Reclaiming My Time?

 "Reclaiming my time" is the most used phrase in America's largest sitcom, the United States Congress. Congress is the largest waste of time and money in the country. The only difference between the stupidity of television and the stupidity of the Congress is that Congress doesn't give out Emmy Awards for outstanding on-camera performances, winning participants just get elected to another term.

If we want Congress to be an actual productive body, we need to ban all cameras from the Capitol building or anywhere else that Congress meets to hold "public hearings".

C-Span started 47 years ago, and the first thing broadcast was a one-minute speech by Representative Al Gore. First, that was probably the last time that Al Gore spoke for only one minute. Second, it marked the end of "intelligent life"(?) in the halls of Congress. Everything since then has been a show for the cameras.

If we actually want Congress to be a productive enterprise, we need to end "public hearings". Why? The term "public hearings" is deceptive. The public does not ever actually get heard from at these hearings. Second, the cameras turn every Representative and Senator into an aspiring actor. "Public hearings" are just the Congressional practice of demonstrating how to waste public time and money. The hearings only serve to prove that politicians are dumbasses and/or egomaniacs.

They don't ask questions that someone can answer and furnish information to the public, they ask questions that will get them more attention and possibly more votes. They ask questions and then they don't give people time to answer. What's the sense in asking questions that you don't give people the time to answer? It's not about gathering information, they already know the answer. This is all about politicians getting more public exposure and more campaign contributions.

Members of Congress have given up governing the nation in exchange for a high paying role in a second-rate sitcom that threatens to destroy the nation. Congress needs to pass a law removing anyone from the Congress who utters, "Reclaiming my time!" 

Congress needs to be honest and just admit that they don't want any real answers. Just be honest about it. Have C-SPAN change their name to "DC Showtime". 

Americans want to be treated fairly. If you are summoned to appear before Congress and answer questions, you should be allowed enough time to say at least a couple of complete sentences without some taxpayer funded blowhard shouting "reclaiming my time". 

In my life, I have encountered a lot of people who ask me questions and then get upset with my answers. I always tell those people the same thing. "If you don't want to hear the answers, then don't ask the questions." That seems to work for me. 

Here's a thought, let's reclaim our government. Let's end public hearings. They are a waste of time and money. They are the "Ted Mack Amateur Hour" on steroids. If you are under seventy and reading this, you can quickly search for Ted Mack now. 

If you don't believe that both houses of Congress are filled with slow learners, go watch the videos of the Army-McCarthy hearings from 1954. More than 72 years later, Congress is still playing the same stupid games. Talk about not learning from the past!! 

Let's end public hearings and get Congress back to doing some actual work. Congress would be better off if we all just thought they were stupid instead of them constantly proving that they are stupid. 

Reclaiming my time!