In committee

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7436.413-a

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George Dunea, attending physician

Cook County Hospital, Chicago, USA

Americans love committees more than any other people in the world. As an instrument of participatory democracy with opportunities for debate, discussion, dissension, and compromise, committees pervade all aspects of American life, from 5 year olds assigned to committees in kindergarten to the two houses of Congress passing widely disparate bills and then meeting in a joint conference committee to iron out differences.

Committees enable executives to receive input, obstruct, …