# Maher says USA Democracy is in its death bed. How concerned are you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 9, 2022, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615 "2022-11-09T00:10:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/21 "2022-11-09T03:42:18Z")
Any source on that? I feel like I would have noticed if he did it often, and not bothered creating this topic. At least several years (I got tired of scrolling) of his new rules monologues are available on Youtube here if you want to point at a few: > **[Real Time with Bill Maher](https://www.youtube.com/user/RealTime/videos)** > > He's irrepressible, opinionated, and of course, politically incorrect. Watch new episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher, Fridays at 10PM > > Subscribe to the Real Time Channel for the latest on Bill Maher. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/22 "2022-11-09T03:44:21Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > It was not a coup. It was not an insurrection. It was just a damned riot. A riot with the goal of forcing an election outcome is part of an insurrection. And you’re excluding all the fake electors and attempts to “find votes,” as well as those who directly encouraged the riots. It’s not like the rioters were the only ones who were part of this attempt to overturn democracy. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/23 "2022-11-09T03:44:27Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Many people have chosen not to believe them for whatever reason. I suspect it’s not listen more than not believe. Unlike the wonks in this forum, most people here pay no attention to politics whatsoever except for a couple months in Presidential election years. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/24 "2022-11-09T03:50:00Z")
I think it is different this time. Voting rights have been rolled back and red states are aggressively doing all they can to deny voting rights (this was a good one recently: [Georgia’s Governor Deputized GOP Vigilantes to Challenge 149,000 Voters](https://truthout.org/articles/georgias-governor-deputized-gop-vigilantes-to-challenge-149000-voters/) ). Congress is more stalled than ever. There was some bipartisan deal making happening in the 80s and 90s and then you got Newt Gingrich and the primary attacks by deep red voters who opposed ANY compromise whatsoever. We’ve come perilously close to the US defaulting on its debts because of this and the thing is…MAGA applauds it. Then you get things like McConnell brazenly stealing supreme court nominations. And it worked which only emboldened them. And then, you know, conservative voters stormed the freaking capitol building. And then the Supreme Court has just gone off the rails ignoring precedent and overthrowing decades of jurisprudence. So yeah, I think it is different this time. ---
**Author:** ![TheTooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/919ad9/32.png) [@TheTooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTooth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/25 "2022-11-09T04:02:18Z")
It’s hard to think of armed, masked goons hanging around polling stations as a sign of a healthy democracy. There are also the audits and denialists and Republicans saying outright that they will see to it a Democrat never wins another election in some state or other ever again; those don’t strike me as signs of a healthy democracy either. Calls to have one’s political opponents jailed aren’t something you hear every day in a healthy democracy. The US is obviously broken. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/26 "2022-11-09T04:03:26Z")
From my first presidental election in 1996 until 2016 I voted Republican. In 2016, I could not bring myself to vote for Trump so I voted for Hillary. I didn’t care for Hillary, but I didn’t think she’d cause the same amount of damage Trump might, and I honestly didn’t expect Trump to be as harmful as he has been. But I still voted for Republicans in other races. The events of January 6, 2020 alarmed me so much that I have vowed not to vote Republican ever again. Today I voted Democrat across the board. I don’t care if I like them or agree with their platform, but I’m not voting for insurrectionist who do not suppor the rule of law or the democratic process. I’m scared of the GOP. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/27 "2022-11-09T04:09:22Z")
It’s even worse: > The theory, known as the “independent state legislature theory,” stems from the election clause in Article I of the Constitution. It says, “The times, places and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof.” > > Proponents of the theory argue that that clause gives state legislatures power to regulate federal elections uninhibited by state courts or state constitutions. If a majority of the Supreme Court agrees, that would hamstring state courts, removing judicial oversight of state elections. > > “Taken to its extreme, the independent state legislature doctrine could be an earthquake in American election law and fundamentally alter the balance of power within states and provide a pathway to subvert election results,” says professor Richard Hasen, an expert on election law from the University of California, Irvine. > > SOURCE: [Supreme Court to take on controversial election-law case](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/30/1106866830/supreme-court-to-take-on-controversial-election-law-case) This would allow state legislatures to decide what electors get sent to Washington to vote for the president regardless of the vote results. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/28 "2022-11-09T04:47:27Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > From my first presidental election in 1996 until 2016 I voted Republican. In 2016, I could not bring myself to vote for Trump so I voted for Hillary. I didn’t care for Hillary, but I didn’t think she’d cause the same amount of damage Trump might, and I honestly didn’t expect Trump to be as harmful as he has been. But I still voted for Republicans in other races. The events of January 6, 2020 alarmed me so much that I have vowed not to vote Republican ever again. Today I voted Democrat across the board. I don’t care if I like them or agree with their platform, but I’m not voting for insurrectionist who do not suppor the rule of law or the democratic process. I’m scared of the GOP. What went through your mind when you made the extremely logical and democratic choice of country over party, but instead of most people doing the same, you actually turned out to be the exception? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/29 "2022-11-09T05:07:43Z")
