Congressional Types

Congressional Hearings

Have you watched Congressional (or Senate) hearings lately? I have. They're not pretty. Unlike only a few decades ago, most Congressional interrogators come armed only with talking points or staff generated questions. The quality is usually poor; the delivery automatic; the responses are either submissive or arrogant.

Television does not help the quality of the event, diminishing the findings mostly because it gives national exposure.

We offer several categories of questioners. Most are dedicated to various forms of grandstanding, emotional displays, partisan attacks, and irrational utterances. All questioners are given only a few minutes to make points or make questions. They must be quick. Nimble? Forget that.

The List.

A. Pepper spray – Offering a barrage of questions giving little or no time for answers.

B. Passion fruit – I feel so intense about this injustice to the American people and want to make you accountable. You bad person, you.

C. Gotcha – Explain this horrible thing you’ve done. Unrelenting charges, often emotional.

D. Campaigner – To make a mini-speech for the home crowd. Usually prepared.

E. Analytical – To offer well reasoned questions to gain specific information on the topic at hand. (Rare)

F. New Tune – Use of time to make points about something completely off-tune from the current subject.

G. Cry baby – To appear to be so choked up over the issue that even tears issue forth. Halting speech is common.

H. Outrage – Usually this technique is applied to interrupt another questioner during their allotted time.

>>>What we haven’t seen YET is a variation of the “Occupy the Hearing” movement, where one party is so disruptive as to totally the shut down the business of the hearing. This is coming.<<<

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