Artsculture

Matt Damon for President?

How the movie star is earning the respect of progressive activists and leaders.

By Don Hazen, 18 Aug 2011, AlterNet.org

Actor Matt Damon

Political celeb Matt Damon: Left's answer to Reagan and Schwarzenegger?

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It's rare when a Hollywood superstar earns the respect of hard-working activists and progressives leaders alike. Usually stars dabble in activism for the publicity, and associate themselves with safe issues, so as not to rock the boat.

But not Matt Damon. Like many other progressives, Damon has grown weary of Democrats looking for phony centrism instead of standing up to a shockingly far-right Republican party. Against this backdrop, Damon's principled and public stands do indeed make us sit up and pay attention.

Progressive star Michael Moore went so far as to suggest that Damon run for president in an online townhall with the blog, FireDogLake.  Moore wants Damon because Moore is unhappy that President Obama has continually tracked to the right with conservative narratives about taxes, spending and the role of government, saying that debt is the "greatest threat" facing the United States today. That's right, not military spending, the banks, corporate excess and corruption, poverty, and a few other pressing problems. Yes, Obama has a tough job dealing with the rigid, ransom-seeking right-wing. But seriously, Mr. President. Get on message. We need to be spending money, not cutting jobs.

So, it's an entertaining thought, Matt Damon for president. We've had Reagan, Schwarzenegger, et al. Why not a progressive star this time? This presidential trial balloon idea even caught attention across the Atlantic where an article in The Guardian had an interesting take on Damon and celebrity politics.

What's the Working Families Party?

The Guardian mentioned Damon as a defender of teachers and public education. As a misguided establishment consensus has emerged around standardized testing, privatization and charter schools, Damon has made a full-throated and deeply personal defense of public education, teachers and even the much-maligned teachers' unions. He gave a real barnburner speech at a recent pro-public education "Save Our Schools" rally.

Then The Guardian, perhaps showing its lack of savvy about progressives in the U.S., mentioned Damon's support of the Working Families Party (WFP), an independent grassroots party active in five or six states. WFP's goal is to hold both Democrats and Republicans accountable to the needs of working and middle-class families. I've been a fan of WFP for years, and couldn't help but laugh out loud when the Guardian writer, Paul Harris, cited Damon's support for the "obscure" and "distinctly unfashionable" WFP.

On the first point, he was plainly wrong. WFP is well known in New York and Connecticut politics, and its work has captured the attention and the imagination of organizers and activists in other states who admire its strength and independence.

But on the second point, Harris gets it right. In American public discourse (or at least, what passes for public discourse on cable news and talk radio) it is "deeply unfashionable" to oppose the yawning income gap or wealth inequality; to question the wisdom of the markets; to defend a role for the public sector; or to try to reverse a race-to-the-bottom economy.

The Working Families Party is certainly guilty of all of those sins against fashion. Happily enough, so is Matt Damon. Last year, he stumped for WFP in New York in a web video, urging voters to make a proud progressive stand on Election Day 2010 by voting for Democrats on the Working Families Party line (that's called "fusion" voting). In the video he points to the need for jobs, environmental protection and affordable mass transit as reasons to support the Working Families Party. (Didn't Jason Bourne spend some time at the train station outwitting the bad guys? Clearly a message on the importance of public goods!)

Radical or common sense?

Since The Guardian mentioned it, and Damon has worked hard on its behalf, a few more words about WFP are deserved. Yes, the Working Families Party is not exactly a glamorous operation. WFP spends a lot of time knocking on doors in working-class and middle-class neighbourhoods, talking at union halls and community forums, listening to and speaking with voters. Mostly, they hear things the character Damon created in Good Will Hunting surely would have understood, even if Fox News pundits do not. Families are worried about disappearing jobs and declining wages, about the cost of health care and higher education, about foreclosure and credit card debt.

But despite being a "third" party in what's generally thought of as a two-party game, the Working Families Party has had some impressive successes in just the past year. In New York, WFP led the effort for a landmark Green Jobs initiative that will put tens of thousands of people to work retrofitting homes for energy efficiency -- and saving homeowners on their utility bills in the process. In Connecticut, WFP won the nation's first statewide law guaranteeing paid sick days for low-wage service workers. And in Oregon, WFP has put together an impressive coalition of small business, community bankers, family farmers and homeowners to limit Wall Street's power over the local economy and make credit more available to Oregonians. All sensible, creative initiatives.