It seems it is not only us who see it: > **[The World’s Democracies Ask: Why Can’t America Fix Itself?](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/08/world/us-international-democracy.html)** > > Conversations across continents reveal alarm over the United States’ direction, as it slides away from ideals it once pressed other nations to adopt. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/30 "2022-11-09T05:12:56Z")
> [@Gozu](#): > > What went through your mind when you made the extremely logical and democratic choice of country over party, but instead of most people doing the same, you actually turned out to be the exception? On January 6, what went through my mind was that this would finally put the nail in the coffin for Trump’s political career. Even members of the GOP recognized how bad it was and it appeared as though they were ready to turn against him. A few days later, most of them changed their minds and said it wasn’t a big deal. Here’s what went through my mind: I didn’t abandon my party, my party abandoned me. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/31 "2022-11-09T05:43:29Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Republicans win an election. Liberals claim that the fascists will never allow another election. > Democrats win an election. Conservatives claim that the communists will never allow another election. > > They are both a bunch of hysterical drama queens. This both-siderism is one of the main reasons the US is going down the shitter. Both sides are not the same. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/32 "2022-11-09T05:52:17Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > This both-siderism is one of the main reasons the US is going down the shitter. Both sides are not the same. The issue is that about 20-25% of the public are high in authoritarianism, and they’vee pretty much all become republicans now. Authoritarians used to be split between the parties (dixiecrats were authoritarian for example) or non-political, but now they’ve all joined the GOP and the GOP changed to reflect this. > **[Study: US Republican Party is embracing authoritarianism | FairPlanet](https://www.fairplanet.org/story/study-us-republican-party-is-embracing-authoritarianism/)** > > A new study shows that the Republican Party in the US is becoming more akin to authoritarian parties in countries like Hungary and Turkey. I dont know how much damage they’ll end up doing. Worst case scenario, they create Jim Crow for everyone who isn’t a white christian who believes in patriarchy. But the odds of them implementing that nationally are very low. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/33 "2022-11-09T07:51:46Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Both sides are not the same. You are correct, no they are not. There are no Democrats who insist that any election they lose is stolen and they don’t care that there is no evidence. That is 100% on the Republican side. I like to think that the Republicans are doing that as the last gasp of desperation from a cornered rat, as they see a demographic shift in the future dooming them. But that’s probably my optimism taking over. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/34 "2022-11-09T12:01:02Z")
Democracy isn’t an organism. Democracy is a verb. Right now, we’re not doing it, and our failure to do it is going to cause real and lasting damage. But the solution isn’t to give hipster monologues about the death of democracy. The solution is to start doing democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/35 "2022-11-09T12:12:23Z")
I’m afraid he may very well be right. We came much closer on January 6 than many people realize. The extreme right has a game plan, and they are working tirelessly to implement it. Having said that, I also have to say that his comments were well timed if they were intended to get people out to vote. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/36 "2022-11-09T12:24:13Z")
I’m very concerned about the viability of democratic governance in the US, but not because of anything said or not said by that jackwagon Maher. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/37 "2022-11-09T13:34:20Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I’m afraid he may very well be right. We came much closer on January 6 than many people realize. The extreme right has a game plan, and they are working tirelessly to implement it. Yup, and they might not fuck up the next January 6th. They’ll change their strategy a bit, and maybe the next coup will work. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/38 "2022-11-09T13:42:38Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > On one hand I can plainly see that Republicans are more than happy to fuck over democracy to retain power, but on the other hand I don’t give a flying fuck what Bill Maher has to say. I’m with you there. Not to mention he’s one of the people who helped get us here by normalizing the bad guys and being a mouthpiece for RW bullshit to discredit the Dems. Glad he’s waking up now (assuming he really is), but he’s been playing with politics like it’s just some sort of game for way too long. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/39 "2022-11-09T13:56:35Z")
If only Bill Maher’s show was on its deathbed. He’s an ass. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615/40 "2022-11-09T14:49:49Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The Republicans have always told us exactly what they intended to do. Many people have chosen not to believe them for whatever reason. Just like Hitler. The odd thing is Michels didn’t walk it back by saying something like he intended to say the GQP wouldn’t UNFAIRLY lose an election again. This time we (American people) have pushed back the rising tide of fascism by a narrow margin. The danger in 2024 is very real, however. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maher-says-usa-democracy-is-in-its-death-bed-how-concerned-are-you/974615.md?page=3)