You probably have seen the 1993 movie Dave, which starred Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver. To refresh your memory, Kline plays Dave Kovic, an unassuming and likable man who heads a “temp” agency in Ohio.
Dave is hired by White House bigwigs as a one-time only stand-in for President Bill Mitchell, who has identical looks. When the President has a paralyzing stroke, the White House chief of staff retains Dave to impersonate the President to keep the political power in his court.
As Dave assumes the role of the President, he increasingly realizes that he can do much good for America and his humor and vitality energizes the country. After Dave and Mrs. Mitchell, played by Weaver, visit a homeless shelter that has a surprising number of kids as clients, Dave is touched. He is soon shocked to learn that the chief of staff removed a $650 million portion of the federal budget that was designated to fund homeless shelters. Mrs. Mitchell, who already hates her husband, is really upset.
Long story short, Dave rolls up his sleeves and really assumes the position of President instead of being a puppet stand-in. He eliminates fluff from the budget in restoring the $650 million homeless shelter funds. Now Mrs. Mitchell realizes that Dave is not her real husband, and together they conspire to change America for the better. Dave announces a plan to “give a job to every American who wants one.”
And that’s why I would like to be Dave for a month or so, just like in the movie. A common man got a chance to make a difference, to cut through the government bureaucracy of patronage and waste. To restore American’s faith in America, to bring common sense and doing what is right back to Washington, DC.
The movie was pure fantasy. But the dream of giving back our country to the everyday person and being led by someone with compassion and common sense is too much to ignore. It’s the way things should be.
Don’t you agree?
- Mountain Man
