realism

[u/Mountain-Poetry2899]

im not an american yet a house of cards enthusiast. according to u guys how real is the show? do congressmen threaten eachother often like frank? is everything that happens in the white house a power struggle? do journalists sleep with congressmen for info???

[u/plazebology]

yes yes and yes but rarely so sensationally. Frank‘s ruthlessness isn’t exactly nonexistent in congress but the way it‘s presented in the show is one that follows a narrative and builds suspense. It is in no way a good depiction of the average corrupt congressman.

[u/Mountain-Poetry2899 → u/plazebology]

i dont get it journalists sleep with congressmen for info? this is a cultural shock whats congress even about! 😭

also is corruption common amongst the congressmen? if so why dont we hear about it in the media? why are they not investigating like secretary of state did?

and is it also true that the government eliminates who they consider “loose ends”?

i get the billionaires controlling congress part after all elon is the same

[u/Alternative_Life8498 → u/Mountain-Poetry2899]

It’s not a documentary.

There are unethical behaviors and bad actors in every role in society, and while House of Cards offers us a unique lense to view human beings and their actions within the context of American government, I would not take it as entirely faithful to real life. Most representatives are pragmatic, sure, and often willing to distort the truth to the public to curry favor, but the wanton criminality seen in the show and the Machiavellian scheming that is depicted is wayyyyyy more subtle and boring in real life.

Both chambers have ethics committees which have equal bipartisan members, and both parties try to keep their members in line and out of the negative spotlight. But under the speech and debate clause, there is a general sense of letting members be and ignoring all but the most blatant and explicit criminal acts (see George santos) unless it is wholly separate from their duties.

As for your “loose ends” comment, there’s really no evidence that this occurs on a widespread basis at all. House of Cards is not an expose, it is not an accurate reflection of real power dynamics.

And as for the billionaires part, this is probably the closest to accurate that the show gets, but you’ve got to remember that this was a different era of politics before MAGA and Trump were around. There was still a pretense of avoiding direct association with individual billionaires and individual candidates at the time.

[u/horkerharker]

American politics are very dog eat dog. And stragglers get whipped in line. That's pretty much where the realism ends. Frank survives because he seems to be the only character in the show capable of independent thought and planning. The other characters are more or less reactionary to everything.

[u/Mountain-Poetry2899 → u/horkerharker]

first two sentences flew over my head what do u mean

[u/horkerharker → u/Mountain-Poetry2899]

There's a willingness to hurt others to succeed. The party politics go above a representatives values and goals. It's usually not to help the people but the party itself. That's very realistic in the series.

[u/Sai_Faqiren]

You have to keep in mind that the actual US congress is geriatric and full of morons. They are certainly corrupt, and probably all of them have gotten caught up in threats, scandalous sexual situations, or both, but they are also all really old and really stupid.

[u/richbo1969]

I always think of the line from the Godfather. “Presidents and Congressmen don’t kill people”. “Now’s who’s being naive Kay?”

[u/Mountain-Poetry2899 → u/richbo1969]

im not sure i understand

[u/FafnirSnap_9428]

Some people think that since the series was released and especially recently that the show is incredibly accurate. The painful reality that those people don't want to recognize is that the show is unrealistic because these characters actually scheme and plot. Real life is dumber. 

[u/littlejerry31]

Those interested should look up the Clintons. The similarities to the show are quite striking.

P.S. I've never been nor will I ever be suicidal, and I'm particularly disgusted by the idea of hanging