But all that takes work -- and it's hard to be fashionable doing the kind of shoe-leather neighbour-to-neighbour political organizing that WFP specializes in. You probably have to wear comfortable sneakers, not high-end dress shoes. And you probably want a solid coat in the winter, not the $9,000 Chanel sequined tweed coat the New York Times says luxury retailers are having trouble keeping on the shelves.

So obviously the fancy goods are not what pundits mean when they call WFP or other progressive organizations "unfashionable," or by implication superstar Matt Damon, who is not spending his spare time at fancy parties. What they mean is, they have the gall to stand up and fight for ordinary people.

So it's probably true that Michael Moore's idea of Matt Damon running for president is a bit farfetched at this point. Maybe down the road, although some suggest that Damon's "partner in crime," fellow progressive Ben Affleck, is the more likely pol. Let's just symbolically nominate Matt Damon for "Mensch of the Year," and leave it at that.

We are all thankful for the work Damon has done for good causes, creatively fighting the worldwide water shortage, fighting for teachers and public education, and stumping for the "unfashionable" Working Families Party. My bet is he will win big. [Tyee]

Don Hazen is the executive editor of AlterNet where this first appeared.

20 Comments:

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  • terminalcitygirl

    39 weeks ago

    Meanwhile in BC...

    our premier is off to Asia to "get jobs" for BC. How much is this little vacay for her & her peeps gonna cost? What prized public resource is she eager to give away next? Is anyone else sick of hearing about our government leaders travelling the world begging people to do business with us? How about we do business with/ invest in our folks for a change.

  • seth

    39 weeks ago

    somebody anybody?

    This is what we need a good looking articulate individual who will wow the idiot voter maybe even pry the moron from the latest sport event or Dancing with the Stars on his big screen Teevee from the Walmart.

    As Rafe Mair says. In politics where everybody is a two you only have to be a three to win. Damon could be a 5? 6?....

  • snert

    39 weeks ago

    Wow! Is right.

    Quote:
    This is what we need a good looking articulate individual who will wow the idiot voter maybe even pry the moron from the latest sport event or Dancing with the Stars on his big screen Teevee from the Walmart.

    So you actually want these idiots and morons to vote, interesting.

  • seth

    39 weeks ago

    Voting with the Stars

    In Australia where voters are fined if they don't show up to vote, studies have shown that the electorate does spend a lot more time informing themselves. Remember an informed voter is the enemy of the ultraconservative's aka fascists that have taken over the movement.

    Since we don't compulsory voting as a stick, perhaps a beauty contest Matt Damon versus Sarah Palin where they tell how they are all for world peace call it - Voting with the Stars - on the Big Screen TeeVees from the Walmart will get the halfwit's to pay attention to their duties as citizens.

  • Vox.Pop

    39 weeks ago

    Inside Job

    Don't forget that Matt Damon was producer & narrator for the hit documentary "Inside Job" - a must-see expose of the Wall Street Gang's financial rip-off in 2008.

  • cboo44

    39 weeks ago

    Informed voters

    " Remember an informed voter is the enemy of the ultraconservative's aka fascists that have taken over the movement."

    Informed voters are the enemy of ALL idiots throughout the political spectrum, trying to access the public trough.

  • snert

    39 weeks ago

    Gotta love it Seth

    Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems you want idiots, morons and halfwits to get out and vote for, in some people's opinion, idiots, morons and halfwits. Hmmmmm? Not all politicians are Matt Damons, are they?

  • gsarahs

    39 weeks ago

    I saw the video with Matt

    I saw the video with Matt Damon addressing teachers, and was impressed that someone like him was actually questioning the direction that education is going. I was also impressed that he took the time to fly from Vancouver to the East Coast to support his teacher mother and education in general. There needs to be some real questioning of politics in North America, something other than Tea Party type mentality, both in the US and here

  • Okanagan Orchardist

    39 weeks ago

    Right on, Vox.Pox...

    I did a public showing of "Inside Job" in my town. Now here is a documentary with Damon as narrator and producer that made a heck of a hit with a lot of already informed people. If you haven't seen it yet, rent a copy, and make it a showing to your friends. You will hear a lot of positive comments as the movie is so in tune with what has happened and what is still happening today.

