---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's what American democracy has come…"
description: "\"That's what American democracy has come down to at these town hall meetings: old people and gun nuts, which is a terrible combination. I heard somebody..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bill-maher-211_ak-47_that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come_2602526.png"
---

#  That's what American democracy has come down to at these…

![“That's what American democracy has come down to at these town hall meetings: old people and gun nuts, which is a terrible combination. I heard somebody yell 'AK-47!' and a lady yelled, 'Bingo!'” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bill-maher-211_ak-47_that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come_2602526.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bill-maher-211_ak-47_that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come_2602526.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bill-maher-211_ak-47_that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come_2602526.png)

> “That's what American democracy has come down to at these town hall meetings: old people and gun nuts, which is a terrible combination. I heard somebody yell 'AK-47!' and a lady yelled, 'Bingo!'”

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker criticizes the current political climate where senior citizens and extreme gun enthusiasts dominate local discussions, creating a harmful mix.

**In simple terms:** Old voters and gun fans together make politics dangerous.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address extreme influences in civic dialogue.

Themes

politics democracy gun control age demographics

Mood

critical concerned

Type

political commentary satire

When to use this quote

- town hall meetings
- local elections
- policy debates
- community forums

Key Concepts

populism polarization media influence

Questions to Reflect On

- How do age and gun advocacy intersect in politics?
- What solutions can reduce extreme rhetoric?

A Different Perspective

The view may overlook broader systemic issues beyond just demographics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) [American democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-democracy/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [Old people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [“Do not fuck with gun nuts because they are nuts about their guns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/do-not-fuck-with-gun-nuts-because-they-are-nuts-about-their-guns/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“New Rule: Gun-control people have to stop pressuring Starbucks to ban guns. I want my gun nuts overcaffeinated, twitchy, and accident-prone. That way, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-gun-control-people-have-to-stop-pressuring-starbucks-to-ban/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [We were all gun nuts and they were called varmints, crows were, because they ate grain and so did we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-were-all-gun-nuts-and-they-were-called-varmints-crows-were-because/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

> [“Trust a politician? I would rather staple gun my nuts to the back of a charging rhino.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-merrick/trust-a-politician-i-would-rather-staple-gun-my-nuts-to-the-back-of-a/)

[Steve Merrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-merrick/)

> [“No, Julian murmured with a shake of his head. No, there's a third option. People like us, we're third option people. We take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/no-julian-murmured-with-a-shake-of-his-head-no-there-s-a-third-option/)

[Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/)

> [I dont think people should own a gun.guns are ment to kill.the only people who shold own a gun is the police and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamau-kamanga/i-dont-think-people-should-own-a-gun-guns-are-ment-to-kill-the-only/)

[Kamau Kamanga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamau-kamanga/)

> [Pulling the trigger is what kills people. So it's not the gun that's the problem, it's people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pulling-the-trigger-is-what-kills-people-so-it-s-not-the-gun-that-s/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A lot of the people who keep a gun at home for safety are the same ones who refuse to wear a seat belt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/a-lot-of-the-people-who-keep-a-gun-at-home-for-safety-are-the-same/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [The real issue behind these people who are gun grabbers, the truth is - based on fact - the reason why is, they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-scott/the-real-issue-behind-these-people-who-are-gun-grabbers-the-truth-is/)

[Luke Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-scott/)

> [I'm not a deeply religious person and I don't really know if there's a God or not and I don't really even care, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-barger/i-m-not-a-deeply-religious-person-and-i-don-t-really-know-if-there-s/)

[Sonny Barger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-barger/)

> [“He’s the kind of man who if you gave him a gun and told him he had two choices—“shoot one of your dogs or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/he-s-the-kind-of-man-who-if-you-gave-him-a-gun-and-told-him-he-had/)

[Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/)

> [Ninety-nine point nine percent of the people that are gun owners are very responsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-brewer/ninety-nine-point-nine-percent-of-the-people-that-are-gun-owners-are/)

[Jan Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-brewer/)

> [The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides By the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/the-path-of-the-righteous-man-is-beset-on-all-sides-by-the-inequities/)

[Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/)

> [When a young man, I read somewhere the following: God the Almighty said, 'All that is too complex is unnecessary, and it is simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/when-a-young-man-i-read-somewhere-the-following-god-the-almighty-said/)

[Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/)

> [PowerPoint doesn't kill meetings. People kill meetings. But using PowerPoint is like having a loaded AK-47 on the table: You can do very bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-norvig/powerpoint-doesn-t-kill-meetings-people-kill-meetings-but-using/)

[Peter Norvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-norvig/)

