Kevin Spacey may play a congressman in the hit Netflix series “House of Cards,” but in reality the Emmy-nominated actor has some strong feelings about the real-life version of Congress, and he’s not impressed.
Spacey believes that the government should focus on getting things done, and in his mind Congress just isn’t doing that.
“It’s maybe interesting for an American audience that’s sat through the most non-productive Congress in the history of the United States, in terms of bills passed, to watch a fictional show where some bills actually get passed,” Spacey said during an interview with Irish magazine Hot Press.
Even actual lawmakers can’t help but to agree with Spacey, finding the series compelling but not so relatable.
“[House of Cards] is made professionally about Washington, but it’s not Washington,” Spacey’s real-life counterpart, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told Politico in March. “So don’t believe what you see in there, but it’s intriguing.”
McCarthy’s congressional experiences do not exactly make the legislative branch synonymous with “intriguing,” especially as the current Congress has passed fewer laws than any other since the 1940s. The ineffectiveness of Congress is seen not only by Spacey, but the American people as well, as Congress’ approval rating has plummeted to 12 percent according to a recently released NBC/Wall Street Journal poll.
But while in reality Congress isn’t doing a good job of accomplishing things, Spacey had some praise for the president.
“President Obama will go down as having passed some of the most historic bills in the history of this country,” he told Hot Press. “That despite constant knee-jerk opposition from the Republicans. A lot of people don’t realise how much he’s done in the most difficult of circumstances.”
When Hot Press asked Spacey if he had any intention to run for a public office himself, the actor apparently laughed and reiterated his belief in determination.
“If there’s anything you’ve gotten to know about me, I hope it’s that I like to get s**t done,” he said.
