You Still Have To Buy A Political Party's "Whole Album" To Get That One, "Favorite Song"

In July and August of 2004 Usedcarsalesman worked as a "logger" (a logger provides a type-written "log" of all researched video/film footage for a respective film production) on the film, Celsius 41.11. The film was one of a number of conservative/ Republican-funded films produced at the end of last year in response to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11.

         

For Usedcarsalesman, the production -- regardless of the politics it involved -- represented two months' pay. He wanted it to appear as professional as possible. And, he'll also admit that if liberal or Democratic party members or even Ross Perot's or Ralph Nader's old supporters had been looking to hire people to work on film projects indirectly supporting their candidates, he would have been the first in line there, too. So, if you call Usedcarsalesman a mercenary and don't find him exactly lovable, he understands.

Anyway, Celsius 41.11 finally wrapped production and Usedcarsalesman later went to a screening of it in October 2004 at the conservative Liberty Film Festival at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. Mainly, he attended the festival to see the end result of two months of production work. But, it also allowed him to sit in on lectures conducted by entertainment industry people of who he is a big admirer. One of those people was David Zucker, the writer of Airplane, the Police Squad TV series, Naked Gun 33 1/3 and numerous other hugely, entertaining productions.

David Zucker took the stage at the Liberty Film Festival and described how his political views had changed in the last few years -- how he as a former liberal Democrat had begun to side with the Republicans only after the terrorist attacks on the U.S. in 2001. As Usedcarsalesman listened to Mr. Zucker's statements, he was made to recall their similarity to the rationale put forth by Democrats who voted for Republican, Ronald Reagan, in the Presidential elections of 1980 and '84.

       

Then it seemed that a single issue was responsible for this 80s-era Democratic change of allegiance -- a desire for a stronger national defense, lower federal taxation or a reduction in the size of some areas of the federal government. Usedcarsalesman was struck by Mr. Zucker's statements and how, even today, one political issue is still enough to push a voter to side with one party or another at the expense of all other issues. And, how there still doesn't seem to be an a-la-carte menu in U.S. politics, where a voter can truly make political choices based on the entirety of his or her political views rather than what issue is on center-stage at the moment.

Mr. Zucker's talk made Usedcarsalesman think that U.S. politics has simply not yet begun to evolve in the way other areas of U.S. popular culture have. When you vote in the U.S., as evidenced by Mr. Zucker, you still have to buy a political party's whole "album" to get that one "favorite song" (in his case, an aggressive anti-terrorist stance) Usedcarsalesman says that it is high-time that politics in the U.S. take on the more customer-directed focus that has begun to pervade in industries such as music (MP3 downloads), investments (on-line trading) and retail (on-line grocery shopping).

               

Sure this may turn U.S. politicians in to nothing more than "voice-boxes" for the voters of their country, state or district: ie., "I am U.S. Senator Smith and I represent the will of the people of Rhode Island in 2024: strong national defense, free marijuana, 200 MPH highway speed limits and an Equal Rights Amendment..." But, voter-directed, "voice-box" politicians may truly provide a complete expression of an electorate's political will and keep voter's, such as Mr. Zucker, from having to sacrifice one issue or issues to secure another.



Edited: LI