The article makes use of a parody of acting like a rover mission to Mars and how it is trying to find evidence of any progress in Congress for the financial crisis. Instead of having instruments for testing for water, the rover has the ability to flip hundreds of pages of legislation a second. The metaphor of difficult terrain and hostile environment when crossing the aisle serves to illustrate the difficulties between parties working together. The names of the rovers are also a play on the progress of the budget. In 2011, when there was a budget crisis, Possibility was launched but was lost, "when it attempted to cross the aisle in the Senate."
The article highlights the inability of Congress to find the means to cooperate and pass a budget. The comparison of the harsh environment on Mars to the hostile one between the aisles reveals that a budget will not pass unless Congress changes.
This is a good example of a satirical article and it funny how the onion uses a parody effectively to convey serious issues in a humor kind of way.
ReplyDeleteI like how they used an extended metaphor to accurately reflect the tendency of the U.S. government to act more like an obstacle to others rather than a vehicle for meaningful changes in the country. Really shows how the two-party system has reduced our government to a political "Mexican standoff". The Onion really is one of the best when it comes to satire.
ReplyDelete