MOM and LTE

My Mom is depressed. Well, she'd been on medication for years...but I'm talking about politics. She has come to believe that she believes that she is a member of the "Lesser of Two Evils" party (LTE.) She lives in Virginia, the real Virginia - sorry NOVA but you still don't count to the down state people. So as this Allen Webb race gets uglier and uglier, she becomes more and more disheartened.

That’s the plan folks. That is what smear campaigns do, depress the vote. A GOP victory this fall will be built on turning these races into shouting matches that depress both sides, and end up with only the "crazy Christians" going to the polls.

I can feel it too, which is strange because I love a good dirty campaign. The question is: where are the kick ass ads the DEM's used to run in the 80's? Does anyone remember the social security protection ads with the old homeless guy talking about having to eat cat food to survive? Not a pretty thought, and when I saw that ad as a kid I would burst into tears. But that was the point, and it wasn't name calling, it was appealing to the conscience of the electorate - or shaming them into voting for DEM's in order for them to be able to look their children in the eye. Where are those kinds of issue ads? Can't one of these over paid media consultants come up with something that drives home the point that when you break the law and then make your law breaking legal after the fact, you are murdering the morality of the country? Let me try:

1) at rise... woman brushing her teeth. spits. rinses. Speaks to camera.
2) dialogue: I grew up in a nice place. Got married and had children. My husband and I both work so that we can get benefits to cover the whole family. But it was never enough. We told out son he would need to get a scholarship to go to college, or learn a trade. He said he wanted to be an engineer, and that the army was a great place to train. HE enlisted and we were so proud. When he died... (Emotional break)...I started protesting the war. I want them home, all of them. No one should have to experience this...the loss of a child. I guess I never knew it would become...a problem....
3) Pan out, possibly a tilt to a mirror on the wall that reveals this woman in an orange jumpsuit. Iron bars to the right side of her, small cell...isolated.
4) Last line, wide shot, facing camera behind the bars..."...my family doesn't know where I am..."

Ok, I've never been very good with dialogue (that’s why writing is the only job in theatre I've never had) but the point is to start getting to people, instead of shouting at them. The Democratic Party needs new media people, and it's a damn shame that they have to be told. All of the good artists in this country are Democrats. But for some reason they won't use this resource.

Message to Democrats...you need my Mom. She's a recently retired public school teacher, with socially liberal views, a strong connection to her faith, and plenty of money...you need to get her out of the LTE party and into the DEM party...and statesmanship is the way to go. George Allen can stick his own foot in his mouth...just let him talk about the issues, the people will respond.