Gone are the days of NBC’s hit political drama “The West Wing,” and President Josiah Bartlet’s fictional administration is but a distant memory. Although Bartlet was a democratic commander in chief, viewers of all political persuasions gravitated toward the fair-minded and principled president. America finally had its utopian chief executive, albeit one from a scripted primetime drama.
Contemporary political television shows, it’s safe to say, are not as inspirational and uplifting. ABC’s “Scandal,” Netflix’s “House of Cards” and HBO’s “Veep” attract the most attention and critical acclaim. Their stories revolve around a presidential affair, a Machiavellian politico who rose from the House of Representatives to the White House and a gaffe-prone vice president, respectively. Thank goodness they are all fictitious!
Each of these representations of Washington, D.C., and the political processes reflect the sentiments of the population. “The West Wing” — which spanned the Clinton and second Bush presidencies — viewers were hopeful of the promise of the new millennium.
Fast forward to today, and the nation has become disillusioned with that promise of hopeful politics. While Americans are fed up with the political status quo, these shows indulge the population’s jaded yearnings.
Real-life politicians are seen as either worthy of parody on late-night television shows or too out of touch with the common man. Gridlock is commonplace in the capital. But rest assured, citizens, Hollywood is happy to oblige.
But oddly enough, Hollywood’s take on Washington persuades viewers to entertain a conservative view of the government.
Take “House of Cards”: Frank Underwood, the brooding politician whose obsession with power is that of legends, enters into the political arena for all of the wrong reasons. Instead of representing the needs and concerns of his district, he manipulates other politicians, the media and even his constituents for his own gain. Underwood eventually becomes the most powerful man in Washington. As Underwood confides to the audience, his co-conspirators, “Democracy is so overrated.”
The conservative critique of this show is fairly obvious: With an adherence to the Constitution, keeping politicians accountable for their actions, limiting the scope of government and enacting term limits, Underwood’s rise to power would not take place. One man should have all of that power. Should citizens be a little suspicious of those in power? Probably.
Now consider the comedy “Veep.” Like “House of Cards” and our actual government, politicians and their staff on the show act in their own self-interest. And like our actual government, comedic situations are always around the corner. Botched press releases and poorly planned book tours fuel humorous workplace tensions. On the show, Vice President Selina Meyer and her staff often ridicule and reprimand each other because of the constant frustration of running the country, partly caused by their own gross ineptness. Despite her future political aspirations, Meyer is unable to control her staff, let alone the No. 2 spot in government.
One would assume conservatives would be quick to point out that such characters hold power and operate in the government. That should not surprise anyone. What should surprise many is the fact that Washington insiders are quick to tell the actors and production team on “Veep” how true to life the show actually is. The insiders confess that each staff has its own Amy, Gary, Ben and — gasp — Jonah. To any fan of the show or any fan of our government, that statement should be cause for concern. Then again, if the situations on “Veep” are as true to life as they appear to be, the causes of the shortcomings in Washington should not be that much of a surprise.
Churchill famously said that “the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” The conversation can now be extended to those in the government, provided they do not mess it up.
The conservative arguments for these shows are quite clear: When the government grows too big, when politicians enter into the arena for the wrong reasons, when the media is in cahoots with elected officials and when citizenship becomes a spectator sport, these shows become more of a reality. It’s easy to laugh at government ineptness or cringe when a congressman reveals his interior motives (or extramarital affairs). But when these happen outside of scripted entertainment, the country should become concerned.
Perhaps even more concerning: Conservatives can thank Hollywood for the assistance.
[Michael Beato is a UF economics junior. His columns appear on Tuesdays. A version of this column ran on page 7 on 5/20/2014 under the headline "Popular political television shows fuel conservative ideals"]