  • toquer

    39 weeks ago

    Matt Damon: The Wealthiest Working Class Hero since Lennon

    Matt Damon is the very picture of a proletarian champion: driving from door to door in his 150k tesla roadster, he is truly a man of hte people. His appeal is nationwide, as he owns homes in Manhattan, Los Angeles, Miami Beach; he understands the trials of the homeowner. He has come out in vocal support of taxing the wealthy, but as of yet has not himself volunteered to pay more taxes on his earnings. But he isn't against it in principle: and we all know that words matter more than actions...Funny how many progressive sites tout as their heroes individuals whose earnings qualify them as 'the rich'. I find the phenomenon of multi-millionaire self declared proles highly amusing. Even more amusing: those who willingly line up behind them.

  • Okanagan Orchardist

    39 weeks ago

    Sometimes you have to go with the flow..

    Although I object to someone like Al Gore displaying his wealth, you sometimes you have to go with the flow. Some movie stars (or politicians)with prestige can have a powerful effect although you may not Like them as persons. Think of where we would be without someone like Gore. Although I followed (and still do) Dr. Suzuki, I don't think he ever attained the world-wide stature of Gore; however, as a man and a leader in his field, Suzuki far outranks Gore. How many people go to see someone like Damon, and perhaps learn something from him, if it were not for his filmstar repuation?

  • greengreen

    39 weeks ago

    a "voice' equals power

    I don't think poverty need be a prerequisite for being socially responsible. I think is is really neat when an affluent person decides to do something worthwhile with his/her money. One's reputation/wealth can give one a "voice". Yeah for all the "stars" in whatever field who use their image/voice for the public good.

  • Hermans Hermit

    39 weeks ago

    Pamela Anderson for BC Premier

    I hope that Pamela Anderson will form a party and run for BC Premier one day as well. Pam is a born and bred British Columbian, is a progressive activist on many causes and would provide us all with someone to actually vote FOR!

  • Vox.Pop

    39 weeks ago

    Inside Job - the movie

    The White Rock Social Justice Film society will be showing this movie on Friday evening at 7pm September 30 at the First United Church on
    Buena Vista Avenue (next to the library), admission by donation. Everyone welcome, discussion afterwards.

  • RickW

    39 weeks ago

    If he's smart, he won't

    "The System" will eat him up and spit him out - like it seems to be doing to Obama.

    Better that he continue doing what he is doing, and undermine the bastards.......

  • Frank

    39 weeks ago

    wtf

    I don't see why anyone here in BC would be looking down their nose at Matt Damon, seems like a few have forgotten we've got a talk-show host as our premier.

    And that host didn't even have the best ratings on her station.

  • Squinter

    39 weeks ago

    Damon and Affleck in 2016

    Great duo, would beat any Republicans on the radar...did you see them together in Good Will Hunting? Fantastic chemistry, right up there with Kennedy and Johnson. Robin Williams would make a terrific Secretary of State too.

    We need more celebrities in office.

  • jay1200

    39 weeks ago

    christy clark going to asia

    she dreams like a rock! she thinks she will get us jobs but in fact she hasn't the faintest clue. they need jobs also and as long as we go on this free trade, globalization binge we will only get more unemployment. chinas does not want us to get jobs. they want our stuff, our water, our oil, our trees. they do not and will not help us when there are 1.3 billion of them and they would love to sell us their jobs that make stuff.

    she thinks her smile...like a muppet will help, news to her they will laugh silently behind her back while we give away something else. we might be the west....only about 200 years old but they are the east....and about 10,000 years old. who do you think will benefit? not us....for sure not us.

    she will give away all sorts of things and smile to us thinking we will benefit...not true!

  • RickW

    39 weeks ago

    jay1200

    "Jobs" and "Families" are just code words the Liberals use to tell us that yet more of the province will be dug up, cut down, and shipped out.

  • jay1200

    39 weeks ago

    christy clark going to asia

    do androids dream when they sleep?

    i wonder if they do so i had better ask christy clark and her team of droids.

    star wars must be jealous, somebody else has robots!

    they are like little duckings following their mother.....mother clark that is. none of them has any brains nor can they think on their own.

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