"Blue State": No Sequel, Please

Soon after the 2004 presidential election ended, I started to write a screenplay about a committed Democrat who, in the heat of the election season, promises he will move to Canada if George "Dubya" is re-elected. When the inevitable occurs and Bush gets four more years, our hero follows through on his promise and makes the trip to whiter Northern pastures. The resulting film, called Blue State, which stars Breckin Meyer and Anna Paquin, came out last year.

The producers and I liked to joke during filming that if we ever made a sequel, we would call it Blue State 2: Bluer and State-ier. But when the 2008 election season began so many months ago, I was heartened by an impressive field of candidates, and by Bush's approval ratings remaining firmly in the toilet. I remained hopeful -- confident, even -- that no Democrat would have to make emigration plans for this November. There would, thankfully, be no room for a Blue State sequel.

But now the sky is falling for Democrats, and the whole "I'm-moving-to-Canada" thing is back.

It's been a rough few weeks (including the arrival of Sarah Palin), and we Democrats find ourselves suffering from another pre-election moment of abject fear, self-doubt, and despair. Suddenly, on an almost daily basis, someone I know will say to me:

"I've been thinking about your movie lately, because I watched Sarah Palin's ABC News interview and decided I'm moving to Canada if McCain-Palin wins."

Or, "Have you thought about a sequel?"

Or, "If McCain wins, forget moving to Canada -- I'll slit my wrists."

Has it come to this again? What started as an interesting and substantive election race has suddenly become a retread of 2004, with the left and right largely retreating to their red and blue corners. Evangelicals courted by Obama are realizing (shocker!) that he is pro-choice and they will ultimately vote Republican; those independents who are socially-liberal/economically conservative McCain has been courting are growing disgusted with his campaign and his policies, and returning to the Democratic camp. Yes, the map of blue states and red states won't look precisely the same as 2004, but this election is shaping up to look much more similar to the Bush-Kerry matchup than I would have thought six months, three months, or even one month ago.

I've resigned myself to this fact: if McCain-Palin wins, then I simply have to accept that I don't understand the country I'm living in. This sense of disconnection from the majority was the driving force behind making Blue State for me. I never promised to move to Canada, but I identified with a guy who felt so alienated by the election results that he would resort to that step. And for a while here in 2008, it seemed that we were going to elevate ourselves to address real problems rather than devolve into culture wars, name-calling, and hiding the ball, which is where we've found ourselves at this moment.

So is there any chance of a sequel? Maybe about a Republican who promises to move to Canada after Obama is elected. Wouldn't that be nice?

Otherwise, if McCain wins, it'll have to be called Blue State 2: The End of Hope.

Comments

[cowboycliff]

Sorry to report, as an American living overseas, taking yourself from the country does little to ease your mind. America is more than a place. It is a brilliant form of government which provides balance of power between branches of government. It even has a fourth branch of government known as The Free Press which insures the rules of the constitution are respected for all. It is a refuge where people cherish many freedons, all established in our constitution by our forefathers. It is justice, where people - even bad people - have rights to trial by jury for crimes they may have committed. It is a sactuary, where the idea of torture is abhorant and would never be contemplated under any circumstances. It is a religious free zone, where religion is kept separate from government, and is the right of the individual to choose... or choose not.
It is an inspiration, which citizens of countries around the world hold in high regard, respected and admired, an example of how the world could one day be.
So be careful in thinking that leaving America will alleviate your problem. America is more than a place. It is a corner in your heart that never goes away. It is a dream come true, but currently in danger. It deserves protection. Please stay and fight to take our country back from those in power. They do not seem to understand what American is. If they did, they would hold her ideals in higher

[rjmiller]

I hope there was supposed to be some underlying irony in that post.

