The Good Wife - last night's episode
Nov. 18th, 2013 01:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatAnother fantastic episode. Tonight they satirize and realistically portray the bureaucratic red tape of the US Government. I've actually experienced similar situations on other issues, not immigration. The US governments laws and procedures work this way for just about everything - it's basically the result of attempting to cover all possibilities and please everyone.
The episode can be nicely summarized by the Governor's decision whether or not to speak to the issue of redistricting as it effects minorities. Eli and Marilyn, head of the Ethics Commission, decide the Governor shouldn't speak on the issue because it would show favortism to one side over the other - and it's important not to choose sides in the debate. Because you know in order to please everyone, you do nothing and you use ethics as an excuse. Eli changes his mind on the matter - after he reunites with Natalie Florres, a minority attorney and investment analysis - working for a lobbying firm. Marilyn sees his flip-flop as unethical, because he did it for Natalie and voices her concern to the Governor. The Governor tells Eli not to let anyone use him or the Governorship, and goes back to the original decision to do nothing.
This echoes Alicia and Carey's struggle to protect illegal immigrant Tomas from being deported to Mexico where a criminal who he was supposed to testify against has fled. That criminal will kill him. The reason the criminal will kill him is because he agreed to testify against the criminal for the US, in return the US agreed to protect him and issue a visa. But when the criminal flees and returns to Mexico, the US reneges on its end of the deal. Immigration confuses Tomas with another Tomas - who is a grifter and con artist, and expedites his deportation on those grounds, insisting unclean hands. Carey and Alicia jump through various legal hoops to free him - going from one judge to the next. The judge's state - that claim isn't decided by me, it's decided by.... Finally they are sent to the case worker - who informs them that their proof of Tomas' family being in danger - which was manufactured by Robin (their investigator), will only protect the family who received it, not Tomas. Desperate - Robin goes to Mexico and informs the Mexican border authorities that the US is sending a criminal back to them - who is a con artist and grifter, for them to handle, because they don't want to deal with it. But Mexico has the right to deny the deportation. Which it does.
It's a rather hilarious series of jumps and very realistic. At work we have a saying - you can't make this stuff up. You can, but a lot of folks don't believe it. This also depicts why the US is terrified of Socialism and Communism - the last thing we need is more rules and regulations.
In the background is Lockhart/Gardner dealing with their political incorrectness towards minority clients. The fact that they are an all white, mostly male firm. And have a somewhat patronizing attitude towards clients like Natalie Florres. But Florres - worried about whether Argos/Florick will succeed - does return to LG for an apology from Howard Lyman, with her firm - introducing her management to LG as opposed to Florrick/Argos. And she does initially react to the office space that Florrick/Argos is in - Warehouse. But Alicia knows it can work and makes it work.
One of the best depictions I've seen of the American business world and legal/government in the US. Not romanticized and not idealized. Also, with no guns or violence - although there is implied violence.
The episode can be nicely summarized by the Governor's decision whether or not to speak to the issue of redistricting as it effects minorities. Eli and Marilyn, head of the Ethics Commission, decide the Governor shouldn't speak on the issue because it would show favortism to one side over the other - and it's important not to choose sides in the debate. Because you know in order to please everyone, you do nothing and you use ethics as an excuse. Eli changes his mind on the matter - after he reunites with Natalie Florres, a minority attorney and investment analysis - working for a lobbying firm. Marilyn sees his flip-flop as unethical, because he did it for Natalie and voices her concern to the Governor. The Governor tells Eli not to let anyone use him or the Governorship, and goes back to the original decision to do nothing.
This echoes Alicia and Carey's struggle to protect illegal immigrant Tomas from being deported to Mexico where a criminal who he was supposed to testify against has fled. That criminal will kill him. The reason the criminal will kill him is because he agreed to testify against the criminal for the US, in return the US agreed to protect him and issue a visa. But when the criminal flees and returns to Mexico, the US reneges on its end of the deal. Immigration confuses Tomas with another Tomas - who is a grifter and con artist, and expedites his deportation on those grounds, insisting unclean hands. Carey and Alicia jump through various legal hoops to free him - going from one judge to the next. The judge's state - that claim isn't decided by me, it's decided by.... Finally they are sent to the case worker - who informs them that their proof of Tomas' family being in danger - which was manufactured by Robin (their investigator), will only protect the family who received it, not Tomas. Desperate - Robin goes to Mexico and informs the Mexican border authorities that the US is sending a criminal back to them - who is a con artist and grifter, for them to handle, because they don't want to deal with it. But Mexico has the right to deny the deportation. Which it does.
It's a rather hilarious series of jumps and very realistic. At work we have a saying - you can't make this stuff up. You can, but a lot of folks don't believe it. This also depicts why the US is terrified of Socialism and Communism - the last thing we need is more rules and regulations.
In the background is Lockhart/Gardner dealing with their political incorrectness towards minority clients. The fact that they are an all white, mostly male firm. And have a somewhat patronizing attitude towards clients like Natalie Florres. But Florres - worried about whether Argos/Florick will succeed - does return to LG for an apology from Howard Lyman, with her firm - introducing her management to LG as opposed to Florrick/Argos. And she does initially react to the office space that Florrick/Argos is in - Warehouse. But Alicia knows it can work and makes it work.
One of the best depictions I've seen of the American business world and legal/government in the US. Not romanticized and not idealized. Also, with no guns or violence - although there is implied violence.