Lewis Black rant on the economic meltdown, government

[Frallon]

Well spoken. People here are so afraid of government run systems. But really what needs to be addressed is running one for a profit, and if not, then just knowing how to fucking run it well. It's no different than any other system. Except the government is backing it.

[fowzie777]

first of all...get over yourselves...not everyone wants to come to your increasingly backwater police state...and the ones that do want to come to your country want to come because your country has BOMBED THE SHIT out of their country and there's nothing left there...

[FatRakoon]

@JibForce9

I never said that. But I am sick of the whining of Americans who seem to think their country is so great that everyone wants to go there, when the facts show thats simply not the case.

The US is all the way over there, nice and safe, and all you have is the mexican and the cubans coming over.

We have hundreds of thousands from hundreds of other countriers in the middle east and the eastern block. The number of immigrants that you get is tiny compared to us scale wise.

[FatRakoon]

The ignorance with Americans is that they often assume that EVERYONE wants to go to the US.

Yes, of course apart from the hundreds of milliosn who want to go to the UK, Franec, Germany, Spain, Sweden, norway, Denmark, Finland, Fucking timbuktu!

No, seriously America. Dont flatter yourselves,people just want to leave their own countries and go anywhere else. We are a lot closer so we get a lot more than you do. You only have the mexicans, we have the entire middle east and the eastern block

[thegreatbungholio21]

@FatRakoon I'm American and I agree although I wouldn't call it just "ignorance", but an arrogant ignorance. Some of us are proud and don't even know why.

I have several European friends and none of them are even slightly interested in coming to visit the US. Alos, the friends I do have who live here and are from foreign lands tell me the INS interrogates them like they are potential terrorists and that they aren't welcome.

[noogetful]

** Does not work well with others.

Lewis needs full attention and carte blanche with an hour of time. Putting him with any other human being makes him seem crazy~!!

[DisturbedHavok]

If we're going to get rid of government programs because some idiots screwed it up, and if an entire political movement is based on the idea that because of these screw ups, government shouldn't be trusted to do anything, but the private sector should, then that political movement is filled with idiots. If people screwing shit up means we stop all government programs, then by the same rules and logic, all private businesses suck too thanks to Enron, City Bank, etc.

[wolfgange63]

@ChabChabChoo SO you are saying that working for government is better than people working independently? The system of capitalism would not be so screwed up if we got away from the Fed and their Fed Stock Exchange. Also setting limits on corporations monopolizing would make way for more competition and make way for smaller businesses to get started. Then that would mean more jobs. It is very simple if you do it the right way!

[MistressArte]

When people say "the government" they mean the fools they put in charge to make the big decisions not the regular people who work for the government. At least that's what I think they are referring to.

[wolfgange63]

The problem with the government is... Not for profit, therefore they do not have to do a good job and get it done fast. The people can't decide if they want to do business with the government or not. The government makes people do business with them. They take your money from you or you go to jail!

[ahigheztarget]

@wolfgange63 If only we had no government! If only all land and resources were private! We could do away with public schools and just let roadways deteriorate! We can do away with public paid firefighters, police forces and military! No bills coming in via the USPS; safety regulations and health codes will no longer hinder our profit margins!

If you're unsatisfied with the way government is handling things then RUN for an office, instead of calling for the abolition of our Republic. SHAME ON U

[ahigheztarget]

Respond to this video... They would have to do a good job if our population was better educated and actually paid attention to what was going on and voted accordingly. Despite popular rhetoric, politicians can and often are held accountable for misdeeds if not voted out next term then outright impeached. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[wolfgange63]

@ahigheztarget You hit the nail on the head there, "They would have to do a good job if our population was better educated and actually paid attention to what was going on". Why do you think government is dumbing down our children in these government schools?? They want to masses to be dumb-asses!

[squamish4244]

@wolfgange63 'Dumbing down?' There are a lot of problems with our educational system, but unless you have access to a bunch of government files showing a massive conspiracy to dumb children down, then your accusations are baseless.

[wolfgange63]

@squamish4244 Hey .. I dont have to prove shit to you. I know first hand.As long as I know, you can believe your government is doing all they can do for you.

[squamish4244]

@wolfgange63 That's a nice way of dodging any debate. I don't have to prove to you that YOU are full of shit - I just know it.

