CTH has never pretended or played the game of pretending, but several people have discussed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing today on the Twitter censorship issue… and thus, some reminders and clarifications of inside DC politics are needed.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, hereafter called the House Oversight Committee or HOC, has a very specific function in DC circles that apparently too few understand. Once again, let us be clear while trying to explain decades of false information founded upon arcane legislative outlooks.
This article is specific only to the House Oversight Committee.
Within Washington DC, the HOC has a very specific and unique function. What Fox News is to corporate conservative punditry, so too is the HOC to the same DC system of pretending. The House Oversight Committee is the “Chaff and Countermeasures” committee. The HOC operates for both parties with the same mission.
The House Oversight Committee was/is created by the House legislative leadership to make money for the party in control of the Chair. When the House Speaker is notified of a DC corruption issue, inside his/her office they will often be heard saying, “give it to oversight.” The intent of that instruction is to give the issue to the HOC, so they can hold hearings, create soundbites and fundraise from the issue.
Making money for the party in control of the Chair is the primary function of the House Oversight Committee. The HOC does not exist to create accountability or oversight; the HOC exists to exploit the issue for fundraising and satiate the base voters of the party in control of the Chair. The HOC presents the illusion of accountability by constructing soundbites and member performances which are then broadcast on television for appearances to the voting audience. It is essentially theater.
The HOC is a “general oversight’ committee, not a committee of “specific jurisdiction.” Thus, the HOC is the vehicle where Democrats and Republicans publicly display their political initiatives, frame their narratives and then broadcast them on MSNBC, CNN (Democrats) or FOX NEWS (Republicans).
Depending on the issues at hand, the HOC committee members are generally those performance actors best known to the audience of both parties. This is not accidental; this is by design. Again, for emphasis, I am only talking about the HOC, a “generalized oversight” committee. Only this specific committee has this specific mission.
A hot button topic enters the committee ecosphere. Specifically trained staffers and performance artists, uniquely qualified to put on theatrical productions (both parties), are then deployed to assist the representatives in creating the soundbites that hopefully will go viral and assist them with fundraising and opportunities to say, “here’s what we are doing.” Outlining this construct is not an exhibition in cynicism; this is the reality of what the HOC is designed and created to do.
When you see the HOC performing at their best, you will see lots of soundbites created.
The Chair of the HOC is always part of the House Speaker’s close inner circle. From that association you will discover by training, by habit, and by consequence, the HOC framework is developed to sustain the process itself as an end result. The questioning is the sum total of all accountabilities. The performance is the interview; the conversation is the point; the smoke is the fire.
Oversight, in the HOC framework of narrative creation, has evolved into reveling in the endless process (a fundraising proposition) and, as a consequence, it completely ignores the end point, misses the bottom line, doesn’t actually SEE the subject matter, and never actually applies accountability toward what might be discovered. This is why you end up with high blood pressure, frustrated with the questions not asked, and throwing bricks at the screen or monitors when viewing.
The point of HOC hearings is to create what are now described as “viral moments” that can be used to generate money. The second, and lesser objective, is to give the illusion of accountability while not actually ever holding anyone or anything accountable. See prior HOC reference points like Fast and Furious, IRS targeting, Benghazi which outline the latest intent with the Twitter censorship issue.
If you watch the HOC Twitter hearing through the prism of expecting some form of accountability for the violations of the First Amendment, you will be frustrated and disappointed. However, if you watch the HOC Twitter hearing through the prism of how well the panelists will do at raising money from their performances, then you can evaluate the effectiveness; the proverbial winning and losing.
The HOC is designed by House leadership to perform the same basic function for both Democrats and Republicans. The HOC committee assignments are selected based on the theatrical skills of each representative. This is not to say the motives of the members are sullied or impure, it is simply to point out the motive of the committee itself is to generate fundraising from the skillsets of the members on the committee.
Once you fully grasp what the intent of the House Oversight Committee is about, and once you drop the expectation that any accountability in oversight is the intent, then you can watch the performances through the entertainment prism of partisan politics and genuinely enjoy them. There are, after all, some exceptional soundbites and moments created by the hearings themselves.
The HOC is called the “Chaff and Countermeasures” Committee, because that’s essentially what the committee does. It gives the appearance of targeting, steering the target to a controlled destination, and then distracting the audience from the outcome of accountability.
If sunlight is achieved, meaning the Mainstream Media cannot ignore the issue as presented and questioned, and if the general public become more familiar with the controversial subject matter or topic at hand, and if the party of the Chair can fundraise from the issue, then the committee has succeeded. However, if you are looking for something to change as an outcome of any HOC hearing, you will be disappointed.
