Thread: Colbert seriously jokes to Congress about migrant ag. work

Sep 24, 2010

Colbert seriously jokes to Congress about migrant agricultural work

09:35 AM
By Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images

Read Colbert's prepared testimony below

Colbert recently did a segment on The Colbert Report on a campaign by the United Farm Workers called "Take Our Jobs" that tried to make the point that Americans won't take grueling agricultural jobs.

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His appearance has prompted objections from some members of Congress that it was a waste of taxpayers' money.

Update at 9:48 a.m. ET: Opening the hearing, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., chairman of the subcommittee, notes that celebrities have frequently appeared before Congress. She says a media figure using "both levity and fame" can bring attention to serious problems in society.


Updated at 9:55 a.m. ET: Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, in his opening statement, challenged the premise that Americans would not take difficult, unpleasant work. "Americans will do that work, but they want to be paid a respectable amount for it," King says. He also said that immigrant workers receive thousands of dollars in public services.


Update at 10:09 a.m. ET: Rep. John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat and chairman of the full committee, suggests to Colbert that "now that we've got all this attention that you excuse yourself and let us get on with the three witnesses and other members." Colbert's mic was off, but he said moments later that he was there at Lofgren's invitation and would do whatever she wants. Lofgren suggests that other members should finish their statements while Colbert ponders Conyers' suggestion.


Update at 10:41 a.m. ET: Conyers reverses himself and withdraws his suggestion that Colbert leave. In a summary of his testimony, Colbert -- remaining in character -- notes his one day working in the field and says, "I have to say, and I mean this in all sincereity, please don't make me do this again. It's really, really hard."


Update at 10:47 a.m. ET: He also says the experience was backbreaking, observing: "Most soil is at ground level" and asks if the government could do something to rectify that.


Update at 10:53 a.m. ET: Asked by Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, if his work in the field work was harder than punditry, Colbert agreed, saying he did not want to repeat it: "I don't even want to watch Green Acres any more."


Update at 11:01 a.m. ET: Rep. Smith asks Colbert how many illegal immigrants were working in the fields with him on that one day. Colbert, staying in character, says "I didn't ask for their papers, though I had a strong urge to."
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VIDEO @
http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... igration/1

Our Congress is becoming a bigger joke by the second. They don't care what avg Joe citizen thinks, but they bring this clown in and label him an expert witness on this ever important issue based on what exactly?

Is what this guy said supposed to make me feel sympathetic to a bunch of lawbreakers who nobody forced to enter our borders illegally that get exploited by these worthless puppet pols and their corporate slave owners?

I want all illegals deported and kept out of this country and I want all pols and the corporate slave owners to be jailed and their assets ceased. I don't want sympathy for them, I want some major league tough love.

This is a diversion from the investigation into the DOJ handling of the Black Panther Party voter intimidation case. Christopher Coates, former voting chief for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, gave testimony this morning that the DOJ acted improperly in dismissing the case. Dems don't want us to notice this, because it clearly exposes discrimination against white voters.

Video of hearing.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/295639-1

He says if their is a shortage of workers don't worry their will be alot of Democrats out of work soon.

I just heard Judge Andrew Napalitano on Neil Cavuto state that "people have been put in prison for lying to Congress" He believes Colbert just lied to Congress.

This could get interesting.