[wolfgange63]

@ahigheztarget I would also like to add... there is more to government than the politicians. They are just the ones being seen. They are the puppets. It's the ones behind the curtain who have the control.

[wolfgange63]

@ahigheztarget Politicians are no more than lawyers who are representing very rich people in corporations who control the media. Personally I dont care what they do until they screw with my life. Do your job and do it well and I will vote for you again. WE vote for you to represent US not to rule US

[emmyjo720]

@wolfgange63 It is now the same in UK...Our governments have been a succession of Eton/Oxford educated lawyers, all basically the same...They are attacking the Public Sector which is putting alot of women out of work.

They want women at home, rather than paying them to do a job, even if they save lifes and work as a paramedic.

[wolfgange63]

@emmyjo720 Wow... I didn't know that part of it. Thanks... I will have to look into that. Government knows best! LOL... so they think!

[emmyjo720]

@wolfgange63 I heard an interview with a female paramedic who was having her hours cut, which made childcare tougher, the Tory MP said it was counter productive that this woman should earning money paid by the tax payer to pay for child care. This woman had done, the right things, she is a single mother with a job, that saves lifes. Many of the job cuts are affecting women more than men and woman are having the hardest time getting jobs. Yet they harrass single mothers for not working too.

[squamish4244]

And final point...no, not everyone wants to come to the United States. I don't see anyone else in a First World nation making a mad dash for the borders of the self-proclaimed "greatest country on earth".

[RichardAndewSwayne]

@squamish4244 Ture I would never move to the US. Everyone seems to get shot there, and the lack of healthcare.

[squamish4244]

He also makes a great point about personal responsibility. It's so much easier to blame somebody else and the easiest target is "the government".

[squamish4244]

Lewis Black gives me faith in the human race. It takes a lot of balls and smarts to stand up to total whackjobs with one-track minds.

[SCR489]

Well apparently,the people arent up to the task of making the government great,maybe outsource? lol

[CoryTheRaven]

@SCR489 DIssolve the State and contract out to "government services providers"?

At least then the money they collect won't be a dirty word that Republicans don't like, like "taxes." Instead it will be a word they do like, like "user fees." ^_^

[AClRCLEOFLlGHT]

Your government... brought to you by YOU. If you vote, you're guilty. If you don't vote, you have zero room to complain about anything. Period!

[tehkoalainsurgency]

@AClRCLEOFLlGHT LOL, that's the problem, the vote passed on to be a badge people wear that gives them permission to complain, rather than an actual impact in the elections. We got this backwards.

[Racecarlock]

I love the audience reaction the moment after the guy said "Government run". They knew what he was in for, i'll tell you that.

[christinepeace]

I don't want to live in the states so guy is wrong, sorry but i am not the only one.

[exbladex99]

Anyone using the word socialism or government in a negative way, are people who don't realize that the United States military IS socialist. You pay for it with your taxes. The constitution is socialist, it allows you to have a military.

[wayne1wr07]

Yo man Lewis Black is rippin new assholes man!!!!!! i doubt i would have said something at this conference!!!

[Malaka57]

People want to visit the states, but most people I know are perfectly happy where they are. If you talk to the migrants thrroughout LatAm, it's just because the USA is closest. There are 100s of thousands of those, BTW.

As for trains... Great trains thropughout Europe. Cheap, fast, on time. Except for GB, where they privatized the system. Privatization = more expensive, less service.

[Scientisticsoviet]

@Malaka57 Maresi to onoma sou. XD Hilarious.

[CvijaFaQ]

Government is a bad word to me and many other people like me.

[robdowling123]

@CvijaFaQ

All of Europe is "socialist" compared to the USA. In Ireland, if you're unemployed, you get €188/week (that's USD266/week) PLUS your rent paid. Then there is child benefit on top. Most Irish people AGREE with this system, we used to pay more! But unemployed people get a chance to hang in there. Because this country is now broke, that figure will have to come down in Ireland. But it's higher than that in Scandinavia. Most Europeans don't pay for third level either. Socialism is good.

[N2B814]

2:05 - 2:46

Well said Lewis, well said!

