According to an article that appeared in last Friday's New York Times, Rep. Henry Waxman is ready to have Congress pounce on Baseball's steroid scandal, and will do so if George Mitchell indicates that baseball isn't taking his investigation seriously or that he's otherwise being stonewalled.
For Congress to attempt a legislative fix to this mess under any circumstances would be stupid, even for them. Last time I checked, taking illegal drugs was, well, illegal. So if Mitchell's investigation indicates widespread violations of federal law, then don't pass laws outlawing something that's already illegal. Instead, just go ahead and prosecute those responsible.
But if you do prosecute, show a little integrity for a change, will ya? Don't selectively target people for prosecution because they're unlikeable or because there's political hay to be made out of charging them. If you are serious about enforcing these laws, then let the chips fall where they may. Oh, and be sure to take a very hard look at the front offices of the MLB clubs. Like Deep Throat said, "follow the money." That will lead you to club owners and team management who looked the other way while players juiced up because it made business sense for them to do so.
Hey, if you can go after Ken Lay for averting his gaze while his subordinates pillaged Enron, you shouldn't hesitate to go after owners and GMs who went out of their way not to notice the musclebound guys with yellow eyes and lantern jaws strolling around their clubhouses. Don't have the stomach for that? Then just shut up and go away.
The politicians should stay the hell out of the steroid scandal and concentrate their efforts on other things--like, for example, last month's absurd piece of political theater over Iraq. You know, the one where Congress had a make believe debate over a pretend resolution that didn't really count and that they still couldn't pass? As ridiculous as that little exercise was, I'd prefer to see those nitwits engage in meaningless gestures like that than have them pass silly laws outlawing conduct that's already illegal. Sarbanes-Blacksox is something we can live without.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Steroid Stupidity
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1 comment:
I like your posting and your suggestions for Congress, but you can't seriously expect Congress to do the right thing? If so, you must also believe in the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny.
Of course Congress is going to milk this steroid scandal for all the televised hearings and photo ops they can get. I'm sure the whole thing will be blamed on George Bush. They'll claim he started the whole steroid industry while he was the owner of the Texas Rangers.
The only thing the Congress won't do in the process is the right thing. But if you're really good, maybe they'll leave you some Peeps in your Easter basket.
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