Bill Maher: 'Corporatist' Evan Bayh Is What's Wrong With Senate (VIDEO)

Evan Bayh is not a centrist, he's a corporatist, according to Bill Maher.

Maher appeared on "Anderson Cooper 360" Tuesday night to comment on the state of affairs in Washington, D.C. He argued that Evan Bayh, the retiring Senator from Indiana, is what's wrong with Congress. The Senate is "where legislation goes to die," Maher says, because "corporatist Democrats" like Bayh act like Republicans.

Maher told Cooper that politics are not polarized enough and that the U.S. lacks a real progressive party.

WATCH

Comments

[Clayton139]

06:14 PM on 03/01/2010

Evan Bayh is a Quitter and a Coward like "doing a Palin" !!!

[Anthony Sturgeon]

01:03 PM on 02/23/2010

It's really more about what's being exposed in our govt now,,, as corporations have been mixed in successfully with those we elect without ever having to go thru an election process...

The question really is how many of the population don't mind the fact that politicians have merely been extensions of the corporate interests,, making all decisions mostly on their behalf....

The ppl vote,,, but the corporations rule,, no matter who is the ppl's choice and every vote has to be run by and OKed by the corporate execs assigned to that particular politician..

It's not that politicians have become bad salesmen,,, it's the products their told to sell have become less and less ppl friendly as Wall st,, the military and health care Industry thrives at the expense of the consumers whose voice has been limited or completely shut out..

Change and reform aren't very easy to define in favor of those whose job it is to take from the ppl.
Hence the present state of the American govt,, and all the retirements and I quits,, of those who realize how hard it is to sell using the truth,,, so bring in the clowns__Sarah, Liz,, Hannity, Beck and O'Really?

[Flokk]

10:28 AM on 02/18/2010

And Bill nails it again.

[dems4life]

04:24 PM on 02/18/2010

Oh yeah!

[slambos]

08:08 PM on 02/17/2010

I respectfully disagree with the idea that the US is 'not polarized enough.' Anyone that read the full NY Times article on tea partiers yesterday should know what I mean. The article ends with a tea partier talking about how she's willing to die for her country. Another Civil War, she says, is her biggest fear. Conservatism gives way to radicalism. These people are the direct opposite of progressive... the fact that many of them dress up like they were living through the actual Boston Tea Party should be a hint that these people want to take us back in time. To a time when the idea of a black president was not a possibility.

Obama is both a centrist and a pragmatist. The Right likes to demonize Obama for being far to the left or even socialist and this couldn't be further from the truth. Obama doesn't care about left or right, he is a centrist that cares about the greater good and will make compromises if it means getting something done. The level of anger in this country is at near all-time highs. What we desperately need is some common ground... attacking the center is not a good thing... we need centrists that can find common ground in order to get things done... the right wing has gone haywire... somebody has to think about the long term stability of the country, and without the existence of a 'political center' I don't think anyone will!

[Danton Furney]

03:05 PM on 02/18/2010

The NYT article on the 'tea baggers' was scary. I worry about the future of the US when I hear about people like this. To me they say like a self-fulfilling prophesy...on the one hand they are fearful of martial law and then talk about arming themselves for the coming fight!! Well if enough crazies start forming militias and stock-piling weapons and acting hysterical then it almost seems inevitable that it will reach a point when the government will have to call out the National Guard. These people seem gullible and undereducated and many admit to having had little involvement in the political process so far...they are so easily manipulated by cynical powerbrokers on the Right. Folks on the Left and in the Centre seem so reasonable by comparison, and perhaps this is also part of the problem. I mean I would be nervous about directly challenging the teabaggers (e.g., by arresting someone for inciting armed revolution against the Federal government!) b/c that would feed into their crazy paranoia and they would come out firing.

[blizb]

08:49 AM on 02/20/2010

I closely agree with you, the GOP and the "conservatives" divide us and that is counter productive to finding common ground to solve problems.

Our Democracy if founded on the majority while all of us have the freedom to our own beliefs and opinions.

We elect our representative to work on our behalf, to advocate for the people and that means the majority of the people. I don't believe the extremists in the "tea party" are an example of the majority, they are an example of an ideology moving too far in a negative direction.

