Yes, j2 I'm sure there would have been other people qualified to give evidence on rural hardships - perhaps an acedemic specialising in the socio-economic environment in rural areas of the United States. However such a person would not have the profile to actually achieve any interest in the subject, which is why celebrities are brought in to state a particular case.
How many instances (not mentioning Iraq here at all can you think of where an administration (not the Bush Administration at all ignores the considered opinions of the people concerned, or the experts who study the situation, and made a decision that turnes out to be painful for everyone involved?
Celebrities bring a public profile to the issue so that there is actually a chance of getting a point across - and as celebrities tend to listen to their audience more than politicians seem to listen to their electorates, who can blame an actor for giving their opinion on an issue which they feel is important?
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