All of the insiders in Washington DC know this to be true; but, when discussing the HOC specifically, the insiders cannot violate the DC code and make this reality a part of the public consciousness. To make this operational mission widely understood is to diminish the financial value of it.
Now, let’s ENJOY:
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Sundance is right about this.
The words Congressional inquiry/investigation/hearing/committee/special counsel – are all worthless, meaningless, wastes of time and money – and are without consequence….
Our Congress has become a heaping stinking steaming pile of political drama, kibuki theater.
I look at it a little differently, the more that is exposed to the public the better off we are, even if nothing is done by the DOJ which we all know is corrupt. Just look at how much has been exposed in the last 2 years. More people are waking up, just like they are waking up to all the Covid BS. And how I loved how Roth has been exposed as a major PEDO nationally.
I don’t think more people are waking up. Yes a lot has been exposed but brain dead idiots do not believe it when only watching fake news, which i s what they do. None of my liberal friends have changed on bit.
Generally agree for the most part. When the MSM that most people get their information from refuses to cover things like this, it doesn’t move the dial much.
IMO more of the sleeping giant will awake from its slumber as more people die from the Covid operation and more lose their jobs and economic security in the ‘you will own nothing and be happy’ operation. When it gets personal, then those who don’t even know who their representatives are, much less what’s going on, then they’ll have more time and interest to pay attention.
Keeping Americans slaving away to live ‘the dream’ is part of the equation to occupy them with tasks so they won’t care about or watch what the other hand of evil is doing.
So that “more public exposure” means more people will become frustrated and feeling helpless since they can see the criminality, see the lying, see the injustice, yet they cannot vote out the Corrupticons who are acting like Congressmen, nor can the people vote in the one president who wants to clean it all up.
Yeah, that works. /s
So, since this is more evidence of the inside-beltway (campaign) money machine, and as for the last 20-30 years, the citizenry has watched expectantly when NOTHING gets done, and NOBODY goes to jail, what does Joe Plumber do?
1) Give NOTHING to individual candidates in response to plaintiff calls for (“I am behind in my campaign, I need your help now”)
2) Give nothing to the DNC or RNC slush funds
3) scream to congressional email addresses (weekly) that only action and real justice will get your dollar
4) Scream to congress that term limits are to be mandated, or the ballot box will to it for you.
5) Vote intelligently.
Since Obama, we are just chattel to the elites, and I fear that we’ve lost our control. We aren’t “We the People” anymore, even though they play lip service to the corrupted ideal.
Add form the MAGA Republican Committee to starve the DNC, elect MAGA Republicans and defeat election crime.
If the opposite of PRO…is CON….what is the opposite of progress ?
Atta boy,Joseph!
When actual politicians who have committed treason go to jail, nothing they say or do has any sway in my life.
Unless the J6 political prisoners are released and fully restored, they are all highly paid, corrupt, actors in my opinion.
Unless every dirty, rotten, scoundrel in the FBI and CIA are sent to prison for life, nothing has changed.
Unless the CDC and FDA are completely cleaned out and get back to their original purpose, including all the other “agencies” that just like to dress in drag rather than work for the American people, I spit upon all of them.
Unless the WEF, WHO, NATO, etc etc etc are banned from interfering in American life, the politicians have no say in my life.
Unless the United States government halts it’s attack on American energy and American manufacturing and American freedom, their words have no meaning. In fact, they are the enemy.
I want to see the communist ESG crap banned from our banking system. But, hey, CA pension plans are rolling it out right now. Get your money out of California people.
I want to see food freedom everywhere.
etc etc etc
There is so much that is wrong in our country, that their stupid little committees are just that, stupid little committees.
etc etc etc
Way back in the day… I thought the Tea Party could make a difference. I remember when we “flipped the house” and I was ecstatic. Now? I try to ignore them as much as possible and keep them from interfering in my personal life. I keep an expert tax person close at hand to make sure I never run afoul of the “we own you” IRS jack wagons. I keep my head down. I work really hard. I avoid corrupt and sinful people. Just sayin’. Just sayin’.
Well I was a member of the Tea Party, now 89, and we did a lot, we were well organized, did not just sit and bitch, got off our butts and tried to change things, but when the IRS was allowed to destroy families, businesses etc many were actually afraid for their lives and rightfully so. We saw the CLinton mafia at work and it was getting closer and closer to our families. No one came to help us, no one backed us, we stood alone!! So we stayed silent to the public eye.
Yup
Much like the Jan Six patriots.
I remember the GOPe infiltration of the Tea Party much like the AFLDS ousting of Dr. Simone Gold and Project Veritas ousting of James O’Keefe.