I do agree with Bill on the fact too many politicians have lost sight of the people advocating for corporations and either greed or misguided ideology has led them to vote more often in favor of corporations instead of the people.

I am okay with Obama being a centrist because it means he likes ideas from both sides creating a larger middle ground and that works better since it creates a larger majority to get things done.

The years and years of GOP rule and the "trickle down" theory of the economy didn't work since they approved of tax cuts to the top 2% with the argument that they create jobs and will take care of the economy. That proved untrue and hasn't worked, corporate interests & the private sector did not take care of us or the economy.

[Vote2bfree]

07:06 PM on 02/17/2010

The Democrats couldn't convince people they needed air-conditioning in hell.

[markdolph]

09:50 PM on 02/17/2010

Now that he's lost his super-majority in the Senate and he's at risk of losing one of the chambers this fall, if Obama has any hope of turning things around, he needs to figure out how to move Reid and probably Pelosi out of the way. Reid is ineffective as a leader, and Pelosi (like it or not) is a polarizing figure. He should probably move Rahm Emanuel to a new role as well.

[alwqb]

01:27 PM on 02/18/2010

That is because the Republicans scream lies and misinformation.

[Waitaminute]

06:32 PM on 02/17/2010

Yes we need a more progressive liberal party. But in Bayh's case, he made sure (with the DNC picking his replacement) we get another corporatist like himself, by announcing his retirement about 3 days before a dem OF THE PEOPLES liking, can qualify to put their names on the ballot. I guess he has earned a BONUS from his corporate friends for that.

[alwqb]

01:28 PM on 02/18/2010

The wifey made sure of that.

[funkyirishdem]

06:21 PM on 02/17/2010

NO MATTER WHAT THIS PRESIDENT DOES ..


- run into a burning building and bring out a child to save their life
- give a tax cut so that nobody pays ANY taxes
- FREE health care for ALL
- A FREE house for everyone
- CURE cancer
- EXPAND the military and bo.mb every last ter.ror.ist country on EARTH!

THE TE.AB.AGGERS AMD THEIR REPUBLICAN BREATHEN WOULD NOT BE SATISFIED ...

THEY CANNOT AND WILL NOT ACCEPT THEY LOST THE ELECTION OR THAT HE IS PRESIDENT

...and many (not all ) but MANY ..do not care so much that this Presidnet is a democrat ..

..but that he is black .

(in case you missed it ..take the time )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0y4L_Ue5HY&feature=popular

regards.””

[lentinelia]

06:54 PM on 02/17/2010

He has done none of those things you mentioned.
What he has done is to escalate the war in Afghanistan.
He has kept Bush's policy of rendition and detention without charge or trial.
He abandoned the public option, calling it a mere "sliver".
He sold weapons to Taiwan.
He is keeping the Cuban embargo intact.

Those are a few things he has done, in case you missed them.

[markdolph]

09:41 PM on 02/17/2010

... that's what's so insidious about the whole situation in Washington: as Obama has done all of these things, he's still attacked by his opposition as 'radical,' 'marxist,' and 'taking the country down the path to socialism.'

I no longer believe, as I once did, that both sides are at fault. I blame those whose only purpose has been to 'deligitimize' Barack Obama as President. They are willing to put the country on the path that we see Greece is on in Europe. What is causing the economic destabilization of our country is not the debt, but our inability to address the complex challenges our country faces because of our inability to govern.

[nanderson65]

03:59 PM on 02/27/2010

He hasn't even walked a little old lady across the street yet, and that is the boy scouts bread and butter! He ain't doing much I'm afraid.

[sloppybear16]

06:19 PM on 02/17/2010

It seems like Bill doesn't want to call Obama a corporatist, which he is. This country has been run by corporatists in full force since JFK was assassinated. It has been progressively getting worse with each new president.

Everyone of these corporatists support the "federal" reserve and praise Bernanke for "saving" the economy by following same mistakes of Greenspan. Printing our way "out" of recession and into another bubble that will be many times worse than the past two created by awful monetary policy of the Fed.

The dollar is about to collapse, yet most of Washington in silent. Ron Paul has been warning about the destruction of our currency since we went of the gold standard in 1971. The dollar has lost 97% of its original value. The last few percent are likely to disappear if we don't change our misguided fiscal and monetary policy immediately.

