Today I rented the movie Quiz Show. The movie is about the quiz show scandal in the 1950’s. One of the most popular shows was Twenty-One. A contestant on Twenty-One by the name of Herb Stempel told a grand jury in New York that he was asked to give a wrong answer to a question so that Charles Van Doren, an instructor at Columbia University, would win. Richard Goodwin, an investigator for the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight, read that the grand jury had sealed its findings. The subcommittee is the oversight committee that has jurisdiction over the television industry. Richard knew that sealing the findings was irregular and wanted to investigate the operation of the quiz shows.
Richard was given permission and he found that not only were contestants on Twenty-One asked to lose but they were given the answers to the questions. Charles Van Doren was subpoenaed by the subcommittee to answer questions regarding his experience. In the movie, Charles went to his father to tell him that he, like the others, got the answers prior to the show. Before he could tell his father the truth, Professor Van Doren, hearing Charles had been subpoenaed, made a disparaging remark to Charles about our elected members of Congress. He said, “You’ll run circles around them, it’s not exactly Jefferson and Lincoln down there anymore.”
I rented the movie because I saw the movie on television this week and when I heard the remark it resonated with me. I had to rent the movie and watch it again to get the exact quote. For some time, I’ve wondered about the people we elect to our national offices. Professor Van Doren’s remark was about their intelligence and many times I question that but my wonderings have more to do with their strength of character. The 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence knew they were committing treason by their actions and most suffered greatly but none recanted. They were a special group. Now I wonder about our members of Congress. How many would stand up to that test. How many would take on the special interest groups. How many would be willing to step forward to fix what is broken regardless of the consequences.
I contend that our health insurance industry is broken and no one has the strength of character to fix it. I know this sounds like I have significantly strayed from posting about the process of getting my book published but in the process of making a tongue-in-cheek remark about gaining notoriety I realized that I had undermined a cause that I feel so strongly about. I realized how disgusted I am with the state of our country and I had to treat this seriously. Yes I’m serious about walking to Tallahassee and speaking out about the health insurance industry but that’s just the beginning.
I may have to start another blog about my walk and the state of our health insurance industry. I’d much rather keep this blog light hearted and the subject of this post is anything but. Tomorrow it’s back to the query letter. I’ll let you know if I start a second blog.
Richard was given permission and he found that not only were contestants on Twenty-One asked to lose but they were given the answers to the questions. Charles Van Doren was subpoenaed by the subcommittee to answer questions regarding his experience. In the movie, Charles went to his father to tell him that he, like the others, got the answers prior to the show. Before he could tell his father the truth, Professor Van Doren, hearing Charles had been subpoenaed, made a disparaging remark to Charles about our elected members of Congress. He said, “You’ll run circles around them, it’s not exactly Jefferson and Lincoln down there anymore.”
I rented the movie because I saw the movie on television this week and when I heard the remark it resonated with me. I had to rent the movie and watch it again to get the exact quote. For some time, I’ve wondered about the people we elect to our national offices. Professor Van Doren’s remark was about their intelligence and many times I question that but my wonderings have more to do with their strength of character. The 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence knew they were committing treason by their actions and most suffered greatly but none recanted. They were a special group. Now I wonder about our members of Congress. How many would stand up to that test. How many would take on the special interest groups. How many would be willing to step forward to fix what is broken regardless of the consequences.
I contend that our health insurance industry is broken and no one has the strength of character to fix it. I know this sounds like I have significantly strayed from posting about the process of getting my book published but in the process of making a tongue-in-cheek remark about gaining notoriety I realized that I had undermined a cause that I feel so strongly about. I realized how disgusted I am with the state of our country and I had to treat this seriously. Yes I’m serious about walking to Tallahassee and speaking out about the health insurance industry but that’s just the beginning.
I may have to start another blog about my walk and the state of our health insurance industry. I’d much rather keep this blog light hearted and the subject of this post is anything but. Tomorrow it’s back to the query letter. I’ll let you know if I start a second blog.
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