[anigbrowl]

John at the FDA could be the most rational drug policy wonk imaginable, but that's not going to help him during Congressional oversight hearings if lawmakers decide there is political capital to be made out of attacking him. For all its flaws, the FDA (like other agencies) has to follow rules of administrative process which are subject to challenge, and which aim to bring about iterative improvement. Legislative process is a lot more haphazard, and I'm not sure that the introduction of TV cameras has done anything to improve it.