Barr hearings

I’m watching the Barr hearings, and it’s a frustrating experience. I know hearings are hearings. If they are to be of value to the American citizenry, the complexity, the vast cast of characters and the dredging up of recent political history bring no real enlightenment. If they are for the House to come to some fair perspective on Barr’s tenure, the obvious strategizing, the excessive politization, the slinging of slogans and sound bites, the snide remarks and the breaking of agreed upon rules didn’t shed any light on the subject.

 

Barr was not allowed to respond to Democratic questions, which kept Democrats from actually confront him on his responses. Instead, each House member, Republican or Democrat, had to hit on their own personal agenda. There was no sense that the hearings had a real purpose, searching for truth and aiming for some resolutions.

 

There is no acknowledgement that the protests come in all varieties. That they are peaceful and violent at the same time. That there are good people and bad people in all situations. That we can actually learn from this unique national dilemma if we can avoid trying to name a villain and try to do better in finding solutions.

 

One last thing, I would like to see all the House members take an oath of loyalty just as Barr was required to. This was one more example of a chance to get at some truth turn into partisan theater.