## More by Bill Maher

> [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [Curious people are intersting people, I wonder why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/curious-people-are-intersting-people-i-wonder-why-that-is/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [The food is out of this world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-food-is-out-of-this-world/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I don't hate America. I love America. I want it to be better. The only way we can get it to be better is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-don-t-hate-america-i-love-america-i-want-it-to-be-better-the-only/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [So many kids are fat drug addicts these days, it's almost as if Rush Limbaugh had puppies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/so-many-kids-are-fat-drug-addicts-these-days-it-s-almost-as-if-rush/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“I find that the world is changing much, much faster than I can even bitch about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-find-that-the-world-is-changing-much-much-faster-than-i-can-even/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

[Explore all 897 Bill Maher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

## More Ak 47 quotes

> [PowerPoint doesn't kill meetings. People kill meetings. But using PowerPoint is like having a loaded AK-47 on the table: You can do very bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-norvig/powerpoint-doesn-t-kill-meetings-people-kill-meetings-but-using/)

[Peter Norvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-norvig/)

> [When a young man, I read somewhere the following: God the Almighty said, 'All that is too complex is unnecessary, and it is simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/when-a-young-man-i-read-somewhere-the-following-god-the-almighty-said/)

[Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/)

> [The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides By the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/the-path-of-the-righteous-man-is-beset-on-all-sides-by-the-inequities/)

[Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/)

> [Break my heart? Is that what you just said? I have news for you; you didn't break my heart. My heart's fine. My heart's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/break-my-heart-is-that-what-you-just-said-i-have-news-for-you-you/)

[Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/)

> [I had no answer to those questions, only hope. With absolutely no one to turn to, no Mikey, no Axe, no Danny, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-no-answer-to-those-questions-only-hope-with-absolutely-no-one/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My spiritual pain is unbearable. I keep having the same unsolved question: if my rifle claimed people's lives, then can it be that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/my-spiritual-pain-is-unbearable-i-keep-having-the-same-unsolved/)

[Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/)

> [I wanted to invent an engine that could run for ever. I could have developed a new train, had I stayed in the railway.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/i-wanted-to-invent-an-engine-that-could-run-for-ever-i-could-have/)

[Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/)

> [For the Second Amendment to do its job, the other side must become much better informed. I watched an action-adventure program last night that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/for-the-second-amendment-to-do-its-job-the-other-side-must-become/)

[L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/)

> [It is painful for me to see when criminal elements of all kinds fire from my weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/it-is-painful-for-me-to-see-when-criminal-elements-of-all-kinds-fire/)

[Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/)

> [The biggest weapon of mass destruction in history is the AK-47, not Iranian nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-lawson/the-biggest-weapon-of-mass-destruction-in-history-is-the-ak-47-not/)

[Guy Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-lawson/)

> [When I see Bin Laden with his AK-47, I got nervous. But what can I do, terrorists aren't fools: they too chose the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/when-i-see-bin-laden-with-his-ak-47-i-got-nervous-but-what-can-i-do/)

[Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/)

> [My belief is that PowerPoint doesn't kill meetings. People kill meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-norvig/my-belief-is-that-powerpoint-doesn-t-kill-meetings-people-kill/)

[Peter Norvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-norvig/)

> [The AK-47 is not a device of aggression ... I devised this machine-gun for the security of my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/the-ak-47-is-not-a-device-of-aggression-i-devised-this-machine-gun/)

[Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/)

> [President Bush said he didn't want to renew the Assault Weapons Ban because it might 'infringe on hunters' rights'. Who needs an AK-47 machine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elayne-boosler/president-bush-said-he-didn-t-want-to-renew-the-assault-weapons-ban/)

[Elayne Boosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elayne-boosler/)

> [The fact that people die because of an AK-47 is not because of the designer, but because of politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/the-fact-that-people-die-because-of-an-ak-47-is-not-because-of-the/)

[Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/)

Browse all 29 Ak 47 quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "That's what American democracy has come down to at these town hall meetings: old people and gun nuts, which is a terrible combination. I heard somebody yell 'AK-47!' and a lady yelled, 'Bingo!'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bill Maher"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come-down-to-at-these-town-hall/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ak 47"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come-down-to-at-these-town-hall/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bill-maher-211_ak-47_that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come_2602526.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bill-maher-211_ak-47_that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come_2602526.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99f/bill-maher-211_ak-47_that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come_2602526.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That's what American democracy has come down to at these town hall meetings: old people and gun nuts, which…” — Bill Maher",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bill Maher",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "That's what American democracy has come...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come-down-to-at-these-town-hall/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/that-s-what-american-democracy-has-come-down-to-at-these-town-hall/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
