Box Office Boffo: "The Goering Ultimatum"

Box Office Boffo: "The Goering Ultimatum"

By Barry Yourgrau

Created Aug 6 2007 - 1:56pm

Bourne wasn't the only franchise sequel doing boffo biz over the weekend.

The Goering franchise scored another blockbuster with its latest: "The

Goering Ultimatum: Frantic FISA 'Update!''"

In this nonstop democracy-pounder, Congress gives George W. Bush authority

to wiretap any overseas communications sans warrant, strictly on Al

Gonzalez's say-so. Period. No review for six months.

What's the irrestible storyline that propels the Goering franchise into the

Orwellian cash cow it is? That oh-so familiar tired formula per Nuremberg

Diary, by Gustave Gilbert:

"...Goering shrugged. "...t is always a simple matter to drag the people

along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament

or a Communist dictatorship."

"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have

some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the

United States only Congress can declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good [said Goering], but, voice or no voice, the

people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy.

All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the

pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It

works the same way in any country."

Previous hits in this post-9/11f ranchise include--as everyone and his

braindead brother knows--"The Goering Identity: US Patriot Act" and "The

Goering Supremacy: Iraq Supplemental Apropriations Bill." [authorizing the

invasion of Iraq]

What's up next? Scott Horton at Harpers has an acute idea (as always), and

it will make one scary movie.

Scarier: it's in production already. It's called "The Boot Is Descending

[1]."

Thanks to uber.com, where this piece first appeared on my new blog Brain

Flakes [2].

_______

About author Writer/spoken-word performer Barry Yourgrau is author of the

NASTYbooks series for 10 year olds and up (HarperCollins). The latest, Yet

Another NASTYbook: MiniNasties [3]is out May 1. Barry's older fans know him

from earlier adult books, Wearing Dad's Head and The Sadness of Sex, and his

appearances on NPR and MTV and clubs in LA and NY. On screen Barry starred

in the film version of The Sadness of Sex (dir. Rupert Wainwright, with Peta

Wilson). Other film include Fatman and Little Boy, and Terminal Justice.

More info at http://www.yourgrau.com [4] and http://www.nastybook.com [5].

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Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107

"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their

spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their

government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are

suffering deeply in spirit,

and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public

debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have

patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning

back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at

stake."

-Thomas Jefferson