Bill Maher, who admitted donating $1 million to the Dems for their push to take back the House,was in high rant mode last night on HBO's 'Real Time'. In his final segment of 'New Rules' he fairly blasted the Democrats for not going all out ripping Donnie T. (for Traitor) Trump a new one, e.g.
"Someone has to tell me why all the best voices speaking out against Republicans are Republicans, Nicole Wallace, Steve Schmidt, Rick Wilson, George Will, Brett Stephens, Joe Scarborough, Richard Painter, Michael Steele, Jennifer Rubin, Dave Jolly, Anna Navarro, Max Boot, David Frum"
They're the ones out there landing head punches, not any Democrat. Even Trump's own people tear him down better than any Democrat. McMaster called him a 'dope', Mattis a 'fifth grader', Steve Mnuchin 'Idiot', Reince Priebus, 'idiot'. John Kelly 'fucking idiot', Rex Tillerson 'fucking moron'. Gary Cohn 'dumb as shit'"
And so on.
You can watch the whole rant here.
.New Rule: Scary Socialism | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - YouTube
All of this Anti- Trump lot have been spot on, skewering the slime- in- chief and also using cutting edge rhetoric to call attention to the ongoing GOP cowardice is bending over for Trump, enabling him. But...they also have tons more credibility than any Dem trying to match their vehemence and put down power - precisely because they all hail from Republican tribal stock, and are also principled conservatives - as opposed to suck ups and submissives for the Trump cult.
Thus, they are the ones to go after Trump, not Dems, especially in any use of the I (for impeachment) word. Hence, Bill's calling for the Democrats to be more outspoken is simply "poor politics" as Nancy Pelosi put it in a recent TIME magazine piece on her. Why is it poor politics? I suggest anyone who needs to understand read Kimberley Strassel's piece in the WSJ yesterday:
How Republicans Could Still Win - WSJ
Strassel's optimal means to win? Get the Trump idiot base all riled up to increase their yen to "protect their president". Hence, using every tactic to try to invoke the specter of impeachment, or endless persecution (and "unhinged rhetoric") by Dems - especially in the battlefield districts. Or, in campaign ads, integrating any robust, anti-Trump rhetoric (pulled off the transom) from assorted Dems that may appear threatening to the same base.
Smart guy that he is (certainly with close to a Mensa level I.Q.) Maher ought to know then the last thing Dems ought to do is play right into the Trumpie cult's hands. Do not deliver fodder for their upcoming campaigns, but instead keep a low profile and let the outspoken (and far more credible Reepo anti-Trumpers) do that for them. After the House at least is taken back, there's time to be more outspoken - but even then the long game goal is to get rid of the Trump cabal entirely - i.e. in the 2020 general election.
For perspective, just imagine ANY Demo running for a House seat - especially in a battleground district - using just half the rhetoric most of Bill's cited critics have used. They'd be inserted into GOP political ads in a heartbeat and it would be 'Katy, bar the door' when the election gets underway. (As guest Richard Clarke informed Maher, by one recent poll projection, the Ds get 206 seats, the Rs 205, and the others are "jump balls". Point being this is not the time for complacency, or over-confidence by firing up the Trump base)
For perspective, just imagine ANY Demo running for a House seat - especially in a battleground district - using just half the rhetoric most of Bill's cited critics have used. They'd be inserted into GOP political ads in a heartbeat and it would be 'Katy, bar the door' when the election gets underway. (As guest Richard Clarke informed Maher, by one recent poll projection, the Ds get 206 seats, the Rs 205, and the others are "jump balls". Point being this is not the time for complacency, or over-confidence by firing up the Trump base)
So hate to disagree, Bill, but this is the smart way to go, though yes, it lacks the appealing vitriol against Dotard we'd all like to see from the Ds. But right now, with zero leverage or political power, these are the cards they need to play. Keep quiet on dissing Trump too much (or threatening indictment or impeachment) and let the Reepo critics or Never Trumpers do it for them.
Where I DO agree with Maher is the need for more education about socialism, given the media and GOOPs appear determined to try to frighten Americans. This is generally because our countrymen don't know enough, e.g.
But we just need those socialists (self declared) running in given districts to make clear there are many U.S. programs that already can be considered under that umbrella, including Social Security and Medicare. Oh - also the GOP defense spending bills - to make more F- 35s as a jobs program, and bailing out heartland farmers because of Trump's tariffs. In other words, give exact examples when the 'S' word comes up, to show there are already multifold forms of socialism in the country.
But going full tilt on Trump with super harsh rhetoric is not a political winner, at least not yet. We have the proper voices doing their job on Donnie Dotard and the GOP, let them continue.
Where I DO agree with Maher is the need for more education about socialism, given the media and GOOPs appear determined to try to frighten Americans. This is generally because our countrymen don't know enough, e.g.
But we just need those socialists (self declared) running in given districts to make clear there are many U.S. programs that already can be considered under that umbrella, including Social Security and Medicare. Oh - also the GOP defense spending bills - to make more F- 35s as a jobs program, and bailing out heartland farmers because of Trump's tariffs. In other words, give exact examples when the 'S' word comes up, to show there are already multifold forms of socialism in the country.
But going full tilt on Trump with super harsh rhetoric is not a political winner, at least not yet. We have the proper voices doing their job on Donnie Dotard and the GOP, let them continue.
No comments:
Post a Comment