Reply #23: Huff & Puff Dog & Pony Show

[SoCalDem]

This whole "hearing thing" never changes, no matter which party is in power or which "bad guys" are in the hot-seat.

Anything of consequence is handled discretely behind-closed-doors...and that's why real change takes so long (if it ever happens).

There is BIG MONEY at play here, and the ones who HAVE the money, never let it go easily.

The ones questioning, know that their future campaign money (and perhaps employment) may be at stake here, so they know how to walk it right up to the edge, and when to ease off.

People watching, can view it all as 21st century politikabuki theater , and enjoy the show as they root for "their team", but forget that the wheels of justice often grind to a halt.

Oil companies have been "spilling" as long as they have been drilling...car companies have been turning out defective cars forever, pharma kills people every year because of laxity in testing, etc.

Big business is all in favor of big business, and congress is also all in favor of big business.

The "little people" have no real advocacy, and have not had it for a very long time (if we ever did have it).

I've been watching this "show" for decades and the plot line is always the same, even if the actors change:

scene #1...something horrible happens

scene #2... media tosses accusations all-round

scene #3... pollsters say the public is outraged..outraged I tell ya

scene # 4...senator so-an-so from anywhere USA demands hearings

scene #5... hearings commence

scene # 6..each in turn, the senators bloviate with personal invective/praise depending on the connection with-to the "invited/subpoenaed guests" in the hot seat....leaving 1 minute for the "response".

scene # 7... all parties agree to write reports and the problems eventually drop from the media

scene # 8...months/years later, lukewarm legislation is attempted...to right the wrong, and after much tweaking, a loophole-laden bill is signed by the president, and all is right with the world until the next catastrophe

scene #9 ...a new congress, years later convenes hearings to criticize congresses past for non-attention to problems that caused THIS catastrophe.

scene # 10...replay..starting with scene #1