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I think most people on HN agree with you. Because these are televised, and MOST people will not watch the hearing, each senator is looking for their own sound b
by everdrive 6y ago
I think most people on HN agree with you. Because these are televised, and MOST people will not watch the hearing, each senator is looking for their own sound bite which they can replay to show how tough they were. The illusion falls apart when you watch the actual hearing: the same question is asked over and over, the speakers are not given a real chance to reply, and there is no real dialogue.
Of course it doesn't help that many of the questions are ill-informed in their own right.
- cafard 6y agoThe expression "bunk" or "bunkum" ultimately derives from Buncombe County, North Carolina, apparently. The story is that the congressman from its district gave a speech in Congress that made no sense at all. When asked, he said that he was "speaking to Buncombe."
- edoceo 6y agoNeat! https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/bunkum https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/bunkum
- Karunamon 6y agoI wonder what the answer for this is? On one hand, you're absolutely right, these events are opportunities for grandstanding. On the other hand, the meetings of the government should be open and transparent by default.
- everdrive 6y agoIt's a tough call. I think part of the problem is frankly the electorate. You won't find many on HN, but remember that this sanctimonious grandstanding is broadly popular. Senators aren't just doing it to entertain themselves.
- bleepblorp 6y ago> I wonder what the answer for this is? Don't rely on politicians to do direct questioning of witnesses. Politicians have the wrong incentives, and generally lack the skills, to do anything other than grandstand in public meetings. Legal fact-finding, including the questioning of witnesses, should be done by lawyers and subject matter experts.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]