Mr Smith Goes to Washington - Jimmy Stewart

The movie, Mr. Smith goes to Washington (1939) is about Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart), a noble but naive man who is appointed to finish out the remaining term of a recently vacated U.S. Senate seat. His encounters with all manner of corruption only serves to strengthen his resolve in the face of stagnant, status-quo Washington bureaucrats who serve their personal agendas at the expense of their constituencies who put them into office. Rather than give in, Smith stages a one-man filibuster that lasts, 'twenty-three hours and sixteen minutes.' He finally collapses but not before he confronts Senator Payne, with his challenge to remember The Golden Rule.

In the end, Mr. Smith refuses to lose hope. He refuses to part with his ideals and principles in the face of frustration.

Yes, this movie is sappy and yes, Washington doesn't work that way but there is a certain romance in watching heroic battles as the one put forth by Senator Smith in the defense of social justice and simple Human decency.

Sixty-nine years have passed since Frank Capra directed this movie. It remains poignant because Washington still has its share of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. Nowadays, it appears that almost daily, the majority party faces yet another sex scandal or charge for peddling influence to the highest bidder as did Congressman Robert Ney of (R) Ohio or California's Congressman (R) Randall 'Duke' Cunningham were.


Something has to change when a respected Senator [Larry Craig (R) Idaho] is caught in a bathroom sex sting or when another [Congressman Mark Foley (R) Florida] is forced to resign after being caught soliciting sex from under-age Congressional Page boys - all this as they fought to implement legislation against sex-offenders and spoke so vehemently about the demise of family values in America as foundations for their platforms to get elected into office. It turns out the Republican Party is rife with perverts, philanderers and people on the take. There are quite a few more, like Tom Delay and Newt Gingrich who go on the attack as if their ability to use the distributed responsibility argument could stand up to the very measure they invoke as God-fearing Christians. The point is, they are corrupt - period.

No-bid contracts are the order of the day for Republican associates and cronies who break the law are ignored by the White House. Worse yet, even when they are caught red-handed breaking the law, they are rewarded for such transgressions by presidential pardon.

Maybe now is the Democratic Party's opportunity to heed the call of the people by submitting to the only special interest that matters in America, the little man, the poor, the weak and the back-bone of this country, the working class.

If we cannot take care of our own family, how can we begin to even consider being a beacon for the rest of the world?

Dear Mr. President - Pink

Dear Mr. President
Pink

Dear Mr. President,
Come take a walk with me.
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?

Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?

Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh

How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?