the.com/public hearing
democracy's open mic night, minus the applause and plus a comment card.
means a formal meeting where officials must legally listen to citizens before deciding something that affects them.
from rooted in common law and the u.s. constitution's due process clause, formalized through 20th-century administrative law requiring notice-and-comment before agencies act.
legal minimumoften just one meeting satisfies the requirement
attendance realityusually decided crowd, rarely a representative one
power moveofficials can hear you and still ignore you