Politics

Good morning and happy wednesday to all of you who are reading this blog. Yesterday I sent an e-mail to a friend of mine asking him his opinion on what I should write about today. What he said made me think a little. Since this blog is called 'from paper to film' it should be about film's. But not every one has the excitement about the technical side of film making like myself and other people, so some of you readers might get bored quickly, so what I think I want to do is blend in a little both in my topics. If I have seen a film that say, is about or makes a reference to the days topic I'll add it.


Todays topic is Politics. Yes, yes, yes, the dreaded "P" word. But, I am not writing this to critise whover may be a President or a Prime minister of a country. What I will do is a make a couple of what I feel are interesting points about Politcs. For starters, in my opinion wheather you live in America or another country, your President/Prime minster does not have it easy. Being a leader of a country can't be. In a 200 plus year history of the United States of America there have only been 44 men that have held the office of president. I would not doubt for a second that if you were to ask any of the four living former presidents, none of them would say the job was an easy one. Nor do I think you would hear it from the current cammander in cheif.

Mel Brooks in his film "History of the world, part one" made an interesting point. Politics are a load of crap. Perhaps they are to some people. Other people if you watch the evening news or any news channell that seems to be all they talk about. I have seen and heard a couple of stories of fights breaking out because some one didn't agree with the other's choice of politics. Ridiculous, granted, but that's how it is.

Congress or any other faction of legislature brand in any other country is rather intriging as well. Don't get me wrong, I think the American Congress is doing a good job in passing important bills that is going to help this country. Some of the time. The laws that this country has, we wouldnt have then if some senator didnt say at some point 'this is bad, people shouldn't be doing it' i.e., a law was passed.

What I don't get about about Congress is that they seem to have a need to pass a bill for everything. I'll give two examples: a couple of years ago I was in a San Diego, California hotel and I was as they say 'channel surfing' to see what was good on television. As I was searching, I happened to come accross a cable channell called c-span. One senator was speaking to I guess the speaker of the house at that time about some one who had passed away that had a bit of noterity to him.

He listed off this guys accomplishments in his life time and than finished and another senator got up to speak about something, but before he did he made a comment about former president Gerald Ford celebrating a birthday and how there was a bill on the senate floor of weather or not to call and wish him a happy birthday. I am not kidding. I thought to my self, ' this guy isnt serious', but he was.

Another time, a few years later I was at home, once again watching c-span and they were having a debate of weather or not to call then prime minister Tony Blair and thank him for his support during the first few days and weeks of 911. I have a solution to both those scenarios. Pick up a phone and just call. Dont argue over it, do it. He was a former president. Doesnt matter if you shared his veiw or not.


Ok, I think I have said what I need to about Politics. For the moment. Who knows, I just may come back to it at another time.

If I can suggest a film to you readers that has to do about politics it would be a bio pic done about America's second president John Adams. It was filmed for HBO (Home Box Office) and starring Paul Giamatti. Great film, I highly recomend it.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

drmeier