Real Congress of DC TV
A reality show that I would watch faithfully, would consist of randomly picked people from congress having to earn the salary of their state's minimum wage and ask to live in their district, providing for their family if they have one. They would first have to find a job that pays minimum wage, and manage to keep it for three months. They would have to find housing, pay rent, buy groceries, pay utilities and transportation. If they can't afford it, their spouse has to find a minimum wage job. I'll think they will find they are not working with teenagers, that the management doesn't care if they are educated or how hard working they are and that they may be fired for insubordination if they offer a valid suggestion. They may have to work offset shifts in order to have one parent in the house with the children, since day care will probably be out of reach. Of course they must change the way they look, no styled hair, no makeup, no contact lenses, silk ties, scarves, expensive watches or earrings. Whatever it takes to make them look average, can't have them be discovered. I'm not sure as part of the series they should be able apply for some government assistance or be able to use food banks. If it would come to where they would need the extra support to prevent starvation, they would leave the show. Am I being too harsh or would the show be to short lived?
I wonder how successful they would be. Would they know where to look for a job, where or how to shop cheaply, how to prepare nutritious meals or how to keep their energy cost down. Would they know how to do the things they complain that poor people don't know how to do. It would be interesting to see just what their complaints would be. Would they say that what is happening to them is an anomaly or that there many people in the same boat they are. If they have never had any empathy with those who were less fortunate, will this change their attitude? If they did have empathy previously, will they better understand what governments role in providing services should be.
Come to think of it, I think this show should include the policy makers from the think tanks,too. My favorite candidate for the show would be Newt Gingrich going back to Carrollton, GA. I think that this would be very entertaining.
2 comments:
That is a well thought out daydream,
Have you seen the series on CBS titled Undercover Boss?
Like most "reality shows" one can be suspicious of how it is filmed, etc. but all things considered the few I've seen have impressed me.
Try the CBS site for the full episodes which are available to stream online.
Aloha from Makaii
Actually I do watch Undercover Boss, but even though the CEO's have found some places for improvement, pay hasn't seem to that place.
I have often thought that congresspeople should experience life as those they represent. It seems that even when they grew up working class or poor they seem to forget what it really was like. When they speak of the experience it is some idealize fantasy of self reliance and no stress.
I was thinking about it today in the context of a reality show, since some people I had in mind are media hounds.
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