User:PresJoeWalsh/sandbox

= The Green New Deal (film) =

The Green New Deal is a 2021 American short film by Joseph Walsh, who plays a disgruntled conservative. It also stars James Speaks and Cate Longino. It is based on the proposed law of the same name in the United States. In the film, the Conservative is upset that Congress has passed the Green New Deal, before meeting a liberal activist (Longino) who fought for the bill’s passage. The two argue over its merits, before the ghost of former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Speaks) arrives to push for its adoption. The film satirizes the politicization of climate change and environmentalism, as American politics are largely divided over whether to support such a deal.

Plot
The Conservative is upset over the passage of the Green New Deal and is on his way to the White House to protest President Biden’s imminent signing of the bill. While on the way, he bumps into the Liberal, who was also on her way to the White House, but for the opposite reason, as she intended to celebrate the bill becoming law. The two begin to have a friendly discussion about the bill’s advantages and disadvantages, which soon turns into an argument over whether the environment is worth protecting.

Suddenly, the ghost of former U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt arrives on the scene, having been summoned by the constant invoking of his original New Deal. Roosevelt talks about the many positives that came of his New Deal, including updating the nation’s infrastructure, creating millions of new jobs, and fixing the economic woes of the Great Depression. FDR also points out that his cousin, President Theodore Roosevelt was a Republican who brought about significant conservation efforts.

The Conservative, realizing that being a conservative includes worrying about conservation, decides that he will fight to protect the environment. With their newfound common goal, the Liberal and the Conservative walk arm-in-arm toward the White House, ready to work toward a better tomorrow.

Cast
Longino's character is a social activist, working to advance the cause of environmentalism. When the Liberal first meets the Conservative, the former is surprised by the latter's apathy toward the environment. By the film's conclusion, the Liberal has won the Conservative over to the cause of protecting the planet, and together they go to advance their common goal.
 * Cate Longino as The Liberal:

Walsh as the Conservative channels and embodies the misinformation and distrust of government which many on the right campaign for. He goes on to accept that the environment needs to be preserved, due in no small part to the intervention of FDR's ghost and the Liberal's passion. Due to a cast member dropping out of the role at the last minute, Walsh filled in for him.
 * Joseph Walsh as The Conservative:

Roosevelt, the architect of the original New Deal acknowledges that his plan did not go far enough to protect natural resources, and gives his blessing to the Green New Deal. He ultimately helps the Conservative understand the need to save the environment, in part by relating the story of Teddy Roosevelt, who led the nation, the Republican Party, and advocated for environmentalism.
 * James Speaks as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt:

Production
In April 2021, Professor Karl Kippola announced the final project assignment for his PERF-420 class. All students were required to create an art piece that reflects a political nature. Director Joseph Walsh chose to go in the direction of a short film, as this medium allows for a great deal of storytelling. Casting began and concluded on the same day, as Walsh chose his roommates to portray the characters in the film.

The film’s official title, The Green New Deal, is based on the proposed pieces of legislation in the United States Congress. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey were called on to serve as consultants for the film but had scheduling conflicts.

Release
The Green New Deal released nationwide on April 30, 2021. Immediately upon release it received rave reviews, skyrocketing to the top of Rotten Tomatoes with over 50,000 five-star reviews. Already the film has been selected for preservation in the Library of Congress, as it has been deemed culturally and historically significant. Increased attention to the real-world Green New Deal grew as well, and renewed pressure has been placed on Congress to pass the bills.

Reception
The Green New Deal is the highest-grossing film of all time, having made over $4.2 billion in its first week. The film sold over 500 million tickets within the first hour of tickets being available for purchase.