Concerning Congress' Priorities: A Letter About Baseball
Mayor Cleaver (as a long time Kansas City resident, you'll always “The Mayor” to me)~
I’m writing to express grave concern and utter disbelieve at the issue that has spread over the nation’s airwaves this past week. At this exact point in time, our country is: Fighting an ever-more protracted and expensive war, which was justified with bogus evidence and continues largely due to the mendacity of the current administration; debating a supposed “fix” for Social Security, that is neither necessary nor destined to be in any way effective; running astounding and almost unprecedented deficits, all in the unbelievably ironic name of “limited government”; further bolstering the cynical agenda of the ruling class at the vast expense of the average American citizen; etc. And in the midst of this, on what monumental issue does the Government Reform Committee chose to focus the eyes of the nation? Steroids in baseball.
With all the bluster that only a willing suspension of disbelief can muster, I ask: Has a significant portion of Congress lost its collective mind? As a close follower of politics, I understand that historically this particular committee has done much to bolster the cause of our nation. But in the midst of such tumultuous times as we’re now experiencing, I can only imagine what possesses Representatives Davis and Waxman to focus on such an utterly trivial matter. Now, I’m aware of the national health arguments on the side of the proponents of such an investigation, and I’m all for a level playing field in all sports. But the game of baseball is at best entertainment (with all due respect to Kansas City’s own Buck O’Neil and George Brett, et al), and why the resources of the US Congress are being spent on what is essentially a self-regulating industry is entirely beyond me. Not to mention the slippery definitional slope at the core of “performance enhancing.” Coffee and Tea, perhaps? Or Beta-blockers? Or LASIK surgery? Or Aleve or Tylenol? Purity of sport, modern or otherwise, would seem historically transitory. The Government Reform Committee will have a limitless shopping list of topics on which to hold supercilious hearings.
I realize that you are not on this particular committee. But I ask that you review with your colleagues their sense of priority, and perhaps suggest that they spend their time focusing on more legitimate and weighty matters of state, rather than grandstanding in front of largely washed-up professional athletes. As I heard someone remark about the hearings, “Maybe the questioners should think about enhancing their own [job] performance.” Thank you for your time.
I’m writing to express grave concern and utter disbelieve at the issue that has spread over the nation’s airwaves this past week. At this exact point in time, our country is: Fighting an ever-more protracted and expensive war, which was justified with bogus evidence and continues largely due to the mendacity of the current administration; debating a supposed “fix” for Social Security, that is neither necessary nor destined to be in any way effective; running astounding and almost unprecedented deficits, all in the unbelievably ironic name of “limited government”; further bolstering the cynical agenda of the ruling class at the vast expense of the average American citizen; etc. And in the midst of this, on what monumental issue does the Government Reform Committee chose to focus the eyes of the nation? Steroids in baseball.
With all the bluster that only a willing suspension of disbelief can muster, I ask: Has a significant portion of Congress lost its collective mind? As a close follower of politics, I understand that historically this particular committee has done much to bolster the cause of our nation. But in the midst of such tumultuous times as we’re now experiencing, I can only imagine what possesses Representatives Davis and Waxman to focus on such an utterly trivial matter. Now, I’m aware of the national health arguments on the side of the proponents of such an investigation, and I’m all for a level playing field in all sports. But the game of baseball is at best entertainment (with all due respect to Kansas City’s own Buck O’Neil and George Brett, et al), and why the resources of the US Congress are being spent on what is essentially a self-regulating industry is entirely beyond me. Not to mention the slippery definitional slope at the core of “performance enhancing.” Coffee and Tea, perhaps? Or Beta-blockers? Or LASIK surgery? Or Aleve or Tylenol? Purity of sport, modern or otherwise, would seem historically transitory. The Government Reform Committee will have a limitless shopping list of topics on which to hold supercilious hearings.
I realize that you are not on this particular committee. But I ask that you review with your colleagues their sense of priority, and perhaps suggest that they spend their time focusing on more legitimate and weighty matters of state, rather than grandstanding in front of largely washed-up professional athletes. As I heard someone remark about the hearings, “Maybe the questioners should think about enhancing their own [job] performance.” Thank you for your time.
posted by Lloyd Edward at 11:38 AM
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