Bill Maher warns the Democratic Party is at risk of becoming a 'ghost brand,' drawing parallels with the demise of Sears, the iconic American department store. A ghost brand, as Maher defines it, is a company or entity that exists only in name, having lost its relevance and vitality over time.
Maher points out that at one point, Sears accounted for 1% of the US economy and 41% of the appliance market, but ultimately faded into obscurity, leaving behind its status as an American staple. He fears that a similar fate may befall the Democratic Party, citing the party's declining ratings and influence.
According to Maher, Democrats once controlled Congress and the Supreme Court, or at least competed with them. However, since President Trump took office, the party has experienced its lowest rating in 35 years - 63% unfavorable. Maher is puzzled by this decline, wondering what happened to Sears, which once sold everything from appliances to mattresses.
Maher draws another analogy when discussing the adult lifestyle brand Playboy. Like Sears, Playboy was once a dominant force but declined after attempting to reinvent itself by featuring transgender women and gay men on its cover. This shift alienated its traditional male audience, leading to a collapse in sales.
In his characteristic irreverence, Maher jokes that after Barney's flagship store closed in 2020, it became "Spirit Halloween," implying that the Democratic Party needs to revitalize itself if it is to remain relevant. He urges Democrats to take action, saying, "I'm not making this up just because it's Halloween, but... Democrats need to get their s--- together."
The specter of Sears and Playboy as ghost brands serves as a stark warning for the Democratic Party, highlighting the dangers of losing relevance and vitality in an ever-changing world.
Maher points out that at one point, Sears accounted for 1% of the US economy and 41% of the appliance market, but ultimately faded into obscurity, leaving behind its status as an American staple. He fears that a similar fate may befall the Democratic Party, citing the party's declining ratings and influence.
According to Maher, Democrats once controlled Congress and the Supreme Court, or at least competed with them. However, since President Trump took office, the party has experienced its lowest rating in 35 years - 63% unfavorable. Maher is puzzled by this decline, wondering what happened to Sears, which once sold everything from appliances to mattresses.
Maher draws another analogy when discussing the adult lifestyle brand Playboy. Like Sears, Playboy was once a dominant force but declined after attempting to reinvent itself by featuring transgender women and gay men on its cover. This shift alienated its traditional male audience, leading to a collapse in sales.
In his characteristic irreverence, Maher jokes that after Barney's flagship store closed in 2020, it became "Spirit Halloween," implying that the Democratic Party needs to revitalize itself if it is to remain relevant. He urges Democrats to take action, saying, "I'm not making this up just because it's Halloween, but... Democrats need to get their s--- together."
The specter of Sears and Playboy as ghost brands serves as a stark warning for the Democratic Party, highlighting the dangers of losing relevance and vitality in an ever-changing world.
. The Dem Party's decline isn't that sudden, you know? They're still doing plenty of good work, but their messaging needs a total reboot 
. And what's with the ghost brand thing? It sounds like an old-school business term to me 
. I mean, we all know how Sears and Playboy fell out of favor, but can't they just learn from that and adapt instead of making themselves sound outdated? 
And come on, Bill, "get their s--- together" is a bit harsh, even for you 
. The Dem Party's got a long way to go, but they're not completely dead yet 
.
... the Dem party does seem like it's losing some steam atm 
. They're not really holding onto that grassroots vibe they had back in the day 
. And, let's be real, they can't keep appealing to everyone - they gotta find a new identity, you know? 
Maybe take a cue from the old-school Playboy and try to revamp itself 
... but without alienating the core crowd, of course 
. I mean, it's not like Sears just disappeared into thin air 
... they got complacent and lost touch with their audience 
. The Dem party needs to find its own "spirit" if you will 
, or else it'll be a ghost brand in no time 
. One day they're all-powerful, next day they're a shadow of their former self. What happened to that 1% of the US economy? Did they just get sold out? And what's up with this whole "getting your s--- together" thing? Sounds like some kinda corporate speak 
. I mean, come on Bill Maher, you can't just make this stuff up. There's gotta be a dark horse in play here... maybe someone or something is pulling the strings from behind the scenes 
.
they're literally dying like sears department store lol what happened to their cool factor 
and btw why did barney's go from being a beloved icon to just becoming spirit halloween 
democrats need to get their s--- together indeed 
i mean what happened to them after they went all trans and gay on playboy's cover? did they not see it coming? 
. They need to reboot or risk becoming just a name 
.
. Maybe they need to mix things up, try new approaches, but abandoning their core values? That wouldn't be very democratic 
. I mean, they used to be all about progressive values and stuff, but now it feels like they're just trying to keep up with the times 
. It's like trying to revive a ghost brand (lol) 
. But if they can't get their own house in order, how can we trust them to make changes? 
I mean, I've seen some big changes happen in politics over the years, but this is on a whole different level... Sears used to be so iconic, people still talk about them today, and now they're basically just a ghost of their former self 
it's like, what went wrong? Was it the changing times? The competition? It's hard to pinpoint exactly... but I think Maher makes some valid points. The Democratic Party does seem to be struggling to stay relevant, especially with the younger crowd 
maybe they need to shake things up a bit and try something new? But at the same time, it's hard not to feel a sense of hopelessness when you see how far back they've fallen 
. I think they're doing just fine, and we need more parties like them in politics! They've got a long history of advocating for important causes, and their ratings might be down, but that's not a ghost brand situation 
. The party needs to focus on what matters most: the people and issues, not trying to be some trendy brand 
. And let's be real, Playboy was never just about selling products, it was about the culture and the values behind it 
. Sears might've been a iconic American department store, but they also lost touch with what made them special 
. Take social media, for example - the Republicans have been killing it on Twitter and Facebook for years now 
. The Democrats need to step up their online game if they want to stay relevant 
.
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