A MOVIE WORTH WATCHING - AND THINK ABOUT WASHINGTON D.C. POLITICANS

First of all, apologies are due for the absence of articles and commentary for the past few months. This writer has been inundated with writing deadlines (I am in a writers group that meets weekly, and have been working on two different manuscripts - more or less fiction crime stories for a big writers conference this coming November in the Boston area).

Additionally, a lot of time was required to stay current and participate in a case that came before the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) in January (just finished) about which I will be writing in coming weeks. The case involved Bangor Hydro Electric Company’s every-three-year request for an increase in rates. Residential customers of BHE should be interested and possibly upset. I’ll leave that to you to decide.

However, today I want to bring something else to the table. I know of very few people who are not aware of the debacle that’s been going on for months in Washington D.C. over the issue of raising the debt ceiling, the requirement by many that any additional borrowing must be partnered with a decrease in federal government spending, etc., etc., ad nauseam. Everyone seems to have a “position.” Few seem to have the country’s welfare, particularly the members of the hard-working (or not working) middle class and poor. So that is the issue, in an indirect way, of today’s offering.

The other day while in Bangor, I needed to pick up something at the Bed, Bath and Beyond store at the Bangor Mall. While there I spotted a rack of never-used movie DVDs – at $5.00 each. Thinking there might be something worth watching (maybe during the endless commercial breaks on nearly ever channel, including cable), I was pleased to find two I had never seen but had wanted to when they first came out in theaters. “Frost/Nixon” – a Ron Howard movie, and “Swing Vote” starring Kevin Costner.

Last night, with nothing of interest on the TV, I decided to watch “Swing Vote.” I encourage everyone, regardless of political persuasion to watch that movie. Pick it up as a rental or check out the bargains at Bed, Bath and Beyond. There were several copies.

“Swing Vote” is as relevant to what is going on in Washington D.C. now as it was when the movie came out – maybe more so.

The premise is this: The final election for President of the United States has taken place. There is an absolute tie at the electoral college based on votes from every state except New Mexico. And all of the votes from Mexico have been counted – EXCEPT ONE (Kevin Costner’s). And that one vote will determine which of the two candidates the delegate/s from New Mexico will vote – in essence Kevin's character, named Bud, has THE tie-breaking vote for THE President of the United States.

Of course someone in the media has to figure out WHO is going to cast THE crucial vote and the world media descends on his poor ramshackle trailer. Bud is basically a looser. He drinks, can’t get up in the morning, has just been terminated from his job, hasn’t fixed the hot water heater so he doesn’t smell very good (can’t take a shower without hot water), and pays absolutely no attention to the state of world, (much less the local news.

BUT, Bud has this amazing daughter who is a student in probably the 6th grade (or thereabouts). And she believes in one’s Civic Responsibility – that voting is a Social Contract between the citizens of this country and their country. (Gee, does that sound like anyone you know from this blog?) And therein lies the first of Bud’s many challenges in this movie.

Now I won’t tell you anymore about the story OTHER THAN TO SAY there is one question Bud asks at the end of the movie (I won’t tell you to whom he directs the question) and it is as relevant today as it was during the movie’s timeframe.

I challenge any reader to answer that question – and ask why the people elected to represent us, the people of this country, can’t seem to get it. And get their job done.

It’s just a thought. We all know what that’s worth.