Mr. Redd Goes to Washington

As a way to reflect on all that I've learned this summer, I watched the seminal Jimmy Stewart classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on Sunday night (available here for the time being). As typical of most Stewart films, a folksy underdog uses good ole fashioned American grit and determination to overcome the corrupt and powerful men in charge.

Jimmy Stewart's character Jefferson Smith is an idealistic boy scout leader and thus an unlikely appointment to the U.S. Senate after his predecessor's unexpected death. His fellow Senator and the Governor that appointed him are apart of the same political machine, and both pressure him to follow their explicit directions on how he should vote. Smith quickly sees that he must choose between re-election or upholding his high moral standard. In a critical moment, he opposes a key piece of legislation proposed by the villainous Senator. The film culminates in one of the most memorable scenes in all of film: Senator Smith filibusters for a then unprecedented 24 hours straight (Sen. Strom Thurmond broke this record with his attempt to halt the Civil Rights Act of 1957 - yikes). In the end, good prevails, the political machine is taken down, and American ideals are displayed for the world to see.

The tale of Mr. Smith is heartwarming and inspiring, if a bit cheesy on occasion. It remains one of the most important movies ever made, especially for its critical timing. When the movie first came out in 1939, it was banned in Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, Fascist Italy and a handful of other non-democratic nations because it showed how a representative democracy can work for its citizens. I cannot help but imagine the response to such a film nowadays. Certainly the public has become far too cyncial of the Federal Government to believe that such a pleasant story could emanate from one of the chambers of Congress.

Some of the lessons I've taken from my time in DC deal with the nature of contemporary American politics - hyperpartisanship, an inability to compromise, never ending campaigning and fundraising, and the painful inefficiencies of bureaucracy. It's incredibly easy to become disenfranchised with a system that leaves so much to be desired.

My spirit is not yet broken, however. I remain optimistic about the role that I and the other Glenn Fellows might play in restoring some sanity to the government one day. A great CNN article published last week predicts that it will take a millenial to end the political gridlock plaguing the government. My generation's open-mindedness and creativity might be just the trick to fixing a fractured system.

Many would justifiably argue that it's a lost cause. In reply, I turn to our fictional friend Senator Jefferson Smith who once stated, "Lost causes are the only causes worth fighting for."

Steven