Bill Maher Can't See The Answer Staring Him in the Face
In his weekly “New Rules” comedy segment, leftist comedian Bill Maher took on President Obama. The crime? Failing to live up to Maher’s fantasies. The occasion for Maher’s grumble was nothing of substance (as usual, Maher’s rant was reprinted at the “progressive” blog Huffington Post):
New Rule: President Obama must give up that awful habit that sets such a bad example for young people. I’m talking, of course … about golf.
Golf, if you’re not familiar, is a pastime where you basically walk outdoors with a bag, muttering and cursing. It’s like being homeless in loud pants. Anyway, Time magazine is reporting that since he became president, Barack Obama has taken up golf with a passion, playing almost every weekend for the past few months — and I feel betrayed. He campaigned as a basketball player. It said to us, “I’m urban and athletic and hip and a team player.” Golf says, “I like Lipitor and white collar crime.” And it’s not just golf — he’s been purposefully eating a lot of hamburgers in public lately, to prove he loves meat. And he said that, unlike before he became president, he prays all the time now and that his Faith and Neighbor Initiatives Director sends him scripture on his Blackberry to start every day. Jesus, is there something about that house that turns people into a-holes?
Golf? Hamburgers? These are Maher’s principle gripes?
As he shifted gears from comedy to political pontificating he made clear why these are such serious infractions:
There is also a more serious side to this, because golf, hamburgers, and religion are all things that are incredibly bad for the environment. According to the U.N., in 15 years almost two billion people will be living in conditions of absolute water scarcity. And yet, a golf course in Palm Springs consumes as much water per day as an American family uses in four years. Golf courses in America consume over 114 million gallons of water a year on grass that doesn’t even get you high. Golf courses also need large quantities of fertilizers and pesticides whose run-off pollutes the ground water for miles around.
This isn’t just a third world problem — there’s a water shortage right now in the western United States. If I surpass my monthly water allotment here in Los Angeles, I’ll get fined by the city. If I do it twice, they’ll send 40,000 prisoners to live in my backyard.
But when it comes to bad for the environment, nothing — literally — compares with eating meat. The business of raising animals for food causes about 40 percent more global warming than all cars, trucks, and planes combined. If you care about the planet, it’s actually better to eat a salad in a Hummer than a cheeseburger in a Prius
So Obama should not golf or eat meat because both are bad for the environment. And instead he should set an example:
There was a news story last week about the U.S. military warning America that the ripple effects from global warming inspired disasters could kill millions of people, but none of them can moonwalk, so nobody gave a s—. But if this “planet” problem is so dire the military is saying they’re going to have to start dealing with it, maybe the president should set a better example about how we just can’t live exactly as we always have and survive. I’m certainly not suggesting that we “take away” your golf or your hamburgers, but when it comes to being a role model on the environment, this president is out to lunch. With Joe Biden, eating greaseburgers.
Which is a shame, because he and his wife have demonstrated enormous power to lead by example.
[Emphasis added to highlight the key sentence here.]
Maher’s right about a few things here. Golf and meat are bad for the environment, in pretty much the ways he describes. (Though I don’t put it past him to exaggerate a bit. It’s not like he’s really citing his sources here.) He’s also right that these problems cannot be corrected by government stepping in and forcing people not to eat meat or play golf.
Where he’s wrong is in his answer to the problem. Is Obama acting as a “good example” really going to inspire people to give up things like golf and cheeseburgers — things that give them so much joy? Of course not. The suggestion is juvenile and absurd.
There is an answer to these problems, though Maher isn’t going to want to hear it: capitalism. How do you get people to stop using products (as in golf courses and meat) that harm the environment? Answer: create better products that harm the environment less.
These two problems are not really “problems” when considered through the lens of the entrepreneur. They’re opportunities. What product or service can be created that will allow golf courses to spend less money watering their lawns? Or is there a way to create a great golf course that doesn’t need to be watered at all?
Meat allows for the same opportunity. Our current system of corporate factory farming does produce more pollution and less healthy meat in the name of churning out a cheap product. Now is the perfect opportunity for more local farmers to step up and produce better quality meat while damaging the environment less.
What Maher doesn’t see is that capitalism isn’t the problem. It’s the solution that’s always been staring us in the face.
We are beginning to see a split within the Democrats and Mr. Maher is desparately trying to salvalge a failed policy with nonsense.
