JON STEWART STRIKES BACK: IRRESISTIBLE!
How One Town “Beats the Casino” of big money politics!
LOS ANGELES — Remember how “abandoned” the “educated bi-coastals” felt when Jon Stewart left late-night comedy? It was like the Jedi of common sense had left, leaving Trump to wreak havoc and confusion in his wake. In truth, the “left” felt betrayed.
Well, sometimes, even Jedis need to rest and reflect upon what world we are living in. And Jon Stewart did just that. The result of his introspective came out different that one might have expected. His more pokes more fun at the liberal elite of the Upper West Side than at the American heartland.
Instead of doing the easy thing, and calling “TWITLER” out for the fraud that he is, Stewart chose to look into the mirror. And in his latest film, IRRESSISTIBLE, he forces us — ALL of of us, conservative, liberals and independents of all breeds — to do the same.
The premise of the story is that the “cannon ball to the stomach” that was Trump’s election was due to the fact that the “Liberal Elites” had lost touch with “the heartland” of America. That is of course the real-life take-away — touted as grand analysis by commentators on both sides of the political spectrum.
But Jon Stewart went further than any pundit dared go, to date. Since the film was released at the heights of the pandemic, most of the public is discovering it, and taking in its meaning now, with its Netflix release. And now is precisely the time to reflect on Jon Stewart’s actual point. If America’s two parties can’t work together to “fix the system” — and if, at the end of the day, money rolls over votes, then what is the public to do?
Stewart sees what we all see — critical time in American history. In his comically realistic film, he digs through every detail of why our electoral system was “broken” and realized something amazing.
While most Americans realize the electoral system is broken and corrupt — be it in favor of one side or the other depending on where the money windfall flows. But Jon Stewart actually shows us that it is so rigged against reform that the best way to beat it is to, in effect, cheat the casino….
And his film features the story of one in Wisconsin that literally does it, in a completely realistic, devious but justified way; justified because the Supreme Court of the United States has consistently undermined the constitution’s democratic intent. Since Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito joined the Court in 2005 and 2006, six decisions have worked to undermine the power of votes compared to dollars, easing the flow of big into political races.
We all know that a vote is a vote and a dollar is a dollar. But if dollars trump votes, in the world’s most powerful democracy, what is to be done? Stewart must have thought long and hard about that before he found the solution, because it is more brilliant than any Ocean’s 11 plot. If the richest people in America get to have their way by essentially “buying” elections, what if… one little town in Wisconsin, decided to “get a piece of the action?” by pretending it can be “swung” by dollars?
By imagining a small community outsmarting the establishment, Stewart struck gold, in the twist of a movie which must be seen. This article hardly spoils the plot — because the plot comes down to a point, and that point must resonate on out from the screens of Netflix into the heart of American voters before the establishment can be scared into making common sense changes.
In essence, Stewart argues, with irresistible comedic drama, the only way to break the lock of the two-party system establishment is to let them break and ruin each other to the point where it is in their own interest to stand down and start listening to the voters again.
This is more than a film. It is a rallying cry for common sense. And it is not partisan in the least.
The idea Stewart came up with, and tested in this most-realistic tale of a small town that takes the pants off Washington rainmakers, is revolutionary in essence. It doesn’t make us “eat our spinach” or explain how we “need to fix our democracy.” In fact, it tells us the opposite. It tells us our system is so corrupt it needs to be smashed to pieces and rebuilt from scratch. How?
Well here’s the twist, the gangland political plan of attack that most Americans can have a good time playing on those who would take them for fools with their PACS and attack ads and political consultants and focus groups. The hell with them all, decides one little town in Wisconsin, in Stewart’s film. If Big money wants to decide our elections, bring it on, because we won’t make a decision until you’ve spent every last dollar you can to show how smart you are at telling us how and what to think…
Tired of being conned by the establishment, the town stages a fake you-tube video that sparks hope among Democrats that they may finally make headway in a crimson red-state stronghold… ultimately, once both parties are done fighting over that little town’s destiny, they’ve spent $45 millions in “PAC money,” which the town then uses to actually fix itself up — as “PAC money” cannot be taken back outside of political favors, which the town denied both parties by… well, for that you actually have to see the film.
The townspeople in this film outsmart the greatest minds in Washington in such a simple way that the film’s “reveal” is simply delicious. Some points are better experienced in story that explained. And the greatest democracy in the world has gotten to the point where it needs to quit the reality show that has become its news cycle and sit down to see a movie to understand how easily small town folk can defeat big money political players.
It’s genius in its simplicity. And the town’s example indeed the best, most efficient way Americans can truly “break the deadlock” of American politics and energize it with real transformational leaders once again.
If every town and congressional district and state in America could pretend to be up-for-graps and “swing” from red to blue or vice-versa, they would actually break the machine that feeds money into lawmakers campaigns and shape laws nobody asked for to begin with.
One simply has to see the film to understand how simple it would be for Americans to show the kleptocrats who would rule them, and their PACS, and their consultants, the door.
If people don’t understand why someone as irritating as trump could be elected, it is because they do not understand that irritating Washington was precisely the intent of the people who voted for him! And Trump sure lived up to that promise. He irritated the hell out of both parties for four years — to the point of complete exhaustion.
But out of the depressing confusion that has Americans taking to the street edging for a fight, Jon Stewart found a nugget of clarity. In this author’s view, his movie irresistible offers Americans of all political stripes the most powerful critique of the establishment since Charlie Chaplin made Modern Times.
Master Jedi Stewart came back after all. At the most critical time in American political history in living memory. It is up to us, now, to carefully consider what he is teaching us.
Michael Soussan is the Author of Backstabbing for Beginners: My Crash Course in International Diplomacy, which was adapted to film starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Theo James. His writing career began with an Op-Ed that called for what( accidentally) became the largest global corruption investigation in recorded history.