[alwqb]

01:37 PM on 02/18/2010

Where were you when Bush created the largest deficit in US History? Yes, in History. 2 wars - not paid for, Prescription Drug Plan - not paid for, tax cuts for the top 1% - not paid for, need I go on?

[sloppybear16]

12:40 AM on 02/19/2010

That is my point. I didn't say only Obama. I said this has been going for decades. I said it has been getting worse with each president. Which means Obama has been worse than Bush and Bush worse than Clinton.

People love to give Clinton credit for a balanced budget but he also had a bubble building during that time that later busted under Bush's watch, so Bush-Greenspan re-inflated the bubble with something far worse. That being housing of course.

Also, Clinton's people in the Treasury lead the charge to repeal Glass-Steagall. Those people of course were Geithner and Summers. Surprise Surprise. Look who's back in the Obama administration.

Bush = Puppet

Obama = much better speaking puppet

I supported Ron Paul, and if you know anything about him you would know that he doesn't support anything Bush did. Get out of the mindset of Left v Right. its a joke. BOTH PARTIES do the same nonsense

[nanderson65]

04:01 PM on 02/27/2010

we were here punk!
but we know bs when we see it...
barry ain't doing scat!
I wish he would believe me!

[PanBaccha]

06:18 PM on 02/17/2010

Bill Maher - insightful, intelligent, politically savvy, humorous, and very much to the point. He is still a concerned patriot angry with both parties ... the spineless, and the ghoulish.

[Progressives-Unite]

05:56 PM on 02/17/2010

Hey, we just went through eight years with a president whose IQ was 3 points lower than a geranium. Bill keep up the good work. We need strong progressive voices in the media.

[Raul Garcia]

05:44 PM on 02/17/2010

Wow, Bill must of been clean and clear headed for this interview, he actually came across as insightful and intelligent.

[Changeizgood]

06:17 PM on 02/17/2010

Most pot heads, not all, are very intellectually in touch with decifering what's wrong with society as a whole. Case in point. Some have degrees and still teach in college and are members of esteemed societal and proprietorial think tanks, on peaceful non-combative solutions that have commonalities of ALL the human race.

jBlessed are the "peacemakers" for they shall know GOD.

Now LAB drugs or mind altering chemicals are a horse of a different color.

Pot smokers know also that anything unnatural, isn't to be taken in the body.
Very healthy and smart is a great combination.

Bill has traveled the world and been around all human beings. He has great incite on issues as a progressive who is highly pissed off at the pace this country is moving on Green energy.

I enjoy his show Real Time when I can afford the cable. I wish he would consider taking the Leno spot. His show is ripe with knowledge and he invites Rethugs also.

He may be a proud progressive liberal, but he's fair and says most people, like a liberatarian, should just mind their own business in the world. When people get fed up, they rise just as WE in America have. The world is awake, let's keep it that way for awhile.

Our children's attentions spans are short when disappointment and particianship delay progress.
So the lesson's of the Constitution and Democracy for the next twenty years.

Then they will be able to keep our country safe.

[Raul Garcia]

06:33 PM on 02/17/2010

Must pot smokers I know suffer from anxiety attacks and are always behind on their rent and car payments.

[john frodo]

01:54 PM on 02/18/2010

What about hash oil?

[alwqb]

01:38 PM on 02/18/2010

If you ever watch him which obviously you don't, you would see that he is always spot on.

[N8tracks]

05:28 PM on 02/17/2010

Tea Party = KKK!

[CNYObamaFan]

05:25 PM on 02/17/2010

Bill Maher is dead on target. My respect for CNN just doubled knowing that this was on that channel. (it was admittedly rather low before, but still) Bill Maher needs to be given an hour long show on CNN.

[MalakAlHaq]

05:18 PM on 02/17/2010

Right-On Bill.

[punk]

05:10 PM on 02/17/2010

"politics are not polarized enough"

Shouldn't that read politics **is** not polarized??

Is "politics" plural now?

[CNYObamaFan]

05:24 PM on 02/17/2010

That's so completely relevant to the point. Thanks for your fabulously helpful input.

[punk]

12:19 AM on 02/18/2010

Hey listen! Anything to help ya fella! You're welcome!