Maher is probably the worst human being that has ever lived. The man is a waste of the skin that covers his body and the air he breaths. It is a toos up who I would prefer to be marooned with Maher or Stalin. Once again if he is so concerned about global warming he should walk the walk and completely eliminate his vile carbon footprint completely. That would be his greatest service to the world and humanity. Come on Bill do the right thing end it for the cause.
It really surprises me that so many people, Bill Maher included, site Obama as a black man. Interesting that Bill Maher includes his ideal black man as playing basketball rather than golf…isn’t that a little racist. However, Obama is more white than he is black, so why don’t we leave out any color? He is also more Islamic/Muslem than Black.
Maher is bad for the environment, and should be deprived of oxygen
Maher is the leftist kind who abuses free speech, but wouldn’t allow anyone from the right to speak if they had the power to prevent it.
The northeast liberal crowd can’t see far enough down their noses to think that anyone out of their Klan has anything worthwhile to say.
This may a big let down but Maher is not really that smart. His audence is very small mainly the most extreme folks. As for making money Now O’reilly makes the bread and has about 10 times the viewers even thought he is a horses ___
Bill Maher is a funny guy, and his jokes are smartly done, if they aren’t smart. But I think that’s my precise qualm with him, from an intellectual standpoint. He is funny and extremely talented, but he doesn’t seem to lead his talent; and it isn’t that I disagree with his views, which I do disagree with them, but it is more that I am not convinced by his views. Maher seems like he can’t choose between being a host or George Carlin. This, of course, could just be my observation. I am no expert when it comes to knowing how people tick.
About 50 years ago I knew, what we then called “pro-communists” or fellow travelers, who talked the same trash that Mahler does. I never dreamed that someone with that sort of philosophy would become President in U.S.A. Mahler takes advantage of our freedom to help destroy it. The mentality of those people is exactly like that of Stalin, or Hitler. Get power at any cost, then destroy anyone who might be a threat to power.
Maher is a liberal. That’s all, just a plain simply liberal, that wants to tear apart our country and see us become a third world power.
What I have yet to see from any liberal is them putting their money where their mouth is. I have yet to see any true liberal donate to anything, but the election of more liberals.
You can plant a grass that doesn’t need so much water, and farmers have been growing beef for years that doesn’t pollute the environment. I should know, I’ve done it too.
As a CPA, I did thousands of income tax returns over many years. I noted that people who cried about aiding the poor, had very small, if any, donations to charity. They wanted to give other people’s money away, but not their own. The people who made large contributions were the conservatives, and church going crowd. The former talked “liberal”, but gave “conservative”. I would be interested in seeing Maher’s charitable contributions.
So black men can’t golf? They have to play basketball? For goodness sake? Where is the NAACP, the ACLU, SPLC? Maher is clearly the most racist comedian since Michael Richards and Don Imus! No you tube videos? Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson!!!! Calling all race baiters! All race mongering hypocrites! Here is your chance to prove you are actually people of principle willing to take on racism in all cases. Oh, I see….you just talk the talk to get the cash. No actual principle behind your bantering. You have officially killed any credibility you have. That’s assuming anyone who believes you actually knows what credibility is (or cares?). I bet Tiger Woods (arguabley the best golfer alive) or Michael Jordan (an accomplished golfer and not to shabby basketball player himself) would disagree with Mr. Mahers incredibley racist comments.
He’s a Democrat so he is exempt.
Maher isn’t saying that Obama can’t golf because he’s black. (Tiger Woods anyone?) He’s saying that Obama can’t golf because he’s an elitist who’s better than golf.
David,
I did not mean black men can’t golf in the physical sense. It seems from the basketball, urban, athletic reference Mr. Maher implied that black men shouldn’t golf. Its “selling out” to the old white guys (reference lipitor and white collar crime). How pathetic of an attempt to try and relate to minorities. He has now clue of what it’s like to be poor. And his implication that minorities must fall into a specific characterization (basketball, athletic, urban) is indicative of some deeper racist ideology. It harkens to the Jimmy the greek comments. Well intended but evident of underlying predjudices.
Golf is not a verb.
You don’t basketball, football or baseball do you ?
Golf is the only sport where players call penalties on themselves.
It’s a character building sport because teaches the value of honesty and integrity to young people who take up the game..
Just another reason why people like Maher hate the game and those who play it.
