News, power, state

Keith 2021-11-26 08:01:42

On the evening of August 8, 1974, the then US President Richard Milhous Nixon (Richard Milhous Nixon), accompanied by his family, delivered a television speech to the country, announcing his resignation from the presidency, becoming the first in American history. , And so far the only US president to step down due to a scandal. The president of the United States of America was disarmed by two reporters from the Washington Post, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, and until May 31, 2005 It was the "deep throat" that revealed the true face of Lushan---former Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Mark Felt (W. Mark Felt). That was the era of infinite beauty of traditional paper media. The revelation of the truth about the "Watergate Incident" shocked the entire United States and the world, leaving a strong mark in the history of world news. The two brave reporters have become industry benchmarks and are admirable. Journalists are therefore dubbed the "Uncrowned King" and are respected by the world.
What this film tells is exactly the story of news reporters uncovering political shady. It can be clearly seen that the director is using this film to pay tribute to the outstanding journalists who are committed to journalistic ethics and journalistic responsibilities. The description of the press, especially the operation, status quo and crisis of the traditional newspaper industry, once concealed the theme of the film, and made it even more eye-catching and a bit overwhelming. In particular, the subtitles after the end of the film have a unique record of the whole process of a newspaper from typesetting to packaging and transportation. The ending song "Long as I see the Light" is impressive.
There is an inherent vigilance against politics and power in American culture. Don't forget that in the era when the Declaration of Independence was issued, the monarchy prevailed on the European continent, and bourgeois democracy was just a seedling. It is because of a high degree of distrust of absolute power that the founding fathers of the United States established a political operation system with the separation of administrative, legislative, and judicial powers. In 1789, the First Amendment to the Constitution was passed, clearly declaring the protection of freedom of speech and the press. In fact, in the United States, the media has always played the role of the fourth authority. It is through pervasive news reporters that ordinary people can gain insight into the inside story of the operation of the power organs and understand the words and deeds of politicians. Thus, effective checks and balances and supervision are formed for those few people at the top of the power pyramid.

But this seemingly perfect system is not invulnerable, as this film reveals.
As a political mystery film, the film is excellent in terms of plot setting, actor performance or background music. The Apex Group in the play will naturally remind people of the Blackwater Company, which is quite realistic. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has indeed outsourced some tasks to private security companies, as shown in the movie.
The protagonist of the film is Senator Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) who is leading an investigation into the shady of a private security company. Is it out of loyalty to the country? Or is it personal political ambition? Collins may have different interpretations of the motives of the Apex Group investigation. But one thing is certain. Obviously, Collins underestimated the energy of the respondents, just as Obama underestimated the energy of Wall Street. In the movie, Collins is undoubtedly a brilliant politician, his skill is amazing, although his selfishness, coldness and ruthlessness are also eye-catching. The movie also has a typical Hollywood ending. Honest reporters become heroes, while unscrupulous politicians are eventually caught. But: What about Apex Group? When in the real world, Obama lifted up the big stick that punishes Wall Street, and finally can only gently put it down, you will be relieved by the result.
This leads to the crux of the question. Is the United States the United States of ordinary Americans or the United States of a few elites?
It is true that the separation of the three powers of the executive, legislative, and judicial, as well as media supervision, are checks and balances against powerful powers. However, when a federal president, 100 federal senators, 435 federal representatives, nine permanent judges of the Federal Supreme Court, and a few media tycoons, they formed a certain consensus and tacit understanding between them, and reached exchanges and compromises with each other. , Who can guarantee that their decisions will be for the purpose of safeguarding the interests of the general public? Not to mention those financial and economic tycoons who stand behind them and control the lifeline of the country's economy. Under the financial crisis, when the U.S. government used huge sums of money to rescue Wall Street, and ordinary people were under tremendous pressure for survival and unemployment in the crisis, Wall Street banks were still issuing staggeringly high bonuses. Arrogance and unscrupulousness have reached the point where they can't be added!
Whose America is this?

But after all, democratic elections and freedom of the press and speech provide a possibility and a way. Although the biggest villain will be found before it is possible, just like the investigation of the Apex group in the movie. In our country, we don’t even have the minimum freedom of press and speech. Discussing these issues is just like a few kindergarten children are studying manned spaceflight, which is absurd.
We are still at the beginning stage on the way forward.
Just use that theme song to end my superficial feelings. This is exactly what I sincerely look forward to!
Put a candle in the window, point a candle in the window
Because I feel I've got to move . Because I know I want to travel
Though I'm going, going, although I'm going to leave
I'll be coming home soon, one day I will return to my hometown
Long as I can see the light.
Pack my bag and let's get moving,
because I'm bound to drift a while.
When I'm gone, gone,
you don't have to worry long, you don't have to worry long,
Long as I can see the light. light of life
Guess I've got that old trav'lin ' bone, maybe I've got that old bone wandering
Because this feeling won't leave me alone. This feeling never stayed away from me for a moment.
But I won't, won't be losing my way, but I won't lose my direction.
Long as I can see the light. Just in me See the light of life
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Oh, Yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh~ Yeah
Put a candle in the window,
because I feel I've got to move. Because I know
I'm going to travel , though I'm going, going,
I'll be coming home soon, I'll be coming home soon, one day I will return to my hometown
Long as I can see the light. To the light of life
...

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Extended Reading
  • Creola 2021-11-26 08:01:42

    The ending did not have that refreshing feeling, so that when the people in the theater were gone, I stubbornly watched the end of the newspaper printing process.

  • Elsie 2022-03-26 09:01:04

    This is news paper industry

State of Play quotes

  • Cal McAffrey: Do you have a pen?

  • Rep. Stephen Collins: You're just seeking the truth. You're a truth seeker. You can't help it, that is just who you are. You're such a hypocrite. You're not interested in me. You come in here, it's all about you and you getting your story. I trusted you. You're my friend! You were supposed to be my friend anyway.