What do Tom Kane and Frank Underwood have in common?

Politicians get a bad rap in the movies.

For example, I recently watched 8 episodes of Boss on Netflix. It is a fiction story about a Chicago Mayor, named Tom Kane, played by Kelsey Grammer. Tom Kane is a horrible man, but an immensely successful politician. The story is probably tailored after the political myths of Mayor Daly, the super politician who became famous for ostensibly creating the Cook County political machine, which is often credited, in certain notorious circles, with electing JFK in 1960.

The story has enough recognizable political scandals to create an aura of believability for the other criminal acts that Tom Kane commits to build a vibrant city. He favorably compares his own acts of political necessity with Truman bombing Japan and Lincoln sending soldiers to fight their cousins in the Civil War.

More to the point is that film, movies,  invariably portray politicians has corrupt people who rationalize that the end justifies the means. Kissinger is credited with saying that "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Tom Kane was a man of unlimited power who began in a framework of idealism, dedicated to changing the system for "better good"  and ended in a framework of acting by his own self justification for his own personal survival. Perhaps the politicians deserve their criminal characterization in the movies, but regardless the movies efficiently persuade the audience that politicians can not be trusted. I can not remember when I saw a politician portrayed as a person of integrity working for the good of the country.

The political horizon is painted with clear white initial idealistic goals overlaid with the dark black practicalities of compromises that are required to keep a delicately balanced system working.  Kevin Spacey's portrayal of the greedy, power hungry vice president Frank Underwood, in the recent popular Netflix series, House of Cards, was no exception. Even his wife was corrupt. Further, the recent film about Lincoln depicted his key decision was based on misleading the enemy to achieve a necessary vote in congress.

I am still trying to recall a film depicting a politician as an American hero. However, the President is always a class act when American is invaded by aliens, Independence Day, or when the White House is attacked by enemy agents. Of course, these are only speculative events.

Politicians do get a bad rap in the movies. However, if Tom Kane and Frank Underwood are analogous real-life politicians, then perhaps the bad rap is genuinely deserved.

It is  unforgivable. Take a look.