[Dunkleosteus3691]

Take a tour of Europe: you'll find the best way is by passenger rail service. The reason passenger service in the US stinks is because the political right makes sure we suffer for choosing would should be the better alternative. Just as Bush made sure sick people can't go to Canada for the same prescriptions at a better price. Competition??? Hah - that's a %$#& laugh! Dismantle the lying, cheating political right before it destroys us all.

[TucsonPaolo]

Here we live in a society that is based on capitalism but we claim that we are Christian and compassionate frequently we are neither when it comes to those less fortunate. Some conservatives spout tax and spend as the evils in the government but that is what paves roads, provides water, builds bridges and airports. I doubt the rich would provide those on their own, unless it were on the backs of the poor. 

[LuchadoreBob]

@TucsonPaolo in the united states i live in, the roads are falling apart and there are bridges collapsing every once in a while. government just doesnt have its priorities in check.

[TucsonPaolo]

@LuchadoreBob I agree with you 100% they aren't being repaired or replaced, it's a danger to the public that these politicians rely on for votes. It is time for those of us who can vote to vote these individuals out of office and put people in that have their priorities in check.

[roger1710]

I love how Lewis is able to pick a point apart, piece, by piece. Companies are just as good or bad as any, any, government including the USA.

[jrwilson98]

We could do away with AMTRAK, except that AMTRAK serviced 28.7 Million passengers in 2008. No private company wants to run a train passenger service, because there is no profit in it. AMTRAK is obviously a needed service regardless of the cost.

[CaptainRidley]

@jrwilson98 Amtrak kicks ass

[atmark666]

Cerebral Vascular Disorder or CVD

this is what will cause his death.

[jek21]

Hahaha he really went off on that idiot.

[jezmundberserker]

That dude should have known better than to piss Lewis Black off. Awesome video. Thanks for the upload, godot.

[mintwithahole]

Doesn't matter who you vote in both parties are different sides of the same corrupt coin... Doesn't matter what nationality you are your government is always going to screw you over... We're just slaves and the sooner we wake up to the fact the sooner we can do something about it...

[lastmile77]

You have to realize that government is people. And its primarily not the people you elect. Just because you see Democrats and Republicans acting like idiots on TV that doesn't mean the government isn't getting things done. And just because they come together and pass a law doesn't mean it will be executed efficiently, or at all. Its the people that Lewis is trying to defend that make it all work. You can either enjoy jokes about how shitty government is or hire people that can make it work

[Razorgeist]

Ohh that was an awesome rant he leveled at that guy.

[jr111965]

@JessOnTheRun

Oh, please tell me all about how niave we americans are. See, with me not ever leaving my village, I wouldn't know of any of this propoganda machine. Why dont, instead of slandering Americans with your claims, you explain yourself a little more clearly so that the rest of my fellow uneducated Americans can understand where you come from. Do I believe we have the greatest country? Its arguable but that is open for people to decide individually. Remember, opinion can't be wrong

[jr111965]

@toobularbells

Hey buddy remember one thing, you have the freedom to say that but go to other countries and they cut youre fucking toung out for speaking out against the government. Not all Americans are a bunch of "retarded fat fucks who are armed to the teeth." See, what you are doing is furthoring a stereotype that is displayed upon the rest of the world. Oh, and what colorful use of adjectives. Im glad to see education where you are from has given you an added plethora of vocab.

[chavruta2000]

I'll give you some examples:

In Israel EVERY new house has solar panels on it.

Switzerland is just magnificent.

Hong Kong is a consumer paradise.

[Cajaquarius]

@chavruta2000 Switzerland is nice but impossible to immigrate there, especially if you aren't white or descended from the Swiss. A very xenophobic and somewhat racist people, in my experience. Other than that black mark, they do a lot right, however. Definitely worth it to take bits and pieces of what these places are doing right as no country is really "better" or "worse", not counting the third world and places where people have few actual freedoms.

[chavruta2000]

Not everybody wants to live in the USA. The USA has this chauvenism about it which is unique and it goes like this:

THis is the greatest country in the world (debatable)

AND because of that, we don't need to study good ideas from other countries who might do something smarter than we.

So therefore

We never learn ANYTHING from anybody else.

Meanwhile the rest of the world shares ideas, and I'll you this, there are places in the world where people would rather live than the USA I have been there.

