This particular idea arose from the need to fight back against the propaganda of constant republican whining about taxation, regulations, healthcare and their claims that “big government” is stealing their money, their rights and their liberty. I’ll pause here to give you a chance to voice your own expletives... Ready? Good.
This ad proposal is based on a scene from Monty Python’s Life of Brian. I can think of no more fitting a way to frame a progressive pushback against the foolish notion of “small government” than this inspired piece of scripting. Here is the original scene:
☆☆☆
People Power presents:
What has the Government Ever Done for Us?
Scene: A dozen people, evenly divided in gender, diverse in age and race, are gathered together in a lounge room or out on the patio. There are drinks and snacks on the tables and the scene has the homely feel of an aging middle class home in the suburbs. On the wall is a large, poorly-drawn outline of the Statue of Liberty. Activist 2 is standing by the drawing with a pointer.
Activist 2: We set the bombs here, here, here, here and here. Then we call the White House and issue our demands.
Activist 4: What exactly are our demands?
Activist Leader: We're giving Obama two days to abolish taxes and dismantle the entire apparatus of this socialist, fascist, liberal big government and if he doesn't agree immediately we demolish her [pointing to the Statue], bit by bit.
Activist 3: Liberty for all!
All: Liberty for all!
Activist Leader: They're bleeding us dry. Taxes? That’s just legalized stealing. [Murmurs of agreement from the gathering.] They're taking everything we have, not just from us, but from our fathers and from our fathers' fathers.
Activist 3: And from our fathers' fathers' fathers.
Activist Leader: Yes.
Activist 3: And from our fathers' fathers' fathers' fathers.
Activist Leader: All right, Jimbob. Don't labor the point. And what has the government ever given us in return for all the tax money they’ve taken from us all these years?
Activist 2: All these decades
Activist 3: All these centuries
Activist Leader: Exactly! And what have we ever got in return?
(pause)
Activist 4: Independence from British imperialists and self rule.
Activist Leader: Oh yeah, yeah they gave us that. Yeah. That's true.
Activist 5: The vote
Activist Leader: All right, I'll grant you that independence and the vote are two things that the government have done…
Activist 6: The national highway
Activist 7: And bridges
Activist Leader: Well yes obviously the roads and bridges... the roads and bridges go without saying. But apart from independence, the vote and roads…
Activist 8: Laws and public order
Activist 9: Women’s Rights
Activist 10: Civil rights
Activist 11: Regulations to stop air and water poisoning the people
Activist 2: Oh yeah, you gotta protect fresh air and clean water. Those corporate bastards will dump their toxic waste just anywhere if you don’t watch ‘em.
Activist Leader: Yes... all right, fair enough…
Activist 3: They gave us the Post Office – it’s in the Constitution that is.
Activist 4: Social Security
Activist 5: Dams
Activist 6: Irrigation
Activist 7: Medicine and medical research
Activist 8: Education
Activist 9: Electricity
Activist 10: What? Private companies generate the electricity
Activist 11: And charge like angry bulls
Activist 9: Yeah they generate it but government built the infrastructure to get it from the generators to streets and homes and businesses.
Activist 2: The biggest military in the world
Activist 3: And the best
Activist 2: Yep.
Activist 4: The most modern and extensive intelligence organization
Activist 3: And the best
Activist 2: Yep.
Activist Leader: All right... all right... but apart from Social Security and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and clean air and electricity and public order and the biggest and best military and Intelligence organization in the world... what has the government ever done for us?
Activist 4: Security. Identity. Unity.
Activist Leader: Oh shut up.
Government of the people, by the people, for the people
Sometimes you really do get more than you paid for.
☆☆☆
Join the People Power Project: People Power Project Announcement: Two New Daily Kos Groups Ad Proposals in People Power Project diaries: Which America Do You Want to Live In? A Message from the Republican Party It isn't Size that Matters...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~☆☆☆~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~