But don't you think Congress might have better ways to spend their time?
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2010/04/22/ms-weaver-goes-to-washington/
Today in Washington: actress Sigourney Weaver testifies before the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on the topic of ocean acidification. Because, you know, she played an environmental scientist in Avatar. It’s the best fit since Jane Fonda, Jessica Lange, and Sissy Spacek — all of whom had played farm women — testified on America’s agricultural crisis.
Congress doesn’t have time to vote on presidential nominations. It doesn’t bother engaging in serious oversight of presidential power and civil liberties abuses. It looks at the ceiling and whistles as the national debt approaches Greek levels. But members of Congress have time to listen to an actress discuss the topic of ocean acidification.
I mean really, maybe there could be better sources of information than an actress? Maybe?
Of course, this is not just a one-day thing for Sigourney Weaver. She also traveled this month to Brazil to try to stop the construction of a dam. Because who would know better than a Hollywood-Manhattan actress how to make tradeoffs between energy needs and environmental risks in Brazil?
Now let me just say that I’m not arguing that ocean acidification isn’t an important topic. And I’m not criticizing Avatar or its defense of property rights. I’m just questioning whether Sigourney Weaver, Sissy Spacek, Jeff Daniels, Nick Jonas, and the Backstreet Boys have the kind of expertise that Congress ought to draw on in deciding how to run my life. Or then again, maybe planning the economy and running other people’s lives is farce at best, and Congress should just hold hearings with Will Ferrell and John Cleese.
All those who think this is more than a little ridiculous, raise your hands.
Whenever there is a Senate Subcommittee on some special interest issue, people who have been affected by that issue often testify before the committee. Families affected by certain birth defects, victims of crime or chemical leakages, you name it. That there are celebrities whose families have also been affected by such issues should not bother us anymore than ANY OTHER CITIZEN who might be asked under similiar circumstances. For instance, exBackstreet Boy Kevin Richardson grew up in the mountains of Kentucky in an area deeply affected by stipmining. He has been involved with organizations created to educate the public about its' toll on our environment. He was asked by one of the organizers of that committee to testify to WHAT HE SAW growing up, and on the affect on his family, and the death of his father. This is similiar to testimony given by REGULAR citizens on a day to day basis in just about every Subcommittee reviewing issues that affect the common citizen. That the issue gets more attention because it affects a celebrity perhaps, but they have the same rights as we do, they vote like we do, and have a voice. Just like we do!
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