[toobularbells]

Everyone wants to live in the USA?...FUCK OFF

YOU COULDNT PAY ME ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THAT SHITHOLE POPULATED BY A BUNCH OF RETARDED FAT FUCKS WHO ARE ARMED TO THE TEETH

[JessOnTheRun]

dude fucking owned that naive dumbass who decided to opening his mouth.... bam, shut his ass the fuck up.... stupid ass americans who have never done in anything in their life nor left their little villages making obnoxious comments that are totally false due to their "belief" or "faith" in the propaganda machine.... fucking stupid americans.

[LucienZakhaev]

God damn Lewis, get 'em

[Guichotpresident]

Priceless!



[TheTimplatte]

We can have the greatest government on Earth, if stupid voters stopped putting stupid people in charge

[davemelnick]

@TheTimplatte Xactly...which is why I always vote for my army cousin (near captain) every presidential election. I mean it doesn't make sense to vote for 2 losers (who will screw us).

[bapyou]

Go Lewis go. In fact, the so-called conservative anti-government dingbats scream endlessly about how government is the problem, when what they really want is to privatize everything in sight. To date no one has studied exactly how this would benefit society. Private contractors working for the government doing the same jobs as government workers get paid far more money, leaving the government worker to wonder why s/he should put forth the effort.

[oliverjon80]

there is a good chance that everything you know is a lie, so if you dont want to make a mistake dont do anything.

[paradigmmaker]

i dunt understand the guys statement what did he mean by it >

[RhondaH]

When folks complain about gov't, they are denegrating the voters who elected the gov't. Problem is most voters can't see through the propaganda machines that run in front of elections. They believe anything that is repeated often. It's an old ploy to keep saying it until everyone believes it is true whether or not it is. That's how we get administrations like the last one. People are too lazy to do the research, check the facts.

[PhilipPorter]

Some people really need sense shouted into them and who better to do that than Lewis.

Too many people blame the Governement for all their woes especially when the Government isn`t the one they voted for. Therefore everything THAT Government does is wrong.

Fair enough if the Government fucks up, then criticise but this Black and White view of everything is childish and ridiculous!

[9998833]

the us gov is no longer a gov, except now it's a corporation/business. we have a corporate gov making most of the decisions in our lives, wake up everyone

[9062ful]

he should run 4 office

[dieallday]

@9062ful

they would kill him

big business would not allow it

[bapyou]

Tell those libertarian numbskulls Lewis! Tell 'em!

[AbsintheGlasses]

He is so correct, it's not even funny.

[wildweasel974]

well said lewis

[westoban]

amen to that lewis!!

[rawREN]

Lewis Black in one word ~> CONFLATED! He completely confuses and blurs the lines between private business and government work... and where the real problem is, the overlap of the two in what is known as crony capitalism or worse, centrally planned and government run economies. I expect such nonsense from a self-described "socialist."

[TheToughBrets]

@rawREN

And the rest of us expect THIS kind of nonsense of trolls who use a lot of flowery prose to basically say nothing.

[kevinwayte]

Some people mock like this: "ha ha.. do you expect us all to hold hands and sing kumbaya???"

Uh.......

Yes. We really REALLY need to.

This whole society of entitlement needs to change.

[dorslv]

How do we change the people in charge when they pass laws to protect themselves!

[pauljoe1969]

I'm a mailman. Y'all think it's a cakewaik with great pay/benefits/retirement. Been there 12+ years, and when I tell people about what I've seen: the fascist stupidity of the place, the insanity of USPS management & their lack of accountability in destroying the place. It bums me out.

Why is it that we who do the work seem to be THE ONLY ONES who care about actually DOING THE WORK anymore?

Thank you for sticking up for us Lewis.

ps. The American people are the government. Look it up.

[buckfushes]

I think Capitalism has done America a great service for the last couple hundred years...

But I think that era is ending...

What happens when all the major money making sectors have been taken over by Corporations?

What happens to the middle class?

It dissappears.

Capitalism will leave us with the filthy rich and the filthy poor in a few decades.

[monroeward]

@buckfushes. Yes and no... if the poor are so filthy as to be the proverbial bloodless turnips, the filthy rich will have no one else to exploit. Then, their fortunes will turn as well.

