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I’ve been out of the political loop lately, largely because I live about 4,240 miles from home (according to Google Maps). Today was a pretty lousy day outside, so I’ve been in studying. After having enough of that, I decided to tune into the Senate hearings regarding the firings of eight U.S. Attorneys on C-SPAN 3. It wasn’t nearly as lively as the absolute beat-down handed to Lurita Doan, GSA Administrator, but it was Washington theatre at its finest. The Senate being what it is, there was a lot of downtime and gaps in the hearing. To fill time, C-SPAN turns to Washington Journal.

For those who don’t know, WJ is C-SPAN’s call-in show, inviting viewers to comment on hot button issues being debated. It is, in essence, a soap box for the elderly and the mentally disfunctional. The program is quite entertaining, but only for about 10 minutes or so.

C-SPAN in general is an interesting television phenomenon. It is, on many occasions, the driest and most mundane channel on cable television. However, it does command a very loyal following. I think, too, that it is a very valuable resource for anyone interested in politics. As with most forms of higher learning, it is important to go to the primary source once in a while, and there is nothing more primary than House and Senate proceedings.

Bonus content!
For your viewing pleasure, I present the Doan House testimony. This is a painfully clear example of government in action (read: inaction?) under the present administration.