Congress is (tentatively) officially a farce.

[bhsup]

Stephen Colbert is going to be testifying before Congress today. Now that in and of itself does not make it a farce. He might actually have some relevant stuff to impart to those morons. But... get this:

According to the Daily Caller, Colbert will appear in character for the hearing.

More on the issue...

Washington (CNN) – Comedian Stephen Colbert will testify before Congress on Friday at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration called "Protecting America's Harvest."
Colbert will testify alongside United Farm Workers President Arturo S. Rodriguez to discuss the UFW's summer "Take our Jobs" campaign, in which the group invited U.S. citizens and legal residents to replace immigrant field laborers, according to a UFW press release.

The campaign is an effort by the group to debunk the theory that immigrant laborers are taking jobs away from U.S. citizens and documented workers

Hope CNN is acceptable to the lefties here:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/22/stephen-colbert-to-testify-before-congress/

In character, before the legislative body of the greatest country in the world. It's shameful and hopefully the committee chairman will smack him down if he actually does testify 'in character'. Course, I have no faith that the Dems will do that, but miracles happen. So what do you guys think, should this kind of crap be tolerated?

 

[Mise]

What's a "Dem" congress?

 

[Tani Coyote]

What's a "Dem" congress?

Democratic Congress.

---

I can understand him being invited to the White House dinner(he was there to provide comedy, was he not?), but inviting him to an official debate is very silly and ridiculous.

Sure, he might present the right-wing view, but it doesn't take much to know he won't present it respectfully. An actual right-winger would be better for this.

Then again, if the UN wastes its time going after game developers, I shouldn't act too surprised if the trickle down effect has this ridiculous crap go down to the legislatures of the world.

 

[Cutlass]

When Bush appeared before Congress, he was playing a character. So are most people who appeared.

 

[El_Machinae]

I think it should be loudly condemned if, after a request is made to explain what the hell they're thinking, the idea is as stupid as this summary makes it seem.

 

[Mise]

Not sure I understand what this has to do with the Democrats. AFAIK, the judiciary committee is bipartisan.

Anyway, isn't there some law against not answering truthfully?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

In character, before the legislative body of the greatest country in the world.

If you stop taking the underlined part serious, it all makes sense all of a sudden

 

[downtown]

I'd like to find a way to explain this, but I can't. It sounds terrible, and I love Colbert.

 

[luiz]

Ridiculous and making a mockery of American institutions. Colbert is full of of crap.

 

[ori]

According to the prepared testimony he was asked to testify about a specific program he took part in - of course its a publicity stunt for that program, but nevertheless he was one of the participants of it, apparently, and certainly is capable of giving an account of what it is like to take part in that specific program. So there is actually a reasonable justification to get him to testify.

 

[bombshoo]

Yeah, it's a stupid idea. I think he is hilarious, but with this, I am beginning to have a feeling his ego may not be a joke anymore.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Yeah, it's a stupid idea. I think he hilarious, but with this, I am beginning to have a feeling his ego may not be a joke anymore.

You do realize his character is a parody of reactionary talking heads? But I agree their egos are a joke except to those who actually believe their propaganda and lies.

Fallback Position - Migrant Worker Pt. 2

Fox News talking head:

I mean the idea that we are going to waste our taxpayer dollars for this guy to go up on capitol hill? And we are supposed to sit there and take that?

Colbert:

No. You are supposed to sit there and blow it out of proportion. Read your contract.

The government is on the hook for all the water I can drink and the electricity to power my microphone for 5 minutes of talk time. God only knows how many hospitals won't be built because of me.

 

[BSmith1068]

I wouldn’t put too much credence in him testifying in character. If you dig a little deeper into the story (read the article linked to from the CNN post), this is all we have:

One Republican source said Colbert will be testifying “in character,” the Bill O’Reilly-like muse Colbert uses for his show.

http://dailycaller.com/2010/09/22/t...before-house-immigration-subcommittee-friday/

 

[bombshoo]

You do realize his character is a parody of reactionary talking heads? But I agree their egos are a joke except to those who actually believe their propaganda and lies.

I realize as much, though with congress already tied up and the Dems being accused of doing nothing everyday, I don't see how joke-testifying at a congressional hearing is helping anything but his own ratings.

That of course is if he is actually is going to do it in-character. We'll have to wait and see I guess.

 

[Lord of Elves]

This better be some sort of clerical mistake.

 

[Mise]

Can we please start referring to his joke testimony as a jestimony?

It would make me very happy if we started calling it a jestimony.

 

[Tee Kay]

When Bush appeared before Congress, he was playing a character. So are most people who appeared.

Right. The difference here is that Colbert's character is satire.

 

[Lord of Elves]

Can we please start referring to his joke testimony as a jestimony?

It would make me very happy if we started calling it a jestimony.

And I shall be happy to oblige.

 

[Cheetah]

So everyone agrees that if Colbert is to testify "in character" it is completely ridiculous and damaging to everything except his ratings.

But if BSmith is correct, chances are he will be testifying as himself, and - since I understand there is a relevant reason to have him testify - then all is well.

 

[GoodGame]

I'd like to find a way to explain this, but I can't. It sounds terrible, and I love Colbert.

Yeah I'd have to agree that doing comedy in an official hearing is pretty much a mockery of America. Just another form of demagoguery.

EDIT: But in all honest does pointing out a straw-man in immigration policy in the agricultural labor sector really prove the pro-immigration NGO's point?

And who's to say that Americans won't be working those jobs as their welfare checks run out?