Academic

HARTFORD COURANT: LEGISLATORS CAN?T ANSWER HARD QUESTIONS: Members of Congress are cosseted from?

By Glenn Reynolds

HARTFORD COURANT: LEGISLATORS CAN’T ANSWER HARD QUESTIONS:

Members of Congress are cosseted from direct contact with large groups of restive voters. Their constituents usually show no interest in spending time with them. These “town hall” meetings are traditionally forlorn, scripted events featuring a small group of people prodded into attending by staff, lobbyists or local political supporters.

This summer’s rowdy events are jarring our leaders. . . . Another serious problem is that politicians disdain short answers to clear questions. They mistake a cloud of nonsense for a clever reply. This fuels the skepticism permanently infecting political discourse.

Indeed.

Full post as published by Instapundit.com on August 16, 2009 (boomark / email).