Evidently, the United State House of Representatives has finished all of its important work, and has nothing better to do than this:
Bud Selig and Donald Fehr, the commissioner and union leader often at loggerheads, sat side-by-side Tuesday as Congress pressed them yet again with questions about baseball's doping problem.
At a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in the same, wood-paneled room where Selig, Fehr, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and others testified three years ago, congressmen mixed criticism of baseball and its players with praise for progress on steroids.
That 2005 hearing was referenced right away when panel chairman Henry Waxman opened the proceedings by calling on the Justice Department to look into whether former AL MVP Miguel Tejada lied to committee staffers when questioned in connection to Palmeiro's perjury case.
Congressional approval ratings, by the way, are at about 25 percent. And it's obvious why.
I too, was always questioning in my mind, why Congress was getting involved in this matter, but could not find a good reason that they shouldn't get involved, so the quandary continued. But then, I started to look at what impact baseball has on society and neighborhoods and cities and it becomes a little more understandable.
First, baseball is benefited by some very creative exemptions from the anti-trust laws if for no other reason than it is our national pastime (soon to be replaced by internet surfing) and those laws are obviously enforced (or in this case, not enforced) across State lines, so the Federal Government is the only governing body with authority across the state lines.
One only needs to go the Wrigley Field to understand the impact it has on the livelihood of a neighborhood and individuals who's employment is dependent on Baseball. So if players do something that is illegal and sometimes do not do it in that State, then again the Federal Government has to be the enforcement arm attending to the illegal activity. If the players screw up baseball by using illegal substance and that illegal use gives a particular team and location an advantage, then it obviously adversely affects other neighborhoods who's players are abiding by the laws. Negative effect also has negative implications on income resulting from Baseball. So again, it looks like the only true authority is the Federal Government and its enforcement divisions. They can protect fair playing clubs and neighborhoods from the negative impact of illegal performance gains by multiple players.
Finally, the performance enhancing drugs are under the jurisdiction of the FDA and are controlled substances, just like all other prescription drugs. No prescription from a doctor, no using the drugs. Illegal drugs are under the direct jurisdiction of the Federal Government and its enforcement arm. Just because the Players Union does not want to have testing, doesn't make the players exempt from Federal Law, and certainly lying about using it under oath is never allowed. The 5th amendment comes to mind, but invoking that privilege would be the death knell of a career.
In this case, you are only dammed if you do, because if you don't then your name is Hank Aaron.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield