SOCIAL PROBLEMS: A FILM FOR POLITICIANS

THE power brokers in Washington are finally talking sense about the "war on
drugs." They're seeing the light on this nation's backward policies on
substance abuse, not because they read our editorials, but because they saw
a movie: "Traffic."

As we reported Monday, even such crusted conservatives as Sen. John McCain
and Sen. Orrin Hatch are rethinking their positions on drugs after spending
the afternoon viewing Steven Soderbergh's R-rated film.

Why stop there? Perhaps Hollywood can introduce some sense into
congressional debates on other complex issues:

"Stage 3" -- Robert Redford plays the chief of California's Independent
Systems Operator. After a hard day of dealing with rolling blackouts,
utility audits and power generators' balance sheets, he gets lost on the
drive home and is rescued by a backwoods family that lives off the grid. He
returns from the woods to preach conservation.

"Traffic Jam" -- Sigourney Weaver, newly appointed manager of a large,
Western city, neglects her family and friends while she greases the skids
for developers and real estate professionals. Only when her nanny gets
stuck on the freeway while trying to take her daughter to the emergency
room does Mom realize that the sprawl she's encouraging takes a human toll.

"RX" -- Kevin Costner portrays a pharmaceutical industry lobbyist gleefully
planning a television campaign that will do to cost controls on Medicare
prescription-drug coverage what "Harry and Louise" did to Hillary Clinton's
universal health care plan. Revelation arrives through the suffering of an
elderly relative.

"The Test" -- As an undersecretary of education, Julia Roberts pushes
standardized testing for every student, every day . . . until her son is
locked in the boys' restroom so that he won't bring down the score for his
class. She quits her job and dedicates her life to home schooling.

Potential Academy Award winners, all of them!