A film we hope the politicians watch

At this week's Democratic convention in Denver and next week's Republican convention in St. Paul, it's going to be hard for the discussion of serious topics to filter through to the delegates and to the viewers at home.

We'll see, no doubt, slick movies detailing the candidates' lives and carefully prepared speeches intended to get the convention halls rollicking just as the cameras come on.

There also will be the continuous stories and buzz, for example, about the number of houses John McCain owns or the sweetheart housing deal Barack Obama allegedly received from Tony Rezko. There will be more talk of whether America is ready for an African-American as president or even if it's ready for a Mormon as vice president.

But at 10 a.m. this morning in Denver and at 11 a.m. Sept. 2 in St. Paul, each delegate, candidate and party organizer - as well as members of Congress and members of the media - would do well to take 85 minutes out of their schedules to watch a though-provoking documentary.

Shown as part of the Impact '08 Film Festival at both conventions, "I.O.U.S.A." tackles a topic most of us know is or might be a problem but one that we just can't quite put our finger on or explain very well. And yet, it should be must viewing for every American who plans to vote and in every college and high school that is trying to teach our children what they might expect from their government in the future.

In fact, "I.O.U.S.A." (www.iousathemovie.com) is a scary movie, just not of the slasher variety. This documentary is about the national debt.

That's right. The national debt. Yes, we understand you likely could find a more entertaining night at the movies. But in an election year when so much is at stake, keeping your head in the sand on such a vitally important topic is not recommended. (The movie does a good job at showing just how far our heads are in the sand.)

And don't get all partisan either. The movie is showing at both conventions because, as it clearly shows, there's bipartisan blame to go around.

And there is a bipartisan move afoot to alert the country to the fact that we are more than $9 trillion in debt. That's essentially what the movie is about: Explaining why and how we got here and the efforts of a few people to get the word out through a national Fiscal Wake-Up Tour.

Making that information accessible and understandable was the goal of the documentary, which has strong suburban ties.

Its director is Patrick Creadon, a suburban Riverside native, and it is produced by Creadon's wife, Christine O'Malley, a Barrington native.

At a recent screening in Chicago, Creadon said the documentary was difficult to finish because what started out a year ago on what may happen when the economy starts to tank actually started happening as they were filming. It was hard to keep up, just as it is hard for Americans to keep up with what's happening with their own finances.

As the candidates begin anew their campaigns as their party's standard-bearers, we hope - no, all of us must demand - that issues like those raised by "I.O.U.S.A." be discussed and debated.

In the end, however, it's up to voters to do their homework (the movie is showing in Chicago) and make an informed decision on who they think can right the country's financial ship.