Please, no humor in the House

As if Democrats running the House of Representatives don’t have enough
on their legislative agenda, they now intend to hold a hearing today on
immigration and undocumented farm workers and hear from expert witness
Stephen Colbert? Yes, Mr. and Mrs. America, the Comedy Central host
will appear in character, allegedly, and testify of his own experiences
working in the hot sun on a farm. What a joke. What an insult to the
congressional process of holding hearings to inform lawmakers on what
laws are necessary.

What’s worse is the seriousness in which the Democratic members of the committee are taking the hearing. Stephen Colbert certainly isn’t. When asked why he was testifying, he replied, “”The main reason I’m testifying before Congress is to get that CSPAN-1 bump for my ratings. I hope it’s CSPAN-1. If it’s CSPAN-2, I’ve been lied to.”

I like a good joke as much as the next person, but not during an official House hearing. Why not bring in Barnum and Bailey to talk about cruelty to animals? Heck, have clowns testify on the dangers of too much makeup. Is there no end? Does Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) have no shame? When Colbert asked the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration chairwoman her views, here’s what happened: “Why do you think so few Americans have taken up this challenge?” Colbert asked Rep. Lofgren. “It’s tough, dirty work,” said Lofgren. “It’s hot.” “You’re saying Americans aren’t tough, madam?” he replied. “Are you saying Americans are pussies?”

Speaker Pelosi would serve her party well to cancel this hearing, or at least remove Colbert from the panel. Nothing he has to share will enhance this serious public policy debate.