What most fail to see, is the interconnectedness of virtually everything.

[9062ful]

@buckfushes What USA Corp are doing is GREED not capitalism Henry Ford did not indend to get rich but his name on every car in the world look at history of old capitalist like J P Morgan

[Kaalec]

I am amazed at how so many Americans support the type of malignant capitalism recently and currently practiced by the global banking community. Surely the form of capitalism immediately after World War II where workers and employees were considered part of the equation. Now, when a company lays off 1000s of employees, their stock goes UP!!

I just don't get it.

[monroeward]

@Kaalec It's the power of propaganda.

It wasn't long after WWII that the equation you mentioned started changing. There were marketing forces at work putting in place what we have now.

[buckfushes]

@monroeward The Book 'Snow Crash' by neal stephenson describes this pretty well

awesome book!!!

[monroeward]

I read one of his a long time ago... "Cryptonomicon" I think?

It was really interesting.

I'm all up to my eyeballs in grad schoolin' books these days.

[70road]

The US government is nothing more than a subsidiary of corporate America.

[jaceklupl]

BS

big government is bad government. Enron has got cheap money and politicians behind itself.

Big government wants to give everything to everybody and ends up with socialism and people are ruled by fasist parties(Democrat, republicans, etc)

Black is wrong, but I still like him

[GeneralHoohah]

Sorry Jace, but we need to change the types of people in charge and take strict actions against shady business practices and the assholes in charge who aren't supposed to let it happen but do so they can line their pockets with green. Its not big government that fails, human beings fail because most of them are greedy corrupt fucks.

NO form of government will work until we as human beings change, or at least put those in charge under a strict watchful eye.

[mwells219]

I think Lewis Black ultimately makes a good point. Big government doesn't mean bad government. Some things are public goods and cannot be effectively administrated by the private sector.

[rightsideofhistory]

It's funny how much of a lightbulb moment this is for many who finally realize - govt is people, us. You, your dad, mom, uncle, cousin, etc. We put the people in the positions, and citizens are the people making it work or not work. We're accountable. We mock and prod - but would we rather have had corporate for-profit businessmen running the major societal functions of the country? Lewis makes a perfect point. Conservatives & even some libertarians seem to be pro-private everything. Odd.

[mystie3k]

watch @ 0:57 - Lewis Black has a cynical view on most things - but staunchly defends public servants and rails on personal accountability. Excellent commentary.

[kgotter]

PWND

[oldaardvark]

Lewis is right.

Also, Amtrak is not run by the government. The government is only in charge of not giving it enough money.

[jerms246]

lol @ the end. poor shmuck got OWNED

[MySon89]

good point lewis. that guy tried to say this is the greatest country in the world and everyone wants to come here, but he thought the gorevnment sucks...but he didn't think about if the govt fucking sucked as bad as he thought no one would want to come...you sir are a fail

[FriendTron450]

WOW

[VacuumLogic]

If were going to HAVE THIS COVERSATION!! YOUR INSANE!! yes I love him.

[elfchaser]

We will never have the greatest government for one simple reason: government is paid for and voted for by the people. The people in this country tend to be either like the little snot who ask the question, or overweight, defiantly ignorant, slobs. All we can ever have is a reverse aristocracy.

[mmm413]

Paid for & voted by the people? What world do you live in? Paid for & BOUGHT by corporations. That's the problem.

[davemelnick]

@elfchaser Yes....let alone, just plain losers & dumb asses who will simply screw us.

[fifthbiz815]

Interesting to see MrBlack in a nonscripted/improv rant. Not as polished as his usual stage presentation, but some good material for future monologue.

Caveat Emptor...Caveat Venditor & "In God We Trust (All others pay Cash)" should be added to the next version of our fiat currency.

The Capitalist & Statist run competing carnival roadshows w/ their barkers & con artist trying to fleece the rubes & beat the shit out of the nosey parker & always blaming the other guy for the mess they make.

[ZachsMind]

"If we are the greatest country on Earth, maybe we could have the greatest government."

The answer isn't socialism versus capitalism. Screw Isms. The answer is the right people in the right jobs for the right reasons. People who are in their jobs because they want to get that job done. Isms are like sports teams and we demonize what we perceive to be competition. We can have socialized medicine in a capitalist society, if we got the right people making it work.

