He once told ISU students in a speech to use Veishea for some worthwhile activism to really get the attention of the nation.

He mentioned Ames and ISU students in his New York Times best- selling book “Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American.”

His film “Roger and Me” is the largest grossing documentary film of all time.

He won an Emmy for his highly acclaimed television series “TV Nation.”

Every time his name is announced as a guest on Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect,” I run to the record button on my VCR.

Who am I talking about?

He is Michael Moore, and he’s been in the news lately because his new film, called “Big One,” was picked up by Mayfair Entertainment at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Big One” scrutinizes the labor policies of Nike. It begins with interviews with workers and culminates in a showdown with the company head, Phil Knight.

It’s probably safe to say “Big One” won’t make it to the Ames theater circuit, but you never know.

However, if you’re looking for some good entertainment, I recommend going to your local movie rental store to rent either “Roger and Me” or “Canadian Bacon,” Moore’s two previous films.

“Canadian Bacon” is a spoof about how America creates a war to stimulate the economy. When the government realizes they have no enemies to target, they strike against Canada. The movie has some big- name actors, like the late John Candy, and is full of laughs.

The documentary/comedy film “Roger and Me” follows Moore on his search to find General Motors CEO Roger Smith to demand answers to GM’s plant closings in Flint, Michigan.

During his search, we meet all of the people involved: people who lost their jobs, Flint city officials, top management of GM, but no Roger Smith.

It’s well worth the 99 cents it costs to rent “Roger and Me.”

It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you shake your head in wonder, and it’ll make you think differently about corporations, the labor force and the American Dream.

Moore brings a quality of real life to his films and shatters the propaganda that labor movements are led by “liberal elite.”

The movie begins by showing how we are all taught from a young age to follow that ever-elusive American Dream.

We all blindly believe in the American Dream until our jobs are deleted as part of corporate downsizing or the politicians we vote for don’t follow through with campaign promises or our consciences make us wonder why America’s brand of democracy and capitalism doesn’t apply to everyone.

It’s hard to admit the American Dream is endangered and Michael Moore eases this realization with humor.

The movie points out that when a corporation pulls out of a community, the community is affected by more than just a temporary loss of jobs.

The community can be permanently crippled from increases in crime, spousal abuse and substance abuse and the loss of the city tax base, as was the case in Flint.

The havoc corporations leave in their wakes as they leave one community for another with higher tax abatement, more compliant politicians and another expendable work force should not be applauded as shrewd business sense.

Corporate irresponsibility can be linked to the decline and corruption of labor unions, the decline in real income, benefits for American workers and the insecurity of employment.

Now, a plausible argument would be that corporations need to have the right to move a plant in order to save the company from economic disaster.

OK, but what if the corporation is making record profits and leaves the U.S. for Mexico’s cheaper labor force to increase the profits for shareholders and chief executive officers?

What if the corporation were given all kinds of tax breaks from the city and, when the tax breaks lapsed, decided to return the favor by hitting the road?

What if the company left behind massive unemployment, pollution or toxic clean-up and other problems?

Is anyone going to say corporations have no responsibility?

The movie’s probe into corporate irresponsibility toward communities reaffirmed my belief that we all must work to make corporations more accountable for their actions on all levels: labor, economic, health, safety, legal and environmental.

I think the largest corporations hold too much power in this country.

With their growing size, ownership of the media and growing number of professional lobbyists, they are controlling more and more of the economy, more politicians and even cities and their citizens.

I think there should be a federal moratorium on corporate mergers and downsizing when the company is making record profits.

Rent “Roger and Me,” especially if you’re planning to graduate from ISU and enter corporate America.

It’ll make you wonder what happened to the good old days when, if you worked hard for a company and the company made money, they would share profits with you so you would continue to work hard to make them more money.

With their growing size, ownership of the media and growing number of professional lobbyists, they are controlling more and more of the economy, more politicians and even cities and their citizens.

I think there should be a federal moratorium on corporate mergers and downsizing when the company is making record profits.

Rent “Roger and Me,” especially if you’re planning to graduate from ISU and enter corporate America.

It’ll make you wonder what happened to the good old days when, if you worked hard for a company and the company made money, they would share profits with you so you would continue to work hard to make them more money.

---

Jonquil Wegman is a senior in community and regional planning from Bellevue.