, eliminating competition and fucking over consumers, small businesses, and labor. Even fiscal conservatives and trickle down dipshits will admit that monopolies are antithetic to fair and prosperous free market capitalism, and that the free market has no natural resolution for monopolies.

And yet the only entity capable of trust-busting activity, of shattering these monopolies and ensuring fair and healthy competition, is a strong federal government. Maybe you should pick up a history book and read about what capitalism was like before the government began actively breaking up monopolies, and why we're in a state of crisis precisely because our government is no longer doing this.

[Lune]

Originally Posted by R Flair [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Of course its the best place to live... if you care about freedom and liberty and not just sitting in your basement playing EverQuest.

Please don't tell me you actually watched that and were convinced by his outright lies, trying to portray Canada as a repressive police state with no freedumbs. He fails to mention the systematic denial of abortion rights and our ironfisted handle on the rights associated with unionization, acting like the USA is some beacon for freedom. Good lord.

His argument about our poor life expectancy being caused by our freedom and prosperity is similarly retarded. Is he actually claiming people in Germany, England, Sweden, Japan, even fucking Russia, don't have economic access to become gluttons?

None of the examples he cherrypicks to make these other countries look bad refutes the central point that they enjoy superior social mobility, aggregate human capital, health, and happiness.

Holy shit as I continue to watch this video I am embarrassed for you, that somebody could watch this and lack the critical thinking to see how much of it is outright false:

"The Chinese government determines the life trajectory of its citizens at birth based on their genetics and personal proclivities"

Do you actually believe this shit?

[Nihilist_santa]

ITT Lune is taking no shit.

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[R Flair]

Originally Posted by Lune [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Do you actually believe this shit?

Yep. Our life expectancy is directly related to our wealth and abundance which allow us to make choices which may adversely affect our health.

Feel free to pretend what he said isn't mostly demonstrably true but all you're actually doing is showing your aversion to facts, reason and logic.

[R Flair]

Originally Posted by Nihilist_santa [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

ITT Lune is taking no shit.

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ITT hitler-worshipper brings his anger and butthurt from another thread over here.