In Western English perhaps. However, golf was invented on the British isles where players of football all commonly referred to as footballers and players of golf as golfers. I see the logic though. That’s why it was a gentlemens game.
Yes.. people who play golf are properly called golfers, and it’s true that in the UK, people who play football are called footballers.
But they still go out to PLAY football.. They don’t football.
And golfers play golf. They don’t golf, no matter where they are.
Golf is not a verb!
Worse than Stalin? worse than Osama bin Ladin? Come now, there are millions of people worse than Maher.
And wishing that he’d commit suicide puts you in Mike Malloy territory when the stalinist radio host wished Glenn Beck would kill himself.
I understand you’re frustrated by Maher’s rantings but don’t sink to his level, sir.
Maher is actually a very bright and funny guy when he’s not on one of his leftist rants.
My biggest question about guys like Maher is how anyone with a high IQ could ever come to believe the far left BS that they spout.
Perhaps he realized that a comic had a much bigger potential audience as a far left liberal, and panders to them simply because he makes more money that way than he would speaking from the right ?
David
You have truly lost it. You must be a very big fan talk about losing your soul it appears you have lost any sense of preportion and irony. By making a example of Magers extreme views. I guess you just will never get it. I have more respect for the thugs I have locked up than Maher who would destroy anyone that disagrees with him. You also do not know enough about me to comment on anyones soul other than your own. Maher is one of the worst people on this earth period. Now get over it and go slip on your earth day T shirt.
David
He is doing exactly what Hitler did turn those he disagreed with into villians and sub human. I still suggest that he is a hippocrit if he really wants to save the earth and believes that garbage then he is obligated to remove his carbon footprint which I assure you is huge. I never mentioned Osama so you must have comprehension problem. Of course I do not wish him to kill himself because he would forfiet his soul. But my statement stands he is in fact garbage.
Jack,
I think you’re going way overboard. Don’t compare people to Hitler if they’re not actually killing people.
You said, “Maher is probably the worst human being that has ever lived.” That’s a ridiculously hyperbolic statement. There are millions of people out there doing far worse things than just a leftist comedian. I cited Osama bin Ladin as an example.
“Come on Bill do the right thing end it for the cause.” That and your previous comment about completely eliminating his carbon footprint sounds an awful lot like you’re saying he should kill himself.
He’s not garbage. He’s just a human being with some bad ideas in his head. That’s all. Don’t forfeit your own soul with overly hyperbolic rhetoric.
“He is doing exactly what Hitler did turn those he disagreed with into villians and sub human.”
Don’t you see that you’re doing that to him by calling him “garbage” and comparing him to Hitler?
I have no clue what a birther is and I doubt seriously you have a job other than shilling for a miscreant like Maher. By the way are you his personal butt boy or do you play that role on the net? I fear the later because you instantly sized on my comment to set yourself up as morally superior. You are with out doubt an apoligist for the very people that want to greatly limit or do away with what my ancestors and I have fought and bleed to keep. Let us try an experiment you refrain from making comments directed at me and I will reciprocate this way you will have more time to perform Maher’s personal hygene requirements hope you do not have a hook for a hand that might be uncomfortable however if you are really good perhaps you can convince him to transplant his spinchter directly to your lips. Now do have fun with your mud pies.
RDVSR
You have hit the nail right on the head. these people pose a very real danger to everything that this republic was created and stands for. They cannot murder someone like Sarah Palin outright at this moment like Hitlers goons Renst Rohm and his brown shirt but they do all they can to destroy them. The people that love this country and what the founders created are just now starting to wake up they have been lulled to sleep for to long and have been to busy working trying to make it. Maher had he lived in the days of Stalin would have turned in his mother and father. He is even now a big supporter of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez.
Maher doesn’t destroy people who disagree with him. He invites them on his show and has debates with them. Sure, he says some crappy things about many conservatives and when he does I call him out for it. Might want to go back and read all the critical blogs I’ve written about him the past couple weeks.
Having more respect for violent criminals than for a leftist satirist? My goodness. The more you comment the more absurd you make yourself look. Better quit before you embarrass yourself anymore.
Heh, “earth day shirt.” You really have no idea who I am, what I do, or what I’ve written do you?
Thanks, though. When the real whack-job, “Obama is Hitler” so-called “conservatives” call ME a leftist then I know that I’m doing my job right. I bet you’re a birther too.