It seems that some who identify themselves as liberal are now open to promoting ideas that would fit perfectly into the idiocy of the GOP. Bill Maher, host of a long running weekly HBO series, is now spouting off about how we need to “get over” COVID and move on with our lives.
You can draw a direct line between his recent statements about COVID to a statement made this week by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) about why the Child Tax Credit shouldn’t be extended.
The link? Both say it’s not my problem, take responsibility for your own actions.
Just Stay Healthy and You Won’t Get Sick From COVID
Bill Maher has almost broken his arm over the last five years patting himself on the back for predicting a Trump win in 2016. This huge ego boost apparently has made him believe he has the right to criticize ordinary people who don’t live like he does.
Maher has been fat shaming for years so it’s no surprise that he would reprise this idea to say that instead of fighting COVID, the medical community should have tried to get people more healthy to fight it and people in lockdown made their situations worse by exacerbating their already unhealthy lifestyle.
He quotes a statistic that 78 percent of people who died or went into the hospital from COVID were obese. For one thing this “statistic” is incorrect. It also shows how, like the GOP, he cherry picks bits for his own purposes and isn’t interested in a discussion about the real issues and how to address them.
Statistics based on race and socio-economic status give a better picture when talking about obesity in America. Data showing African American women have the highest rate of obesity, while women with no college degree are more obese than women who have a degree are just two talking points.
Maher should be asking why is this the case? Is it the convenience of unhealthy fast-food? Is it that they don’t have the time, access or income level to get to a health club? What about people who are genetically predisposed to obesity? Should they be included in the fat shaming? And what, if anything, can we really do about it?
As Maher is not even remotely obese, he does not ask these questions or provide any solutions other than say just stop being obese and all your health issues will magically disappear.
Bill Maher has a platform to spread his view that life for Americans would be so much better if people would just take personal responsibility. Do like he does and your life will be so much better.
It should be noted that Maher has a net worth of $140 million so he can afford to join an expensive gym, have a personal trainer, buy organic groceries and better cuts of meat, and hire a personal chef to prepare healthy meals for him. He can also afford to eat out at places that offer healthier choices on their menu than one with a drive through.
Sounds like Maher is smugly speaking solely from a position of privilege.
Just Get Over It Already!
The worst thing Maher said about COVID is that we need to “get over it”. Forget the mask and social distancing. If you tested positive, but never suffered ill effects from the virus as he did, you can ditch all that now. We’ve heard this selfish attitude before from Trumpers who scream their rights are being violated and want to shoot school board members who implement mask mandates to protect children.
Maher never considered COVID a threat. Apparently 882,000 deaths, which includes data from the first outbreaks before a vaccine was available, shouldn’t be a concern. It should be noted that Maher is vaccinated, but refuses to take the booster saying it’s unnecessary. He apparently missed the memo that the booster is intended to increase your antibody levels even more so you are significantly less likely to be hospitalized or die; even those who were apparently healthy.
Another fact Maher conveniently ignores is how hospital and emergency room staff continue to be overwhelmed by this pandemic, now due more to the unvaccinated. Getting a booster will greatly help alleviate this situation.
Maybe Maher’s show should be moved to the Fox News channel.
And Then There’s Sen. Ron Johnson
We all know the GOP are some of the biggest hypocrites on the planet. Just when you think they couldn’t be any more tone deaf or insensitive to their constituents, Johnson demonstrated last week they have not reached rock bottom yet.
Johnson has made brainless comments before, such as January 6 seemed like a peaceful protest and mouthwash kills the COVID virus. So, it was no surprise that his latest comment on extending the Child Tax Credit was also half-witted.
It was also appalling.
“People decide to have families and become parents. That’s something they need to consider when they make that choice.” He also said “I’ve never felt it was society’s responsibility to take care of other people’s children.”
Ron Johnson implies that babies are conceived only by people who want to have children and then stay together as a family. How much more disconnected from reality can this guy be?
The GOP is the party that proclaims they are “pro-life”. This really means they are anti-abortion and would throw the biggest party in America if Roe v. Wade was abolished. They have already started dismantling it at the state level with the Texas law being the most egregious. In that state there is no provision for incest or rape and it allows a bounty on the head of any woman who attempts to get an abortion after a “heartbeat” has been detected.
Ron Johnson just told every woman in America that no matter how they got pregnant they can’t terminate the pregnancy and they need to either find a way to take care of it themselves or give it up for adoption. And don’t expect the federal government to help you. Huge tax breaks and loopholes are for the rich so they can pay less tax than you do. They are not for financially irresponsible people like you who decide to have children or conceived through no fault of your own.
Johnson, of course, can afford to be judgmental about people who need a child tax credit. He worked for his wife’s family and made millions before running for office. His children, much like Trump’s, probably never wanted for anything their entire lives.
Just like Maher, Johnson speaks from the lofty position of privilege.
Bill Maher and Ron Johnson have proven, to paraphrase Donald Trump, “there are stupid people on both sides”. Unfortunately, both have followers who are not only willing to listen, but who agree with their implied views that humanity is irrelevant and being socially responsible is a thing of the past.
America will be destroyed from within, not by violence, but by egotism and self-interest.