[nidodson]

Yup, that is why when I get older, and have my retirement fund ready, I will run for office and refuse a salary, or take the salary, and reinvest it in whatever part I think needs the most help, and personally see to the exact use of the money to make sure it isnt wasted.

[Bromopar]

@ZachsMind I don't know about you but I'm sick and tired of Republicans and Democrats. To them an idea is only good if THEY thought of it. If a Republican thinks of an idea the Democrats hate it and vice-versa. We need people to sit their asses down and stop to think about whether or not an idea will work and stop being so obsessed with who fucking thought of it.

[TheFootegirl73]

@Bromopar I keep telling people we should boot all parties and just be Americans for a "change." The idea of a two party system being a true democracy is ridiculous!

[Bromopar]

@TheFootegirl73 I support that idea 100%. The only party i want to be a part of is Carnival and for only two weeks a year.

[ArcanineKing]

Didnt Lewis Black said US wasn't the greatest country on earth? >.> or was it just comedy? (from an HBO Special, Broadway.)

[crayyawn]

I think he was making a logical point, saying that if people think that the United States is the best country in the world, shouldn't we naturally have the best government?

[myrelative]

I think I lost a lot of respect for him because of this video.

if a service is well run does not depend on the kind of people in charge, at least not in the long term.

the self-interest of the people is important.

making a profit vs. getting reelected.

I'm not saying that all services should be based on making a profit (certainly police shouldn't) but there's a huge difference he doesn't recognize.

trains should not be run by the government.

enron is a fraud case. off topic.

[ksim43]

I feel just the opposite. It's a simple point that gets bulldozed over. Gov't is people; if they do their jobs well, it works. If they don't it doesn't. But instead cynics and self-serving politicians demonize it for their own gain. His point with Enron is that things are either going to be run publicly or privately. Now the specifics of whether Amtrak should be public or private is indeed another topic, but it was the questioner who married the two. Black is just responding to that illogic.

[myrelative]

yeah but that's just the surface. you have to ask yourself what makes people do their job well.

there is a reason why the local pizza hut owner gets paid by you, per pizza, and the local police is paid by the state, not by number of arrests.

let the government run the pizza hut and the police work for whoever pays most and you'll see what I mean.

claiming that government is inefficient in the pizza-hut-cases is not demonizing.

[ksim43]

I'm not arguing the value of privatizing vs gov't. The point is the knee-jerk cynicism that gov't=bad. The mantra of Reagan's scariest words, "I'm from the gov't and I'm here to help." While Enron was an mentioned as an example of greed in the private sector, the major point of its use is that there is no one-size-fits-all. Which is what you are saying but also feel that you're ignoring that cynicism that leads to false conclusions by an nonthinking populace.

[ksim43]

You're focusing on the minutiae of his comment on Enron and ignoring the larger point that gov't is not an amorphous force but is like any organization made up of people. Privatization is not better than public-run is there are no systems in place to keep greed and malfeasance in check.

[immozelle]

privatization is usually better, but the gov't itself is supposed to be the system to keep companies in check. But there has to be competiton. A private run business is no better than public run when they are both gov't sanctioned monopolies.

[mwells219]

The good of the genral public is more important that having a "free market". Affordable healthcare is more important than making sure that insurance companies make profites.

[GoalieRealmUSA]

i wanted to watch more. plus cooper and lewis what the fuck is this? never thought i'd see them together.

[Hopeful71]

The problem is that lazy, uneducated, & naive people try to be like the brilliant Mr Black but they don't have the fundamental critical thinking skills that he has earned. They end up corrupting his skepticism to their perverted cynicism where 'EVERYBODY' is out to fuck them.

These people, like the video questioner, are too GOD DAMN lazy to sort out bad government from good & just label the whole mess evil. The irony is they use their cynicism to actually feel smart when they are the opposite

[GoalieRealmUSA]

thank you, wise ass.

[WhoFlungPoop2]

you got a point there, they take his ideas and just twist it to their own end.

If you want the essence of Black's ability it is this, to be observant, not cynical, for once you take a good look at something, the flaws are self evident and just need saying.

