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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy Dems MUST Have Televised Hearings
If our nation relies upon network news for its political discourse then Trump (and Russia) win. That is because network news has become the equivalent of a nude caged mud wrestling match in which the loudest, angriest, flashiest, emotion charged person wins. This is why so many Americans support a self proclaimed tax cheater who lies and gropes women. They find violence/anger/bravado entertaining. And politics has become a spectator sport in recent years much like the Roman gladiatorial battles which were designed to lull Roman citizens into a sense of complacency over the decline of their civilization.
How will House hearings be different? They will be conducted like court hearings. The winner will be the person who tells the truth, who presents the most logical testimony, the one who exercises caution, good judgment, reason. Lies-particularly the blatant whoppers that Trump likes-will be forbidden. Instead the much dreaded I plead the 5th will cue Americans that something criminal is going on. Emotional outbursts, temper tantrums-these will not be winning moves. These will be perceived by the public that relies upon the court system to keep it safe as a sign that the administration is unsafe.
A big reason why the Watergate hearings were so successful derived from the nature of public hearings. There is a gravitas to these procedings that makes ordinary people put aside their childish need to be entertained and that forces them to face reality. And reality is one arena where Trump with his delusions and inflated ego can not win.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(33,040 posts)brooklynite
(93,873 posts)...is that the average voter doesn't watch House hearings...or even YouTube clips of House hearings. They'll watch the 10 seconds that the network news shows program.