Use Laptops at Hearings

 

I saw something during one of the seemingly endless string of congressional committee hearings the other day.  The testifying witness, some mid level functionary in some government bureaucracy, was asked by, I think, one of the Senators, when his office was going to receive the documents from a FOIA request his office had submitted a month ago.  He added that one of his colleagues on the other side of the aisle had received his copy of the same documents within a few days of requesting them.  The functionary replied with seeming concern that they would get right on that, and get back to the Senator's office.

What in the actual heck?  Are we not in the year 2023, and in the middle of an information revolution.  How is it that these office holders are allowed to delay like that?  Where is the laptop, which everyone uses these days.  Lawyers use them in court, teachers use them in class. Preachers use them at the pulpit.

Why don't these bureaucrats show up to hearings with laptops in front of them, and given the importance of congress people being informed and getting timely information, why isn't there a full staff on the other end of that laptop to give almost instantaneous response to a congressional request? 

Or does this question answer itself?  Is the real agenda to be able to slow walk anything that doesn't conform to the political agenda of the deep state?  Using our high tech capabilities in a non-partisan way to facilitate the nation's business doesn't, apparently, fit that deep state agenda, so congress allows its business to be done in a way reminiscent of the late 1700's.  At the same time, we can rest assured that the latest technology will be used to unconstitutionally spy on Americans in their homes, and track their every movement.

You see, this fits into what I think is one of the overriding questions of our times, which is:  Is our high technology going to be used to liberate the people by informing them and allowing us to reach deeper understanding with each other, or is that same technology going to be used against the people, to oppress, isolate, indoctrinate, divide and eventually enslave us?

In this regard, I think at the very least congress should demand, that's right DEMAND, under penalty of a contempt of congress charge, that any administration official called to testify before any committee show up with a laptop, and the ability to respond to any congressional request or question on the spot.  And don't give me any bull about cyber-security issues.  That might be an objection the first hour, but if our high tech experts can't resolve any security issues about testifying at the capitol within the first day the issue is presented to them, maybe we should get new cyber-security people. 

Or am I the only getting completely fed up with the constant diet of BS coming out of DC? I don't think so.