Bill Maher and Justine Bateman Criticize Far-Left Policies as 'The Purge'

Comedian Bill Maher and actress Justine Bateman have drawn parallels between the policy goals of the far-left, specifically the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and the dystopian movie "The Purge." On Maher's "Club Random" podcast, Bateman questioned the long-term viability of achieving all the DSA's stated objectives, suggesting the proposals have not been thoroughly considered.

"What's the endgame?" Bateman asked, posing the question about the outcomes if all the proposed policies were implemented. Maher characterized such ideas as "cloud cuckoo land" before Bateman directly compared them to "The Purge," a film depicting a 12-hour period where all crime is legal.

"You've got ‘The Purge’ in real life because you have no jails and no – everybody better have a gun. Don't touch the Second Amendment. Everybody needs a gun if you're going to have that," Bateman stated. Maher agreed with the comparison, remarking, "It’s ‘The Purge.’ It’s ‘The Purge.’"

Maher expressed frustration that questioning these policies makes one a target. "But again, as I said at the beginning, it's like you expect me to bow down to just one side of it, the left side of it. I'm the bad person because I'm questioning things," he said. He cited proposals such as abolishing the police and making everything free, referencing the DSA's website which he said envisions a world without worries about rent or transportation.

He characterized proponents of these policies as believing they are inherently virtuous and beyond reproach: "But you're the good people. You're the smart people. You're the people who shouldn't be questioned."

This discussion follows earlier scrutiny of the DSA's platform. In July, DSA co-chair Megan Romer discussed proposals including the abolition of the Senate, police, and prisons. Romer also affirmed support for replacing the presidency and Supreme Court, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), eventually eliminating national borders with amnesty for undocumented immigrants, defunding the Pentagon, phasing out prisons, and transitioning large corporations to public ownership.

Bateman argued that the proposed policies infringe on individual freedoms, stating, "This is not about politics. This is about – and I was saying to the guys earlier, like to me, being an American is, I am free to pursue the kind of life I want and to do whatever I want so long as what I'm doing doesn't impinge on somebody else's ability to do the same. Now, the stuff they're talking about impinges on my ability. And this is not conducive to an American society."

Maher indicated that his political leanings could shift if the Democratic Party continues on its current trajectory. He mentioned telling Vice President JD Vance in June that his vote was undecided. "That's why I told the vice president, 'My vote is in play.' And then, of course, within 24 hours they wrote, 'Bill Maher is a Republican now.' I never said that. I'm not. I said my vote is in play," Maher clarified.

Cultural commentator Jonathan Alpert noted that Maher's past liberal stance makes his current criticisms significant. "Here's a guy who's been a liberal his entire life, and now he's talking about voting Republican. That should tell Democrats something. He's not the one who's changed his politics dramatically. He's questioning how far some people on the left want to go," Alpert told Fox News Digital.

Alpert further commented on the practical implications of abolishing institutions like police and prisons. "What exactly happens if you get rid of police and prisons? Are we supposed to naively believe violent criminals will suddenly behave themselves? It's absurd to think you can just get rid of the institutions you don't like and somehow everything will work out. Human nature doesn't change because you pass a law," he said. "Maher and Bateman aren't asking anything outrageous. They're simply asking people to think through the consequences of what they're proposing. If you want to abolish prisons and police, you should be able to explain how you're going to keep people safe. That's not an unreasonable expectation."