Your Taxes at Work

I have to say I haven't been all that thrilled with the federal government over the last few days. While I was North of the border, the Congress saw fit to take time out to blow the lid off Baseball doping, and now that I am back they went to extraordinary lengths to pass legislation designed specifically to apply to exactly one individual.

That's some powerful stuff.

Powerful waste of time.

Baseball, well baseball is screwed up enough without the meddling of the United States federal government. Don't get me wrong. I am glad they care, and I think it was a lovely exercise to prove to parents that they care about kids and steroids. But really, come on, were these hearings going to actually discover anything? Were they actually going to do anything?

If these representatives of the people wanted to actually accomplish something then they would have sat on the local DAs and had the guys they brought to the hill investigated, and if there'd been anything to the thought gotten grand juries empanelled and had the users charged. Worrying that the team owners might let the guys off with a fine rather than suspension doesn't amount to anything. What they are doing is illegal. They ought to be charged and convicted. Teams that cover up ought to be charged with conspiracy or obstruction.

Bringing athletes up to the hill for a dog and pony show isn't serious. If they were serious about the problem, they would do something serious.

And then, just when I thought they couldn't get more pointless, they really, I mean really, truly outdo themselves. Two special sessions to get in the middle of a 15 year family dispute.

Wow.

I just love the fact that the judge in Florida heard the argument and then took it under advisement without making any order, after two branches of the federal government dropped everything to make the hearing happen. I hope he just sits on his hands. Serves them right.

For one second do you think if this were a death row inmate facing execution that they would have gone to these lengths? We'd be hearing "the system ran its course, and now he gets what's coming to him." But in the case of a woman with absolutely no chance of recovery, where they've both exhausted every medical option and every legal recourse - for this one woman they are ready to drop everything they believe about state's rights and due process.

Showboats. Hypocrites. Critics.

They didn't take this much trouble to commit thousands of perfectly healthy soldiers to their death overseas on a war of choice. They didn't take this much trouble when cutting the funds for medical research that might prevent this sort of thing in the future. Of course they set aside much much more time and effort while grandstanding to protect the institution of marriage they so carelessly, absentmindedly, and nefariously undermined this weekend.

Who are these people? What could they possibly be thinking? Why are they trying to embarrass their political opposition in the face of such a personal human tragedy? As George Carlin says, "they're the best we can do."

We all ought to be embarrassed.