A Teleconferencing Congress?

Well, yeah, why should Congress get all that cushy travel, you know, shlepping through security day after day, hauling around laptops and bags, sleeping in an impersonal room away from family night after night--maybe they should just stay home and teleconference, hmm? Ben Stein says Don't Blame the Business Trip:

These meetings, while burdensome, are helpful to the businesses involved. They cannot be entirely replaced with teleconferencing or mass e-mailing. The personal touch, the sharing of facts and secrets face to face, are important. Could Congress really do its work if it held its sessions by teleconferencing? Could Congressional committee hearings work as well by conference call? Could the Supreme Court?

Technology is wonderful and indispensable. But for finding out the tricks of the trade, the way business runs in bad times and good, the latest developments in business and the economy, nothing can replace the spark of intelligence that travels from person to person at meetings.

Moreover, it would be harsh in the extreme to kick the hospitality industry when it is down by frowning on business meetings, thereby making hotels lay off cooks and waiters and maids.

Those unintended consequences--you know, like bringing the nation's business to a halt? You know Congress, we're just not that into you. It's not always all about you.