Much like the Trump Presidency, a traitor worms it’s way in and boom! All progress towards freedom stops.
In other words it’s a reality TV show and we’re supposed to believe it’s real.
Since we now have clarity about the purpose of this kabuki theater — thank you, Sundance — we can march forward with our PURPOSE to deny to the players (pun intended) the success of their mission. That is, this fund-raising scheme of theirs must produce nothing monetary — until they exert maximum pressure on the Executive to bring these tech weasels to trial and to JAIL.
So Jim Jordan chairs both house Judiciary and Oversite committees and chairs a sub-committee of the judiciary?
When everything changes, awh shucks the clowns🤡are still the same, the corruption syndicate!
After paying attention to the House Oversight Committee, my husband and I agreed a long time ago that it was just kabuki theatre, because this committee has no legal authority. Essentially, we learned along the way, that, as Sundance explains, it just brings forward the issues and yes, both sides fundraise off this show.
That’s essentially how our political system has always been operating since I can remember.
From my perspective that does not mean that Jim Jordan and the other MAGA representatives are just acting out while on camera. This does give them an opportunity to educate the public, especially those who are not aware of the world in which they occupy space.
Sundance stressed House Oversight Committee:
“If sunlight is achieved, meaning the Mainstream Media cannot ignore the issue as presented and questioned, and if the general public become more familiar with the controversial subject matter or topic at hand, and if the party of the Chair can fundraise from the issue, then the committee has succeeded. However, if you are looking for something to change as an outcome of any HOC hearing, you will be disappointed.”
Let’s not lose sight of this important paragraph in Sundance’s article this morning.
It’s reality; not cynicism.
Jordan’s second biggest donor is IT, he’s bought, him amd his rolled up sleeves BS
I call it a free show because I will never contribute to any of them.
So basically, one big Hollywood production; pretty much everything that goes on that’s associated with DC, RNC, DNC , etc.
“The HOC presents the illusion of accountability by constructing soundbites and member performances which are then broadcast on television for appearances to the voting audience. It is essentially theater.”
Never were truer words written. Professional Chest Pounders, eager for the 30 second interview.
I despise this theater.
Fool us once. Shame on them … Fool us a few hundred (0r s0) times. Shame on us … just sayin
Sadly, even after they tried to kill Steve Scalise on that Baseball diamond and every other Republican, nothing changed.
Until bullets start landing on the evil that has infested this entire Continent, we will continue to be tortured by these FILTHY LIBERALS.
it’s been an attack on their opposition since the 80’s. They shipped out jobs to China, poured drugs into these despotic towns, destroyed the innocence of children, targeted our heroes,and attacked President Trump, his family home,all of his close friends, and his supporters What will we do when President Trump is gone? Like A Rapper Said..BLAM BLAM, BLAM til them fall…2A.
Gowdy and Jordan are the biggest blowhards.
The entire congress is theater. Remember Bill Bart’s confirmation hearing? I bought into it. We pretend that our votes count and the election was fair but in reality our leaders are selected with the prime purpose of enriching themselves and their doors financially and continuing the corruption. Ever notice Nobody ever goes to prison from congress they are just allowed to resign.
The HOC, a “generalized gaslight” committee.
FIFY
I think Sundance is correct but,,,,,,
If the HOC has no options for accountability then I want the best theater possible. Maybe back when journos were at least open minded, there would be of course biased reporting, but these days the media is so far from their constitutional role, I can’t even get a big dose of hopium.
The other thing is that fundraising has to be done. I agree that a better functioning party would attract funds but I don’t think it’s the how of fundraising, it’s the “what” was the money used for.
Media is the key. Accurate reporting with minimum bias and the corrupted would never get away with much of anything.
Kept waiting yesterday, for the short time I watched, for the probing questions about the DHS’ role controlling the content moderation and who was to be silenced. But, sadly it played as though just those 4 from Twitter were the ones responsible ….. as SD always says, more pretending not to know things…..
0bamacare was a prime example of the theater that is congress. Give us the house and 0bamacare will be gone. Give us the senate and 0bamacare will be gone. Give us the white house and 0bamacare will be gone etc.
As long as it’s free, pass the popcorn! But then it occurred to me that I already paid for the show. Oh well, might as well enjoy the squirming
After years of the Dems lying (No, the laptop wasn’t “Russian Disinformation” )and putting their fat thumbs on Twitter which definately tipped the last election and installed Biden as President ,the Dems have a lot to answer for…so I am happy to see it FINALLY Happening. Can’t wait for the 51 “INtelligence” officers who signed letters stating the laptop was phony to get grolled about their part in it….I hope they have their security clearances cancelled.