[cowboycliff]

HuffPost's Pick

Sorry to report, as an American living overseas, taking yourself from the country does little to ease your mind. America is more than a place. It is a brilliant form of government which provides balance of power between branches of government. It even has a fourth branch of government known as The Free Press which insures the rules of the constitution are respected for all. It is a refuge where people cherish many freedons, all established in our constitution by our forefathers. It is justice, where people - even bad people - have rights to trial by jury for crimes they may have committed. It is a sactuary, where the idea of torture is abhorant and would never be contemplated under any circumstances. It is a religious free zone, where religion is kept separate from government, and is the right of the individual to choose... or choose not.
It is an inspiration, which citizens of countries around the world hold in high regard, respected and admired, an example of how the world could one day be.
So be careful in thinking that leaving America will alleviate your problem. America is more than a place. It is a corner in your heart that never goes away. It is a dream come true, but currently in danger. It deserves protection. Please stay and fight to take our country back from those in power. They do not seem to understand what American is. If they did, they would hold her ideals in higher

[saltpeter]

First, as someone said earlier, instead of whining about it, DO SOMETHING. Volunteer to work a phone back, register people to vote. If you live in a Blue State see if an Obama group is going to a nearby red state on the weekend to register people and go along. If you live in a Red State that's going to be close, drive people to the polls on election day. It's your democracy, do all you can to secure it.

That being said, don't get overly distracted by the verbiage especially of the right. It's mean-spirited and a grotesque distortion of the truth and it is meant to, on the one hand, appeal to the politically unprincipaled who have yet to decide who to vote for and, on the converse, make the thinking person pull their hair out at the inanity of it all.

Still, if the unthinkable happens, remember the echoes of the Great Britain, a little over 50 years ago, was a strong empire and it all went away because they over-extended their imperialist reach and relied to much on antiquated systems of trade and wealth-building. Plus others, including ourselves, stepped up to challenge them. If Americans are not smart enough to vote for their best and brightest to lead them, then America doesn't deserve to rule the world. We go back to being just another country. Maybe we might reacquaint ourselves with the ideas that founded this country when we do.

[insanityfollows]

I agree with your first point. Don't whine; do. So many of us have, though. We write our representative, volunteer to canvass, etc... We talk to people who don't really know their facts very well. The problem with many folks that we talk to is this-and we have Karl Rove and George Bush to thank for this-the people we talk to don't WANT to know more than they already do. You can't confuse people with facts, and you can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t. They are so sure they are right about everything and wrapped up so tight in the flag, that there is no convincing them with facts.

Your post was excellent. As far as the blog itself, I thought I was one of few who swear they are moving to Canada, but seriously, (and I never thought I would think this) I think our glory days are over.

[Thomas54]

Sounds like your making a film of my life history. I made a pledge to move to Canda if Bush got reelected. And sadly he did. So I sold my home and made my way from New Orleans to Montreal. I don't regret a thing ; except perhaps the brutal winters. Theres always cheap flights to Mexico when you cant take it. But after Obama came along, my interest in my country and politics was renewed. Then Palin entered the picture and it seemed America is back to being duped again. A fresh face with a very annoying nasal accent, and America seems smitten. Sadly, it looks like Americans will be fooled again. I just read that Bush's entire team is now working with Mrs. Palin . Her entire team is from the Bush camp! Now thats change I can believe in ... NOT. Looks like I might have to hunker down for another 4 Brutal winters..

[Guylephat]

I may have to join you my disaffected american brother....i have toyed with this very notion if mccain wins... bienvenu montreal....the funest city in America junior (Homer J simpson)

[billstewart]

The last time I seriously thought about moving to Canada for political reasons I drew a safe number in the draft lottery. On the other hand, the only parts of Canada I'd seen were the Frozen North and exciting rust-belt towns like Sudbury; now that I've seen Vancouver, moving to Canada seems a lot more civilized. On the other hand, Canada has a complex immigration quota system, which prefers young adults, and now that I'm over 50, I'd have to relearn French to get enough points. But hey, from Canada you can fly to Cuba on vacation :-)

We'll get over Palin pretty soon - what worries me is that Obama's not talking about how much work it's going to take to turn this place back into America once we kick out the Bush Administration. Getting rid of Gitmo and the CIA's other secret prisons, getting the Pentagon to release the records about torture and about corrupt contractors, getting the courts to start recognizing the Bill of Rights, appointing the next couple of Supreme Court Judges without the Bush Litmus Test (which wasn't about abortion at all - it was about "approving the Administration's right to do anything it wants".)

[rwe]

please please,,, a lot of the elite promised to leave in 2000 and in 2004 and we hoped they would but they didn't .. don't get our hopes up again

[DavidKnows]

'Elite' meaning intelligent, right? Educated? Successful? Only the Republican party can make an education from one of the great learning centers in the world seem like something negative. The only way the Republicans could win is by appealing to the lesser educated to vote against their own interests. For example, why would any sensible human being vote to give a tax cut those already wealthy people as opposed to getting that tax cut for themself? There is a reason the solid red states are at the bottom of the list in areas like the intelligence levels of their children. As President Bush said, "Fool me once... fool me... um... you can't fool me a lot of times." Apparently, they can.

