HOUSE OF CARDS

Francis (Frank) Underwood is possibly the most driven and effective politician of our time. Or anyone's time as far as that goes.

He likes playing chess, although I've never actually seen him play against anyone. He just stares at the pieces on the board and ponders his next move in real life.

Frank Underwood is an actor of extraordinary talents, most politicians are. He is resourceful and creative, he has risen from Congressional Majority Whip to Vice President and then the master stroke, the Presidency without getting one single vote Nationally.

An accomplishment that took great skill and cunning, also ruthless behavior, lies, backstabbing, conspiracies, blackmail and even murder. 

And he did it all in only two seasons!

 Of course I'm talking about Netflix's House Of Cards. If you don't have Netflix it is well worth subscribing to the online version just a couple of months and binge watch the 26 episodes. To say it is a cynical look at the goings on in Washington is one hell of an understatement. The protagonist Frank Underwood masterfully portrayed by the eccentric and incredibly talented Kevin Spacey is the very definition of an ultra cynic.

A refreshing aspect of this series, the most insidious and corrupt characters on this show are not Republicans, they are Democrats!

I know bizarre right?

To be fair, they don't portray the Republicans as heroes exactly, but the usual Hollywood fare portrays the Democrats as the second coming of Christ and the GOP as the Antichrist.

 

The characters are fictional but I when I see the POTUS who Congressman Underwood is undermining, the very flexible original president in the show, I think of our own President Gumby.

And Frank and Claire Underwood, the main characters, have a sham non-sexual (at least with each other), marriage. They are driven by greed of power and will stop at nothing to achieve it up to, lying, backstabbing, cheating, stealing and even murder.

The familiarity of these two has me checking the credits to see if Bill and Hillary were brought in as technical advisers. 

The opening credits of this show grabs your attention and causes me to hold the remote in my hand with my finger on the fast forward button but not able to >> past the beautiful montage of time lapse visuals of scenes artfully captured of our Nations Capitol.

The music that accompanies the blur of trains, cars head and tail lights and stars streaking by, is equally well done.

Watching this and the show as well, has lately sparked a renewed desire in me to visit DC for the first time.

Two days ago the lady I'm dating hit me with an intriguing proposal.

No not THAT kind of proposal! 

She works for a local University and had the opportunity to go to DC for a seminar. They of course are picking up the tab and she wanted me and her son to go with.

I jumped at the offer, it was short notice, (we leave Wednesday), but what the hell, I got nothing else going on.

 I would like to hold a summit with the POTUS while I'm there if time allows but that is doubtful. I have too many important things to do during my brief visit.

I have more interest in seeing the buildings of DC then the ne'er-do-wells that occupy them.

As I said earlier, I love watching the opening credits of this show. The DP of this show must be a brilliant cinema-photographer. 

The first time I saw the opening though, I was moved to anger at the last scene of this montage.

It shows the Capitol Building with the title of the show overlaid on the scene. It also displays the American flag..... upside down.

Then I remembered that this is permissible as a sign of distress, to elicit help in the event of danger to life or property.

The US Code Of Laws states:

                                                    THE FLAG CODE

"The flag should never be displayed with Union down except, as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."

 

When you consider this law of The Flag Code, and you weigh this law against the recklessness of our lawmakers and lawbreakers in Washington, against a President who holds the Constitution of our land in contempt and mocks the foundation of our land that Americans have given life and limb to defend from 1776 to today. 

When you fear what is in store for America if we don't get adults back in charge of this country, ponder on this.

Yes we are indeed in distress......, but is it dire?

In the words of Colonel Nathan Jessup, "is there any other kind?"