As Bart and Home watch The Three Stooges, the room begins to vibrate, and the television moves across the room. Soon after, the family makes its way to the backyard, where they see a jet flying low over the back fence. Lisa realizes the flight paths out of the airport must have been altered. Homer and Marge makes their way to Springfield Airport to lodge a complaint. But they’re told the paths were changed because the planes disturbed mating rituals of local wildlife, and according to one official, nothing can be done about it. Homer and Marge return home, where they decide there’s only one thing left to do: Sell the house. But when the house goes on the market, no one wants to buy it. Lisa suggests they turn to their congressman for help. But when they appeal to the elderly Congressman Wilcox, he suddenly dies of a heart attack.

While watching a news broadcast about Wilcox’s death, Bart realizes that Krusty should run for congress, as he’ll help the family out. Lisa agrees, and points out that entertainers have an advantage in winning elections. Lisa and Bart appeal to Krusty, and later, at Republican party headquarters, Krusty announces that he wants to run for congress. His fellow Republicans give him their support. As Krusty begins making public appearances, he finds his brash comic style clashing with the sensitive world of public appearances. One of his opponents, John Armstrong, releases a videotape featuring Krusty in an early, politically incorrect comedy sketch. Desperate, Marge urges Krusty to turn his campaign around. During a political debate with his opponents, Krusty insists he got into the race to help a family being stepped on by their government. Krusty promises that if he wins election, all the common people will have a voice. The audience erupts in cheers. Later, Krusty continues this theme, insisting things will change when he gets to Washington. The people embrace him.

Later, a Fox News anchor interviews Krusty and the top Democratic candidate, John Armstrong. The broadcast is designed to favor the Republican candidate. Eventually, Krusty wins the race. When Krusty arrives in Washington, he discovers that talking about change, and actually implementing changes, are two very different things. The Simpsons travel to Washington to check up on their favorite clown, only to realize he’s made no progress in altering the flight paths. Suddenly filled with determination, Krusty makes his way to the House of Representatives, only to find it empty. The Simpsons observe his disappointment from the gallery, and decide they must do something to help him. They soon encounter a janitor who claims he’s been working in Washington for fifty years and knows how to get things done. Armed with a potentially embarrassing videotape, Bart gets the committee chairman to change his mind about letting the airline rerouting bill out of committee. Meanwhile, Homer convinces a Southern Congressman to join him in a drinking contest just before the bill is put to a vote. And later, Lisa paperclips the bill to a more popular bill, one that can’t fail. The House members pass the more popular bill…and the airline rerouting bill along with it. When the Simpsons return home, the airplane noise is gone.