[bluevillage]

Turn off the TV, put away the blogosophere games, and volunteer for Obama, even in "safe" states.

[kathy001]

Absolutely!!! This is no time for, "if McCain wins" talk. This is time for walking around your neighborhood, knocking on doors and making sure your friends and neighbors are registered to vote. This is the time to put your name on volunteer lists to drive people to the polls on Election Day. This is the time to sign up with your local Obama or Democrats office and make phone calls, stuff envelopes, make copies. This is the time to write letters to the editor and blogs about the issues that Obama has the edge on and to point out how McCain's votes and stance on the issues have helped get this country into the sorry mess that it is in today.

This is the time to get busy and GET OBAMA ELECTED!

[grevillea]

If Obama wins, you can make a movie about a Republican who moves to... gee, it's hard to think of anywhere that's violent and corrupt and religious enough... Russia? Iran? Nigeria? I know, Zimbabwe!

[jcar]

The end of hope... it's just too depressing. How about -- the blue states secede?

The red states can have McCain-Palin, and we can have Obama-Biden. Everybody will be happy, then.

Oh... and red states can keep Roberts, Alito, Scalia & Thomas. We can keep the other guys.

[iamjoneskeepupwithme]

yeah. remember that great map created for the '04 election (i mean, debacle)? the blue and red states going their separate ways and it was the "United States of Canada" comprising the traditionally blue states and "Jesusland" the red. brill!

i too chanted the mantra, "if he wins a second term, i'm moving to canada." i am now so flummoxed as to how close this '08 race is according to the polls. are we as a country really that stupid? i fear the answer is.....sadly, yes.

vancouver is looking like home if obama is not our next president as of 11/05/08.........no, i really mean it this time....

[TTigerX2]

Not having seen Blue State, I can only guess a happy ending. Maybe it was prophetic. As of October 14, however, your protagonists will be living under a George Bush clone, faith based freaks and Palin copycats who can now not only run with the wolves but shoot them like Sarah can. As of this writing, the MSM in Canada is totally behind Stephen Harper and the Liberal are sinking like a stone in the polls. Fear sells in Canada like the States. Rove has a hand in this election as well, anxious to get Republican hands on all that oil in the tundra, ending Canada's 50-year run at Liberalism. So I would suggest you rethink the sequel idea; the sequel's going to be a lot like the states in the days ahead -- except a whole lot colder and suckier. Canada has now for the first time since Confederation has moved into the US orbit taking Canadians by surprise. Hang on to your hats....

[corwin]

Maybe you're the anti Garnett Wolsely.(he was the British general who was the "Model of a Modern Major General".He was actually a very fine musician ,a mathematician ,a great tactician,artist and writer.Maybe,you could list things you don't understand.To shorten the list,lump areas together.For instance,don't say that you don't understand 'chess'.Just say games requiring intellect aren't something I do well.Get started now!

[Gidster]

Wow. Nice ad hominem attack. Nothing about the article at all. Corwin must be a Republican.
Disconnected from reality in order to bring you pretend intellectual claptrap.
Go back to your AM radio hate fests and dittohead mantra chanting.

[3fingerbrown]

Quick tip: The space key is that real long one at the bottom of the keyboard. Can't miss it.

[WordPusher]

After the election in 2004, I harbored just such a fantasy of emigrating to Canada. Alas, had I followed through, my in-laws would have disowned my wife. And since she actually, y'know, *loves* her family, that wasn't an option.

This year, unfortunately, even that fantasy offers me no solace, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper forces an early election in a bid to establish a Conservative majority in Canada's parliament. If he succeeds, the NCP will likely start "preparing the battlefield" to dismantle Canada's social services infrastructure, thus turning the Great White North into a colder copy of the Repuglicans' corporate-fascist America.

Canada swings right, along with Britain, France, Germany, and Australia. There's nowhere left to run except maybe New Zealand.

[londonexpat]

I feel your pain. Actually left as soon as possible after the last election and we just got approved for an extension here-just in case. The only problem is trying to answer all the questions about how and why and what;s the matter with the US! I wish I had an answer...