An open letter to those who watched just an hour or so of today's hearing and came away disgusted,

[Atticus]

saying "THAT is what's wrong with politics!"---

WHO WAS IT---which party---that time and time again interrupted with complaints and objections and, in some cases, slander for no apparent reason other than to delay the hearing, sow confusion and disgust the audience?

WHO WAS IT that seemed to think that screaming their questions makes them relevant?

WHO WAS IT that repeatedly interrupted witnesses to prevent an answer they did not want us to hear?

WHO WAS IT that denied or ignored all the points presented as facts but failed entirely to disprove or rebut even one of them?

WHO WAS IT who wasted our time retelling their view of past events not even remotely connected to the questions now being considered?

If you have read this far, you must realize that the answer to all the above questions is "the Republicans". And, that leads to just one more question:

WHY? WHAT ARE THEY SO DESPERATE TO KEEP HIDDEN?

Currently, "what's wrong with politics"is simple: Trump and his cult of unquestioning followers.

[Stuart G]

1. Well put..and we will find out if not sooner, than later. It will all come out..

[cry baby]

2. Therefore, media immediately says "it was a mess so no minds were changed today"

I'm sick of that tired line.

[DENVERPOPS]

17. The Repubs rants

were pre-made, orchestrated, rehearsed. They are making video bites and sound bites that can be used on Fox News and other right wing media sites and Right Wing Talk radio sites across America.......

[cry baby]

19. In their effort to keep things interesting, even CNN, MSNBC, NYT, etc

use the whole “both sides” line. The right wing media just bashes Dems. So overall, Dems get bashed in all MSM and the traitors to our republic get bashed only 1/2 the time on MSM and never on right wing media.

That’s part of the reason that we lose the message war.

[DENVERPOPS]

20. I believe

I read that 80+ percent of the entire media in the U.S. is republican owned and operated...............

The only reason Maddow exists, is she has THE leading audience figures of all talk show hosts, and if there is one thing the Republican ownership values more than the republican party, it is money. Maddow is an extremely profitable cash cow for MSNBC.....besides, for the other 23 hours a day, they can lean to the right....

Even NPR which I never watch anymore.....Newt Gingrich and his merry band of asshole republicans threatened NPR that if they didn't start leaning more right, they would cancel all of the gov't funding for them. NPR compromised with the "he said, she said" bullshit that has existed ever since.........showing once and for all, that NPR could be bent over by the Right Wing......

Newt's famous CONTRACT WITH AMERICA, should have truthfully been: CONTRACT ON AMERICA............

[a kennedy]

3. I just sincerely hope that the orange piece of shit will be gone.....

impeached or just doesn’t win the next election. I WANT HIM AND ALL HIS GAWD DAMN CROOK REPUBS GONE.

[Atticus]

4. There are many in your tribe. nt

[Midnightwalk]

5. Same people who say that

Climate change is a hoax.

Coal is clean

Evolution isn’t real

Cigarettes don’t cause cancer.

Tax cuts reduce the deficit

Racism is over

Free markets solve all problems

Universal healthcare is impossible

Voter fraud is rampant

And on and on.

[Duppers]

9. Yes, thank you!

[TNNurse]

6. I could not last a minute.

All those GOP robots speaking the same lines. Not a rational thought from any of them.

After I screamed at the TV that yes we do not like him, but the impeachment is about his criminal behavior. He is so very guilty. He is destroying life for the people in this country and humiliating us world wide.

I could not watch.

[dawn5651]

7. i watched all afternoon and i knew right away what republicans were up to

[vapor2]

8. I couldn't stomach

most of it but did watch Barry Berke nail it. He really shut down Steve Castor. All republicans selling us out.

[Duppers]

10. *Cult* - nt

[Thekaspervote]

11. Maybe it's part of the repukes plan. All the shouting drives down viewership

[Harker]

12. I missed the hearings, but can I guess?

Uh... the republicants?

[BigmanPigman]

13. CNN's Don Lemon did a whole thing about YELLING

by the GOP at the hearings a week or so ago.

[Nitram]

14. I'd turn on the radio, listen to some Trump thug mouthpiece spout nonsense,

and turn it off. Totally illogical, totally self-serving, clearly designed for people who haven't been paying attention to anything but Fox and friends.

[olegramps]

15. I listened to the opening and turned it off. I just can't stand having high blood pressure.

It truly is a sad day for our nation that a man who had no qualifications for being president was elected by ill informed, uninform and misinformed racist, sexual predator enabling nincompoops. If this isn't soon rectified, I really worry about the future of my children, grandchildren and the entire nation.

As for the Republican Party if it not totally destroyed and is allowed to succeed in its destruction of the Constitution and the establishment of an authoritarian presidency freedom will be consigned to the dust bin of history. The Congress and Senate will be little more than ridiculous pawns without purpose. This is the course that we are presently set on by those who have taken full advantage of the apathy that they have cunningly cultivated that there is no difference between the parties. It dominates the media with a false principle that allows the media to propagate the notion that both sides arguments are espousing equally true ideals. They totally ignore the obvious outright lies by unscrupulous Republican propagandists and accord both sides equal validity.

[Sloumeau]

16. "If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts...

“If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell”

--Carl Sandberg

( https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/918291-if-the-facts-are-against-you-argue-the-law-if )

Both the facts and the law were against the Republicans. So they yelled a lot, faked a lot of outrage, and came within an inch of pounding the table.

[ThoughtCriminal]

18. Here is how I think witnesses should handle it

"I'm sorry Congressman, I had trouble understanding the question. Could you repeat that FASTER and LOUDER?"

Repeat until imbecile explodes or gallery laughter peaks.

[Aussie105]

22. Maybe this?

"I'm sorry Congressman, I had trouble working out which words in your word salad form a legitimate question I could answer.

Could you please delete all extraneous words from that word salad, and ask your questions in a logical sequence of words using a stable tone of voice not tainted with anger, frustration and derision?

Thank you."

[Aussie105]

21. Surely there are behavioural guidelines?

Guidelines about decorum? Asking clear questions politely, not raising your voice, not interrupting others, not throwing a childish temper tantrum?

You know, those common sense rules most families enforce and encourage?

Perhaps the heated members in the hearing should be forcibly escorted to a 'time out' room, and watch proceedings on a TV screen, but not get any questions in?

'The honorable member for NothingBurger, your behavior is unseemly and your interruptions seem aimed at disrupting the meeting. Sargent at Arms, please escort the honorable member to the time out room.'

Followed by a televised Walk of Shame.