Why don't you answer his questions?

In one of my favorite episodes of M*A*S*H, the 4077th needs an incubator. Hawkeye and BJ find themselves at a press conference with a General. When the General takes questions, Hawkeye asks why MASH units don't get incubators. After he receives a convoluted bureaucratic answer that doesn't answer the question, Bj asks the next question: "Why don't you answer his question?"

The other day the budget of our Annual Conference was presented. It was then explained that the budget was presented on Mondays for the opportunity of questions and information, but wasn't to be amended or voted on until Wednesday. The floor was opened for questions.

Two people raised legitimate questions. Neither were answered with any more than an "I don't know; we'll check on that."

There were no more questions. Can anyone really wonder why?

Last year at the District Steward's meeting, I had two legitimate questions about the budget. The only answer I got was that the chair of the Finance Committee had not seen the budget until that night, but she had chaired the committee for twenty years, so I should just sit down and mind my own business

If the System really doesn't want questions to be asked, could we at least develop the integrity to admit it?