Did Bill Maher just basically support anti vaxxers?

[onecaliberal]

What the hell is he thinking. He's gone off the rail lately. Now he's trashing ACA.

[CincyDem]

1. Sure seemed like it. The Mrs. and I were both in "WTF did he say ???" mode. n/t

[onecaliberal]

2. He's been pretty far off the reservation lately.

He's hard for me to take anyway because he such a misogynist.

[Marie Marie]

3. Yes, at times his misogyny borders on crude and disgusting.

[MissDeeds]

4. He's spent too much time

at the Playboy Mansion. Enough said.

[NuclearDem]

5. Doesn't just support anti-vaxxers, he practically is one.

For someone who loves to ridicule RWers on climate change and evolution, he takes some really bonkers positions on vaccines and germ theory.

[X_Digger]

6. Yeah, Bill's a moronic idiot on vaccines.

Thinks that vaccines 'damage' the body.

Why, him and his healthy eating and copious pot smoking make him nigh invulnerable to disease, don'cha know?

[SunSeeker]

7. His Libertarianism shows itself in these idiotic positions.

That and his craven attempt to stay "edgy."

[applegrove]

8. The point he was trying to make was that immune

systems get better with practice fighting off bugs. That isn't there a point at which we should not vaccinate to give the body and the immune system exercise. He uses the flu vaccine as the example. But it is already only recommended only for the populations most vulnerable to death by flu. And it is optional. I agree that small children should play in dirt to gin up their immune systems.

[onecaliberal]

10. We enjoy herd immunity which is quickly fading because anti vaxxers

[applegrove]

13. I agree.

[jamzrockz]

33. Do you even know what herd immunity is?

I don't think it means what you think it means. It cannot prevent the immune-suppressed or unvaccinated from getting infected. It just provides protection to society(as a whole) against an outbreak when the pathogen emerges. We most like have enough herd immunity to protect against a pandemic since the infection we had just affected a few pockets of people in society i.e. not a pandemic which is herd immunity's doing its job.

Btw, the video of the segment is below for anybody who wants to hear what was said directly from his mouth.

[NuclearDem]

37. "We most like have enough herd immunity"

First of all, there's either herd immunity, or not.

Second, we had zero cases of measles in 2000, and then a bunch of idiots bought Wakefield's nonsense, and ever since we've had anywhere from dozens to hundreds of cases per year.

Herd immunity means the outbreak doesn't happen in the first place. There shouldn't have been any degree of measles outbreak in the 21st century in the US.

[joshcryer]

15. Vaccines literally give the immune system practice to fight off bugs.

Literally. That is their entire purpose.

Blaming anti-biotic resistance in some superbugs on anti-biotic in animals for food is fine, because there is a link there. That has zero relation to viruses.

Bill said he'd rather be exposed to measles than to anti-biotic treated food. Red herring.

[applegrove]

16. True that.

[onecaliberal]

18. ^^^^ Fact

I'm so sick of all the twisted bullshit.

[Liberal Veteran]

35. That whole thing he keeps saying about "give the immune system a chance to work out"....

...is so sadly uninformed it makes me nuts.

When you get a vaccine, your are using the immune system so it knows how to recognize and fight of a specific pathogen when or if it encounters the real thing so it doesn't have to start from scratch trying to figure out how to produce antibodies to kill the pathogen.

I just don't understand where he is coming from on this.

[applegrove]

36. I hear you. I don't know if the viruses given are alive or dead

when one is immunized. I think they can be either.

[chrisa]

34. For less harmful diseases that might sense. For polio or smallpox, not so much.

[appalachiablue]

9. He said we need the profit out of health care, have a universal system. That wasn't possible.

ACA is a lot better than we had. Don't know what planet he's on tonite. And the anti vaxx? This segment was sloppy opinion, unprepared and uninformed. And a shame since the last two shows were very good. Second time he's brought up antibiotic resistance and UTIs.

[onecaliberal]

11. It was terrible.

He said there was no scientific studies proving the effectiveness of vaccines.

[mwrguy]

12. he's been an anti-vaxxer for years

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/02/1191045/-Bill-Maher-Anti-Science-Knuckle-Dragger#

[Drahthaardogs]

14. Bill does not understand a lot of science

and is too lazy to learn it. Sad really.

[pansypoo53219]

17. not exactly. i am sorta with him. he is pro IMMUNE system over science only.

look at the depression era & greatest generation who survived all the bugs without vaccines.

[Archae]

19. And look at all those who DIDN'T.

Find a graveyard with stones that go back past the early 1950's, you'll find many tombstones of children.
Most died before they were 10.

The human immune system isn't run with magic, it reacts to invaders on the cellular level.

Vaccinations "train" our immune system, to recognize and destroy germs.
Before they can cause damage.

[vankuria]

29. Not to mention

all the babies born to mom's who had measles while pregnant. They had severe disabilities, I know because I worked with them.

[NuclearDem]

24. The entire point of vaccines is to boost the body's immune system

You also seem to be in favor of natural selection over basic humanity.

[Avalux]

31. Do you remember diptheria?

Of course you don't.

My grandmother grew up with that horrible infection, and when an outbreak occurred in her town, they quarantined people; nailed signs over their doors and made them stay inside. She never got it, but several of her classmates died from it.

People who are "pro" immune system and create a false argument that vaccination is bad because it keeps people from getting a disease in the first place, which is somehow better, are just plain ignorant.

[Archae]

20. Maher once again shows what an asshole he is.

http://americanloons.blogspot.com/2011/09/247-bill-maher.html

[One of the 99]

21. Maher is a hypocrite on many issues

He's also a bit of a racist. Anytime he has an African-American on the show who speaks forcefully or passionately on a subject, Maher starts calling him Reverend. And don't forget he referred to then Senator Obama as chocolate jesus throughout the 2008 campaign.

[Marrah_G]

22. Partially yes

I like his show. I agree with him on some things and disagree on others. I like the guests and the banter.

He was pushing for single payor instead of the ACA, a view that many progressives have on DU and off DU. Just saying he was trashing the ACA is disingenuous.

[onecaliberal]

23. No it's not.

He should refrain from conjecture. He rails against the media but then acts as though everything they say about ACA is true. He should stick to facts, his guests had to correct him several times.

[zappaman]

25. Yes, he is and it's stunning how stupid he is on this.

I love when he tried to compare it with having too many kids....wtf?

[randys1]

26. What report was he reading that was indeed trashing ACA? My hope is that ACA will be seen

as a good idea, nice idea, but not working so we need universal.

When will people start ignoring laws because they cant be healthy or have food?

[Paladin]

28. Maher has repeatedly shown his solidarity with the anti-vax morons.

This year's flu vaccines weren't 110% effective, and off he goes. Shit for brains.....

[Avalux]

30. Bill Maher schtick is controversy. He goes off the rail all the time.

He's not here to be a rational voice speaking out against the idiots. Sometimes he joins them.