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MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow points out the similarities between Rand Paul’s talk in Virginia about Gattaca (Original Post) applegrove Oct 2013 OP
So weird. Reminds me of Ronald Reagan. applegrove Oct 2013 #1
Hmmm. I suspect Rand Paul's ideal world is reflected by In Time ... DreamGypsy Oct 2013 #2

DreamGypsy

(2,252 posts)
2. Hmmm. I suspect Rand Paul's ideal world is reflected by In Time ...
Tue Oct 29, 2013, 01:41 AM
Oct 2013

...rather than Gattaca. However, In Time doesn't work out so well for Rachel.



Both Gattaca (1997) and In Time (2011) are films by Andrew Niccol

Here's a synopsis of the plot of In Time, which I have written completely by myself, from memory, even though I have not seen the film or even heard of it before tonight, and without reference to any other credible source, and especially not the mysterious Wikipedia...which I have never, ever, perused.

It is the year 2169 and people have been genetically engineered to be born with a digital clock, bearing 1 year of time, on their forearm. At the age of 25 a person stops aging, but their clock begins counting down; when it reaches zero, that person "times out" and dies instantly. Time on these clocks has become the universal currency; by touching arms, one person can transfer it to another, or to or from a separate clock (a "time capsule&quot that can be shipped or safely stored in a "time bank". The country is divided into "time zones" based on the wealth of its population. The film focuses on two time zones: Dayton is poor, with a populace that has learned indifference to the timed-out bodies on its streets; and New Greenwich, the wealthiest zone, where inhabitants enjoy the benefits of their immortality and wealth, but are constantly surrounded by bodyguards and spend their time worried about accidental death.

Will Salas (Barack Obama), a 28-year-old Dayton factory worker, lives with his mother Rachel (Rachel Maddow). While in a bar, he saves drunken and suicidal 105-year-old Henry Hamilton (Rand Paul), a time-rich New Greenwich resident, from an attempted robbery by Fortis (John Boehner), the boss of a gang called "Minute Men". Hamilton reveals to Will the truth about wealth: there is enough time for everyone to live a long life, but New Greenwich citizens take and store most of the time for themselves in order to live forever. In order to maintain the status quo, they continually increase the cost of living in poorer districts. Hamilton tells him that "for a few to be immortal, many must die". Hamilton gives 116 years of his time to a sleeping Will, and with 5 minutes remaining, walks out to the Dayton bridge to die. The police force, or Timekeepers, led by Timekeeper Raymond Leon (Lindsey Graham), see Hamilton's clock and realize that his time was taken. They look at video footage and identify Will as a thief.

Will visits his best friend Borel (Joe Biden), an alcoholic, to whom he gives 10 years, one year for every year they have been friends, but says goodbye, as he plans to live in New Greenwich with his mother. Meanwhile, Rachel must give all but 90 minutes of her time to pay her debts. When she boards the bus to get back home, she learns the fare has been raised to two hours. Since it's a 2-hour walk home, she is forced to run. When Will sees that Rachel is not on the scheduled bus, he deduces what has happened and begins to run to her. He attempts to save her, but a second before they can touch, she times out and dies.

Will decides to seek revenge and leaves for New Greenwich. Will meets time-loaning businessman Philippe Weis (Paul Krugman), who possesses 1,000,000 years, and his 27-year-old daughter Sylvia (Hillary Clinton). While playing poker, Will bets all but 30 seconds of his time, but wins back the pot of 1,100 years. Sylvia invites him to a party in the Weis mansion. Soon after Will arrives, he is apprehended by Leon, who confiscates all but two hours of Will's time. Will escapes and takes Sylvia hostage. He returns to Dayton with her, driving into Fortis's ambush, knocking both himself and Sylvia unconscious. Fortis tries to take all of Sylvia's years, but leaves about half an hour.

....


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