“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” In Frank Capra's 1939 folk tale “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington “Jefferson Smith, a young, idealistic, naive hero from a Midwestern state, is thrust into public stardom through a chance course of events. His journey will force him to reflect on the political foundations that support American democracy and confront the corruption that seeks to erode it. Smith, leader of the Boy Rangers, an organization closely based on the Boy Scouts of America, becomes a state hero. after having "alone" put out a forest fire. As a legendary hero, his popularity is growing across the state, especially among the youth of his state. When an unexpected political death necessitates the imminent selection of a successor for senator, Jefferson Smith becomes the unlikely choice. A novice politician, Jeff Smith isn't chosen for his political successes, his idealism, or his unwavering morality; he was chosen because he is a political neophyte. The governor and Smith's new colleague, Senator Joseph Paine, both unscrupulously controlled by Jim Taylor, a corrupt industrialist who runs the state's newspapers and commerce, believe that Smith will be easily manipulated and a nonentity in their corrupt plans. The “Taylor machine” is the Willet Dam Project, a bill that masquerades as a means to promote local agricultural interests but in reality only seeks to generate damage...