Lifting the Veil (2011)
Director: Scott Noble
Runtime: 114 min
Through merciless analysis of the external and internal policies of the United States we are faced with the unavoidable truth that will not leave anyone indifferent.
On the example of the Obama administration we see how Democratic Party takes over the ideas of social movements and then dilutes them and makes them harmless for the system. Catalogue of listed promises turns out to be a catalogue of lies: we will immediately bring the troops home, we will end wars, we will abolish embargo on Cuba, we will close the Guantanamo, we will stop abducting people around the world and torturing them in secret locations, we will introduce transparency in writing laws, we will report about corporations lobbying on Capitol Hill, we will give priority to new and renewable energy sources, we will give financial help to prevent foreclosures, and we will introduce political oversight over the Wall Street.
The Republican Party has traditionally been on the side of big businesses and corporations, so many considered the Democrats to be lesser of two evils. This enabled the Democratic party to present itself as the party of change in times of social tensions, and to successfully co-opt and neutralize social movements, thus preventing real social change. History of co-opting social movements by the Democratic Party is long enough: the populist movement of 1890s, union movement in 1930s, the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s, and the most recent example – co-opting of the 2000s anti-war movement during Obama’s rise to presidency.
The key issue this brilliant film opens is this: how is one democratic system possible in a society where very small minority controls the overwhelming majority of social wealth? Any election campaign requires a substantial amount of money, with presidential campaigns requiring hundreds of millions of dollars, because the candidates advertise like any other product on the market, and, usually, the one who spends more money wins. Economic power thus translates as political influence, and it is evident that the concentration of power and money in the hands of the few is fundamentally anti-democratic.
Parliamentary system boils down to people having the right to vote for one or the other representative of the elite. This system of elite rule, which is a little softer than open military dictatorship, is characterized by enormous material inequality, apathy of the majority, socio-economic dictatorship and free parliamentary elections.
All of this is painfully obvious in the first few years of the Obama administration. Personnel solutions of the Obama administration for the most important positions were often sheer and direct contrast to policies for which he allegedly advocated during the campaign. Not only that the troops were not brought home, but the amount of money being spent on the war machine was increased. At the same time huge debt that originated in the military-industrial complex during the “War on Terror”, but also in the financial sector during the economic crisis, which was used as a prelude to attack the institutions of social security, such as the education system and Medicare. Number of US citizens who live below the poverty line in 2010 reached 14.3%, or 43.6 million people, while in the third quarter of 2010 the corporations have made the highest profits ever.
In every minute, this film pours the truth in your face and at times it is quite difficult to cope with it. When we become aware of it all, will we still remain silent and pretend that everything is okay?
You can watch this film online:
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/20355767]
