Pay 2 Play: Democracy's High Stakes

John Wellington Ennis's insightful documentary probes the quid pro quo relationship between government and major political donors, particularly lobbyists, corporations, and political action committees (PACs). What Ennis discovers is that the return on donations is substantial, coming in the form of government handouts, reduced taxes, deregulation, access, and policy influence. This path to success for deep-pocketed donors ultimately leads in one direction: the monopolization of the democratic system in order to pursue selfish agendas at the expense of ordinary people who will never have that kind of reach. Interviewing Robert Reich, Noam Chomsky, Jack Abramoff, Lawrence Lessig, and others, Ennis explores a host of related issues, including the Supreme Court's controversial Citizens United decision (some lesser-known background is also revealed here about Chief Justice John Roberts's role in essentially developing that case); the history of the Powell Memo, which was a 1971 treatise written by Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell that became a blueprint for strengthening the corporate agenda in American life; and the role of the American Legislative Exchange Council in writing conservative, one-size-fits-all legislation at both the state and federal level. Ennis devotes considerable time to the swing state of Ohio, which serves as a constant example of a failing campaign process, as progressives try to run for office without taking money from PACs or other large sources, but are inevitably outspent and easily defeated. Pay 2 Play also takes a look at street-level populist activists who are protesting the direction that American democracy is taking. By film's end, Ennis concludes that simply making your voice heard helps to reduce the sense of powerlessness that people feel about their inabilities to change the system. Also including bonus featurettes, this is a provocative documentary about how our democracy is currently being undermined by special business interests with deep pockets. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)