[ParanoidToaster]

WE'RE FUCKED! D:

XDDDDD

I love this guy. :D

[zander811]

America needs more powerful people who are like Lewis Black. Whether they follow his line of thought or not, we need powerful people who aren't afraid to speak up, to say that this bill or that bill is good or a fuckin horrible idea because of certain reasons, instead of being pussies. If you think I'm wrong, why was it so easy for members of Bush's cabinet to bully Congress into doing things their way? Iraq War, Patriot Act, etc etc... "With us or against us" wouldn't work on Lewis Black.

[HebaruSan]

Government or private business, they're both insane bureaucracies with budgets, bosses, etc. Only difference is whether you can vote out the people in charge of it.

[Rev0lutionIsMyName]

The government isn't the bad guy. WE are bad for standing by and doing nothing while it got out of control.

[ksim43]

I remember wathcing the Biden-Palin debate and watchign as she derided gov't as doing a poor job. And I thought "Aren't you a politician? Isn't gov't your field? You're running for the 2nd highest office in gov't, and yet you feel gov't sucks. Maybe you just suck at your job."

[mondo78]

Lewis Black for President, now that would be a ticket to vote for.

[HottestPepperOnEarth]

This man is a leader. Fuck the congressman and senators. Men like this are our REAL leaders.

[badbadpuddy]

What people keep missing is it's OUR government. Ours. If it's not working, then WE need to fix it. All these right wingers who claim to be so patriotic yet hate the govt make me sick. What could be more patriotic than fixing our own damn government???

[IFknHateUTube]

Fix government by giving it more money, right? By adding more staff to a bloated department that can't get the job done with what they already have, right?

Unlmited resources makes for a hell of a business model - add money and add people until they stop fucking it up for some inexplicable reason.

[vigwig]

Don't mess with Lewis Black, he'll tear you a new one.

[davemelnick]

@vigwig Yea...CNN, FoxNew & the like are all propaganda machines. Specially, on election years. Just a person that works in a political city. Btw, our presidents, lawyers, senators & all will just screw us. They all are xcellent in the alk, but never the walk.

[Shadyac21]

It's a shame that he's on CNN. Somethings I don't agree on but Lewis Black does know what he's talking. He's funny and educated.

[billthebutcher2]

Ouch.

[Malaka57]

I live in Germany. Ever since the train system was partially privatized, service has been collapsing. England same problem.... Amtrak is fucked because it is not properly managed. It's not a government problem. And Americans ar car obsessed.

[myrelative]

BS. I don't know about england, but service in germany has not been collapsing.

it's not even privatized yet, it was just converted to public company but it's still 100% owned by the state.

[Malaka57]

England is shit... and ever since the DB got on the private track, it has gone down the tubes, plain and simply. Mehdorn was an idiot, he ran the DB like a textile mill in China. I travel on the trains as much as I can, but for the first time in 15 years, I have started opting for the car again. The good rolling stock (ICE) was all developed in the old days.

Let me return the complement about the BS.

[myrelative]

I'm sure you'd be happy if you wouldn't have to pay for the trains anyway by taxes while driving your new car.

[mmm413]

Does it work?

[Animelover1465]

damn Lewis completely kicked his ass.........

[kablamo9999]

Indeed if your country really is the greatest, you would be better than us at having public services. Are you?

[girlmeg01]

Way to go Lewis! The snoot in the audience thought he was going to get off clean with that statement. Boy was he wrong!

[Lorelia01]

... wow. <3 Lewis. Can I have your kids? XD

[OcularStream]

goddamn O.o Lewis ripped that guy to shreds

[cardinalis]

oh wow. he's like my soul mate.

[SphincterBoyJenkins]

wow.

[Rock1Golem]

wow, Lewis Ryno'd him.That's Rip Ya a New one, I'm gonna say it all the time now.

[averagejoe397]

At a way lewis let him have it

[rrmond]

He is right. Its about how well individuals do their job. Its funny how so many other rich countries have the basics down. Economy, health care, education, energy, etc.... But then the U.S has the nerve to look down on them when it is suggested we take some of their advice. Especially Europe. Im mean after all isnt most of Europe the For Fathers of our For Fathers?

[holt2k]

You mean forefathers, right?

[SuperBob909]

Do you have the full interview? that was great for a second i thought his head would explode.