Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>The red furry friend to toddlers everywhere gave evidence before the Education Appropriations Subcommittee to urge more spending on music research and musical instruments for school programs. But why was this issue so close to the red-furry heart of the oft-tickled one, who's only 3? His mission was to ensure that "when Elmo goes to school, there will be the instruments to play," he explained before joining Joe Lamond, head of an international trade association of musical instrument makers, in the committee room.<< <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2002-04-23/politics/elmo.hill_1_elmo-instruments-congressional-committee?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS" target="_blank">http://articles.cnn.com/2002-0...POLITICS</a>
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo What ever brings the important issues into public consciousness is alright with me. As long as nobody gets hurt, anything goes.
Originally Posted By Labuda Dave, I'm glad to see you in this thread... I'm curious: Is the Parliament broadcast on tv over there, and do you ever get pop culture icons testify before them? How about other countries? Are we the only one whose legislative body uses things like Elmo or Stephen Colbert to shine a spotlight on issues? And, does anyone know how the people invited to testify before Congress are chosen?
Originally Posted By DAR <<Is the Parliament broadcast on tv over there, and do you ever get pop culture icons testify before them?>> <<<Would like to see Parliment Funkadelic testify before Parliment.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Lol Dar. Yes Ann, Parliament has it's own TV channel (and I have spoken a few times over the years too, but not in the main chamber). It is rare that visitors go and speak in the House of Commons. Often what happens is we have a select committee to review and write laws and speakers and experts speak there, or at consultation conferences. These thoughts are entered in Hansard (the legal journal of parliamentary affairs). The lead minister then speaks in the House on behalf of the groups, representing the decisions made in the panels and the star chamber (the committee to agree funding). The piece of legislation I work on, a review of the pilot was published this weekend - yay <a href="http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_download/?id=8423" target="_blank">http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everych...?id=8423</a> But there was a lot of work (18 months) of meetings and drafts, and models, and minister briefings, and star chamber meetings, and press conferences, stakeholder conferences. The Prospectus we wrote went through 83 drafts prior to publication (very much watered down from the original version sadly). It was an awesome learning experience. Elmo or Colbear or Lady Gaga would be unlikely to address Parliament, but would be likely invited to a stakeholder conference.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>But hosting "Hardball" last night, NBC's Chuck Todd was beside himself: "A lot of us frankly are offended." He suggested Congress members should have walked out of the hearing room as Colbert testified. Ironically, Todd made the Colbert appearance his top story. And that's a good thing -- because the plight of migrant farm workers is otherwise ignored on "Hardball." I did a quick NEXIS search for variations of "immigrant farm workers" or "migrant farm labor" and found only a few mentions in the last decade. << <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-cohen/colbert-annoys-the-press_b_739018.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...018.html</a> There you go.
Originally Posted By velo I think that watching the Colbert episode that features him "working" in the fields would further illustrate the point he was trying to make (and I do believe he was trying to make a point). It aired on Thursday night, I believe. Although it was typical Colbert, it truly made the point that these jobs were grueling, difficult and did NOT have "Americans" lining up to apply. Even my 13 y.o. got the message.
