John Oliver Explains Primaries and Caucuses to an Amnesiac America

Americans have a notoriously bad memory when it comes to politics. The cyclical nature of things ought to get us by sheer repetition, but they don't. Every four years, we have the same freak-outs over how these things happen. Though, truthfully, even having Sarah Palin on stage eight years ago couldn't possibly have prepared us for the Trump show. So, this year, we get a partial out for being just gobsmacked by THAT particular element.

John Oliver and the Confederate Flag

There is something stupid that happens if you get into a discussion about the Confederate flag. Well, lots of stupid, but one thing that stands out as ironically stupid. You'll get all kinds of defense of the flag that sounds awfully similar to the kind of defense Josh Duggar was getting after duggering four of his sisters, "it's not about slavery, it's about heritage," blah, blah. Yeah, yeah, sure, okay. But then, some "smart" person will pipe up to "educate" everyone: "That isn't even the Confederate flag! It's the second Confederate Navy Jack!" 

Oh! Well, never mind then! That just changes everything! It completely erases everything that happened in between that brief four-year secession thing, and slavery, and the fact that this flag has been used by the KKK and other white supremacists for over 100 years! It's a pointless point. An irrelevant factoid. It's like the knee-jerk gun fetishist who says, "THAT isn't an assault weapon! THIS is an assault weapon!" It almost never as any relevance or impact on the argument at hand.

Okay, now some comedic education from one of the political satirists who isn't retiring this year.

[Excerpt]

John Oliver Tells The South Exactly Where It Can Stick The Confederate Flag

John Oliver said there's really only one purpose for the Confederate flag. “The Confederate flag is one of those symbols that really should only be seen on T-shirts, belt buckles and bumper stickers to help the rest of us identify the worst people in the world," Oliver said Sunday on "Last Week Tonight. . ."

Read more at: Huffington Post

John Oliver on America's Broken (For Profit) Prison System

John Oliver is turning out to be a great choice for HBO, to generate buzz, and start a new brand. I just wish he was on more than once a week.
 

John Oliver Explains Net Neutrality

John Oliver is quite right. The problem with getting people energized about Net Neutrality, is that it is always so boring to listen to the details. It isn't remotely sexy. But here, Oliver gets the point across in a way that isn't boring, and gives you the details on how to do something about it.

 

John Oliver: Climate Change "Debate" in Perspective

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has turned out to be a very good show in its two short weeks on the air. It bears a strong resemblance to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, naturally, but has its own vibe. And it can go places that Comedy Central just can't, at least at that hour. Google "John Oliver Mitch McConnell ad" if you don't believe me!

Anyway, one segment from Sunday's show had to do with global climate change, and how it is treated in the mainstream media. As Oliver rightly points out, the drag out Bill Nye for the side of science, and then a climate denier for "balance." But the scientific consensus isn't 1:1. It's 97:3.
 

I loved the example. And it bears pointing out that it isn't just climate change that is treated this way in the media. I swear, the next time I see Tony Perkins or some other church fart brought on to give balance to a gay rights story, I'm going to scream.