President Obama and Senator Boehner are locked in an epic struggle around the US budget and an increase in the debt ceiling. At stake is a potential government default resulting in stalled salary payments to government employees, a mar on the US’ debt rating and a further unraveling of the economy.
Held hostage to its Tea Party constituency, the Republicans have hijacked the conversation and are unwilling to accept any increase in taxes. The White House has acquiesced to the extent that many Democrats believe the President has given away too much. The current bill which has been broadly agreed to by both will be brought for a vote on Monday.
In these situations of brinkmanship, where the two sides are unmovable from their positions, how can a resolution be formed? Let’s see what the Arts have to say.
In Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play The Motherf*** with the Hat (MwtH), which ended on Broadway in mid July, the three main characters are caught in a love triangle. Bobby Canavale plays Jackie – broke, out of prison and can’t hold a job. His AA counselor played by Chris Rock is an upstanding citizen with a questionable moral standing. While Jackie’s fiancé, Veronica, is disappointed in his inability to be financially productive is still sexually attracted to him, and may or may not be having an affair.
The play is 90 minutes of strained yearning, dogmatic posturing and unrivaled cursing. The divide between Jackie and Veronica is heart wrenching. You know that the two should be together, but by the end of the play, they have moved to such resolute positions, that they are unable to come together. The emotions of the characters are open wires sparking at each other when near, but so twisted in polarity that they nullify each other on contact.
In the recent Harry Potter movie, Deathly Hallows Part II, the saga closes with the archetypal clash between Harry and Voldemort. The books and movies have become our modern day morality tales – teaching society about choices and consequences similar to Aeschylus and Euripedes. Good and evil are apparent in the main characters, but the spectrum between is filled by other characters who are more fascinating. These individuals, like Dumbledore, Professor Slughorn or Draco Malfoy, are gradations of good and evil, and bridge the distance between Harry and Voldemort to find a peaceful resolution.
J.K Rowling sets out from the beginning that there is not a common ground, and in order for one to live the other must die. Harry’s realization of this truth allows him to resign to death eventually coming back stronger to vanquish a weakened Voldemort. The eighth movie is the best since movie #3 (Prisoner of Azkaban). The dark tones and immediate pacing propel the story to the inevitable conflict, leaving the viewer exhausted and enthralled on the sideline. We saw the movie in IMAX 3D – definitely worth the $4 extra dollars.
In the on-going budget battle, there seems to be two resolutions. The first is for the President to relent to the demands of the Republicans. This seems to be the path he is taking. The hope is that by submission on the current battle, similar to Harry, he can eventually win the war. The second option is to hold to the positions, and let the country default. This will be a difficult outcome and like the characters in MwtH, we can wish for a different resolution. Perhaps US citizens and Tea Party members need to see the depths of an economic downturn in order to appreciate the consequences of brinkmanship.
July 31, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
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