So what you’re saying is government corruption will never be prosecuted, held accountable, discouraged or see the light of day. Can you imagine if they really investigated the allegations with intent to rid the problems, they would make much more money but then, that too would result in corruption and false convictions.
One must never forget.
Washington is a swamp. Washington is corrupt. Washington is completely compromised.
There is a solution to this madness. it’s in the constitution and as soon as Joe Biden reinstates that constitution we the people should relive everybody in Washington of there duty, keep a few of the really good ones and send the rest to gitmo and hire someone who is American to there core, prosecute and dispose of all that went outside that document that we hold dear.
The thing about the “hearings” – will a single “progressive” go to jail because of indisputable, documented crimes against humanity/the Constitution? No, not a single one will.
It’s not been a matter of “evidence” for decades. Can you imagine all the bigwigs of Big Media who’d be decomposed in jail cells already if that were the case. There is a Threat Apparatus in place that is keeping the few honest souls in CD from following through on their otherwise noble rhetoric (see: Boebert today). That should be the focus – who is really in control, and why does no one – NO ONE – dare expose them…..?
Burn your school Civics textbooks if you still have them. It was all pretend.
Wait until the new editions are printed. They will be written by the woke mob.
The war in Ukraine is fake too you know…
Why aren’t the GOP going after the three letter department that is communicating with these twitter execs? That is why we know it is theater!
“… the motive of the committee itself is to generate fundraising from the skillsets of the members on the committee. ”
Do MTG and Lauren Boebert know this? I would hate for them to join the ranks of the Rooster and Issa.
Well, I did receive an email yesterday from MTG stating she called Biden a liar at SOU address, and then she requested money. So there’s that. 🙄
The only way to end this nonsense now that the GOP is in control is to close the door to K Street and smother the sponsors of the anti American garbage on the major networks and Hollywood. Shut them down from lawmaking. Stomp on the Wall Street banks that funded all of Biden and the DNC nonsense. The eponymously named Larry Fink from Blackrock should be a weekly witness to the dozens of congressional committees with various oversight.
Just imagine how things would be if we didn’t have all the alphabet agency’s that Congress has farmed out all of its authority to? Administrative law my (you know what). There would be almost none of this theater and they would actually have to do their Constitutionally assigned jobs; meaning be on the record for EVERY decision that comes from our Congress. That would shed very intense light on all of them and leave very little room for all these shenanigans .We would most likely not be trillions of dollars in the hole and turn over of our elected people would be constant.
Good luck getting the DOJ to prosecute anybody.
Twitter gang uses the GONE WITH THE WIND
Prissy Defense
I don’t know nothing about no Hunter Biden Laptop
All these hearings are about Trump getting screwed by the agency’s.
It is theater and it will not hurt Trumps running for President.
I will take help possible
you misspelled overlook
Let’s get the acronym/name right:
“House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, hereafter called the House Oversight Committee or HOC. . .”
Should be “HOGR”
Does this same analysis apply to the current HOC which has some MAGA members? Can say, Clay Higgens or Ana Paulina Luna issue criminal referrals on their own as members of the committee?
NO
DC is Hollywood for ugly people.
AOC is an actress. She isn’t ugly and that is why she was picked. Fetterman is another story. Ugly but useful as an act to counter a more attractive Republican that stand up and speak up. JMO
Any chance of a class-action lawsuit against any of these individuals for violating the Civil Rights of fellow Americans?
Bankrupt them.
So will they ever get to the part of the “Russiagate” investigation where they bring into the open that Mark Meadows had the Russiagate Binder that President Trump had declassified, and he gave it to Biden’s DOJ????
https://www.theepochtimes.com/bidens-doj-finally-discloses-russiagate-binder-after-court-orders-release-its-not-what-we-expected-truth-over-news_5040074.html?utm_source=ref_share&utm_campaign=copy&rs=SHRDJNQS
Capt Obvious, here.
So, Big Government will continue to violate First Amendment after this theatrical production has concluded?
Got it!
Your assessment of the HOC does nothing to instill confidence that “the right will prevail.” I’ve learned through observation of the HOC gyrations over the past 15 or so years, that nothing substantive emerges except sound bites for the ruling party. And you are correct in stating that these “shows” are just a way for both parties to fund raise by showing constituents how dedicated they are to rooting out evil and re-establishing truth and fair governance. Both the hearings and the blather from pundits that follows is just a colossal waste of taxpayer money, and of viewer time (and talent). Humbly, I suggest that we find better ways to employ our limited time and resources than to listen to this balderdash.