Colbert Before Congress

I have to admit, I'm ambivalent about Stephen Colbert's appearance before Congress today. While he certainly delivered a wonderful opening statement (buried in the comedic stylings of the insane character he plays was a passionate plea for sane immigration and labor policy), I can't help but think that this episode marks yet another milestone in the nation's slide toward cartoonish irrelevancy. If I wasn't happy about Glenn Beck hosting his crazy rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, I should probably remain consistent and come down against Colbert testifying in character before Congress.

Here's the money quote, for what it's worth, coming as it does toward the end of 5 minutes of "truthiness":

“America’s farms are presently far too dependent on immigrant labor to pick our fruits and vegetables.
[...]
“Maybe we could offer more visas to the immigrants who, let’s face it, will be doing these jobs anyway. And getting legal status might give these immigrants more recourse if they’re abused. And it just stands to reason to me that if your co-worker can’t be exploited then you’re less likely to be exploited yourself. And that itself might improve pay and working conditions on these farms. And eventually Americans may consider taking these jobs again."