Dog-and-pony show

Simple, planned presentation, too often dog-and-pony shows insult the intelligence of their audience.

"However, after a dog-and-pony show purporting to consider new missions, Clinton and O'Leary have joined two factions in Congress--unreconstituted Cold Warriors and delegates seeking to preserve weapons spending in their districts--to endorse continuing the same costly, and ecologically disastrous mission despite the lack of a significant nuclear threat."
Positive Alternatives, Fall, 1995