Bill Maher Defends Occupy Wall Street

Taken from Real Time with Bill Maher October 21st on HBO. Bill Maher visit Occupy DC and "Contrary to reports" he was not offered a marijuana cigarette.

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[michaelterry1000]

@wildreams I Honestly do not see any fundamental difference in foreign policy between Bush & Obama. I dont blame Obama anymore than I blame Bush. What possible foreign policy difference between the two could explain how Bush is an indicted war criminal in Canada and Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize? I would love to hear the answer to that one.

[wildreams]

@michaelterry1000 I understand that you are critical of some of Obama's policies. But dismissing everything and anything that Obama does when some of them are the right moves? Aren't you doing the same thing as the GOP for hating on him whatever he does? Intellectual honesty is the basis of a mature, open discussion.

[wildreams]

@michaelterry1000 No.. the drone bombings were not for killing Osama.. They are for fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. And I 100% condemn it because the high civilian casualty rate due to the nature of these strikes. Capturing Osama requires a much more complex, intelligence-intensive operation. They were not 100% sure that Osama was in there, but they have strong evidence for it, and they prevented civilian casualty by sending commandos. There were women and children in that building too.

[michaelterry1000]

@wildreams NO they were not sure Osama was in the compound. It was a gamble that Obama won. Obama lost some gambling on shooting missiles in Pakistan Killing innocent people. Read Wikipedia ‘Drone attacks in Pakistan’. In 2008 (Bush) Read wikipedia ‘U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement’ agreed to full withdrawl by Dec 2011. US foreign policy is on the same autopilot now that it has been on since 9/11. No difference between Bush and Obama.

[wildreams]

@michaelterry1000 He not only said that, but he proposed that in the House too, but he probably did not push it strong enough (in my opinion) and it essentially got cut by a bi-partisan opposition, but plans to close GTMO is still on-going. Iraq: Yes, he got us out, while the GOP will keep us in. He was sure that Osama was there, he did not use indiscriminate bombings, instead he sent in commandos to minimize/prevent unintended civilian death, what are you talking about?

[michaelterry1000]

@wildreams It is true that he SAID that he wanted to close GITMO. But that to me is just another politician lips moving with no action. I dont know that GITMO conditions are better. We were given a deadline by Iraq to get out of the country. We were kicked out. Yes, He got Osama but by using Bush tactics - Sent troops to a foreign country without countries knowledge, shot up building killing people BEFORE he was sure that Osama was there. I dont see a Dif between Bush and Obama.

[wildreams]

@michaelterry1000 I'm no Obama apologist, and he did fail on these fronts. But there is a difference between trying and not trying (eg. on closing Guantanamo Bay). And the conditions of Guantanamo Bay did get better since he took office. At least he did bring the troops back from Iraq and got Osama bin Laden, passed the Stimulus package and healthcare reform (watered down).

[michaelterry1000]

@wildreams I do not see Obama as the “lesser of 2 evils”. I HONESTLY do not see the difference between Bush and Obama. Bush had the facade of a cowboy, Obama has the facade of a Baptist preacher. Both support Patriot Act, Gitmo, Super Pacs, Mit Romney health care, bombing countries we are not at war with etc. If you ignore what these politicians SAY and only look at what they DO you will see that their isn’t a difference between them.

[michaelterry1000]

@PatriotsDomain I have gotten to the point where I just wish that people would vote FOR someone they like rather than vote AGAINST someone they don’t like. “Lesser of 2 evils” just guarantees that you will get evil.

[wildreams]

@michaelterry1000 Who are they going to support? Good question, because you know too, that the GOP candidates are hopeless and Obama is much of the same thing. You are right, they probably don't have much of a choice but to hold their breath and vote for Obama as a lesser of 2 evils, but that doesn't mean that they support him.