Parents' Guide to How to Fix a Primary

This documentary couldn't be timelier and more relevant to what's going on in American elections. How to Fix a Primary follows the ultimately failed gubernatorial campaign of Abdul El-Sayed, a doctor (now a CNN commentator) who was seeking to be the governor of Michigan and the first Muslim governor in the USA. The secondary title of the documentary is "Inside an Outsider Campaign," and that's an accurate description of what happens, on many levels. Not only does El-Sayed face the racism of deranged provocateurs, but he also faces the "dogwhistle" racism of "othering" who he is in an attempt by unknown interests to make El-Sayed come across to voters as someone who "isn't one of us."

It's an unsparing portrait of idealism in the face of an establishment that doesn't come across as willing to embrace, or even consider, new ideas. This immersive documentary allows the viewer to share in the joy and heartbreak, the feelings of disillusionment when the campaign experiences the depths some are willing to go to make sure the candidate is tripped up by the machinations of dark money and shady rivals. Despite these setbacks and the ultimate result, the documentary strikes a hopeful tone, as so many involved in the campaign didn't simply surrender and join the establishment, but continued to find ways to work for change. While How to Fix a Primary is centered on a progressive left-of-center candidate's upstart campaign, this should inspire discussion among families about the ways in which our elections are set up to favor some at the expense of others, and how money has corrupted the process.