Why Investigate Steroids?
It didn’t hit home until I heard that crotchety-old Senator Specter wants to further investigate my darling 18-1 Patriots and their Spygate scandal to see if the league handled it appropriately. This led me to ask the question why congress cares about sports at all. Yesterday someone told me "they should fire each and every one of these people." I might be inclined to agree. Why are my tax dollars worth investigating whether Roger Clemens did steroids?
You might say, wait, don’t you guys hate the Yankees and Roger Clemens [and if you don’t say that, read the next few posts] and you would be kind of [undoubtedly] right. But, my ninjas, that’s pretty much beside the point. Just having somebody suggest that Roger did steroids was enough for me, you know, just the whisper in the shadows was gratifying. Of course, Andy Petite has no reason to lie, and of course, none of this would have come out without congress’ initial investigations, but, bear with me here.

I don’t really care about the issue, nor do I think it has anything to do with the enforcement of general law in our country - and furthermore I think that it is a waste of time and energy to be regulating baseball [of all things] in the legislative heart of our government, especially as regards to steroids, baseball, or human growth hormone - a substance that is, aditionally, not even illegal, but rather exists in a sort of legal gray area. Can anybody explain this?
The article below suggests that because congress has the authority over issues that affect the economy that it allows them to continue with these proceedings under the pretense of preserving fairness in the American market (sports market anyway). I say that’s a bunch of hooey. I don’t even endorse free-market capitalism but the obviously best answer to this one is laissez-faire.
Did the House Government Reform Committee have the authority to hold its much-reported hearings into steroid use in Major League Baseball, or was the testimony of several former and present MLB stars little more than a taxpayer-funded photo-op? Just a Photo-op
When established 1927 as the Committee on Government Operations, the House Government Reform Committee (GRC) was given jurisdiction to investigate "the operations of Government activities at all levels with a view to determining their economy and efficiency."According to it’s published scope of power, the Committee on Government Reform differs from other congressional committees in that its jurisdiction has grown over the years."While retaining the agenda of the former Committee on Government Operations, the Committee also has the responsibilities of the former Committee on Post Office and Civil Service and the Committee on the District of Columbia.
"The Committee serves as Congressa€™ chief investigative and oversight committee, and is granted broad jurisdiction because of the importance of effective, centralized oversight. Because it authorizes on a few agencies and programs, it is able to review government agencies and programs with an unbiased eye."
Despite it’s claim of wide-ranging power, the congressionally mandated roll of the Government Reform Committee remains the investigation and reform of the operations of the government itself. The use of steroids by professional baseball players clearly does not fall under the scope of their authority.
On the Other Hand
The Government Reform Committee is charged as the "principal investigative committee of the House," which gives it the authority to conduct hearings on any subject falling under the jurisdiction of Congress. The Federally Controlled Substances Act, regulates the use of performance enhancing drugs, including steroids. In addition, Major League Baseball has been exempt from most federal anti-trust laws laws since 1922, when the Supreme Court ruled in its favor in Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore, Inc. v. National Baseball Clubs. The exemption prevents teams for suing if they are not granted the right to change locations at will. While its exemption from anti-trust laws has nothing to do with steroid use by players, it does place the affairs of Major League Baseball squarely under the jurisdiction of Congress. [LINK]

So whata€™s Nancy Pelosia€™s House of Representatives up to today?
Would you believe, holding a hearing on baseball and steroids?
Why yes, yes they are.
Herea€™s Rep. Diane Watson of the House Government Reform Committee on C-SPANa€™s a€oeWashington Journala€A this morning, answering host Peter Slena€™s most excellent question: a€oeWhy does Congress care about baseball and steroids?a€A:
a€oeThis is the American pasttime, great pasttime. Ita€™s a game that really exemplifies who we are as a country and as a people. As you know, our youth look up to our celebrities and the top of that list are baseball players, I feel. And so, ita€™s important to us that we dona€™t sit by and allow an issue that has impacted baseball for an era to continue, because it breaks down the faith and the trust.
a€oeBaseball players are role models. And so, Congress feels that it has a duty to take a look and investigate.a€A
Yes, baseball players are role models. But with this flimsy foundation for a highly-visible Congressional investigation you have to wonder whether Congressmen are role models, too. [LINK]

The problem is not any particular business or industry, but it is the
systematic problem of corporate capitalism, but Congress does not dare
address that. And why? Because most of them support the corporate
capitalist system that harms the majority of Americans, and to one
extent or the other, people around the world. They can make themselves
feel good and honest by going after this non-issue of baseball. My
message to Congress is stop concerning yourself so much with a business
of millionaires (the players) vs billionaires (the owners) and start
looking at a system where people off all classes, except the rich of
course, are suffering. [LINK]
WHY DOES CONGRESS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO HOLD THE HEARINGS?
In part because baseball is the only professional sport exempt from federal antitrust laws. The laws apply to businesses that operate across state lines (interstate commerce) and are meant to prevent those businesses from becoming monopolies that reduce competition.
A 1922 Supreme Court case exempted baseball from these laws. The court ruled that baseball was not interstate commerce. The decision has proved flimsy over the years but was never overruled. The exemption means, among other things, that an MLB team can’t move without MLB’s permission.
Congress threatened baseball’s antitrust exemption in 2005 before its players and high-ranking officials were grilled in televised hearings by members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. "Congress has the authority to take that away," Hult said.
Congress also has "broad authority" to pass laws affecting businesses, Martin wrote in an e-mail, and MLB certainly is a business.
. . .
WHO THE HECK DOES THIS COMMITTEE THINK IT IS, ANYWAY?
In the simplest terms, a congressional chameleon. It "may at any time conduct investigations of any matter," according to House rules cited by Martin. This committee specializes in investigative panels, which determine whether Congress should pass new laws about the issue at hand.
. . .
WHAT CAN CONGRESS DO TO BASEBALL?
"In the short run, probably not much," Hult said. [LINK]

NFL’s Goodell to Meet With Senator Specter on Patriots’ Taping
By Mason Levinson
Feb. 13 (Bloomberg) — National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet today with U.S. Senator Arlen Specter to discuss the league’s handling of evidence from an investigation of signal-stealing by the New England Patriots.
The meeting will take place at the Washington office of Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a telephone interview.
Two days before the Feb. 3 Super Bowl, Specter publicly questioned the league’s decision to destroy videotapes confiscated from the Patriots on Sept. 20 after the team was caught recording the New York Jets’ defensive signals during New England’s season-opening win on Sept. 9.
Goodell fined Patriots coach Bill Belichick $500,000 and docked the team $250,000 for the infraction. The Patriots also lost a first-round draft pick.
Specter, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he wrote to Goodell on Nov. 15 seeking information as to whether the Patriots had spied on other teams, and received an unsatisfactory response from the commissioner. [LINK]
Posted: February 14th, 2008
at 10:50am by Black Ock
Categories: celebrity,drogas,games,business,politricks,fo' real?,boredom killer
Comments: 3 comments
3 Responses to 'Why Investigate Steroids?'
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I think that an important point to consider here is that these politicians HAVE TIME TO DO THIS BULLSHIT. And I’m being serious here – how is it that these guys, who are losing more and more power to the president all the time, can go after sports? Particularly, how do you regulate something that doesn’t involve the Justice System in some way? At least this whole steroid thing involves controlled substances – but what the fuck is Specter doing questioning the NFL? Next week he’ll start visiting school yards across the country – arresting any children he feels aren’t adequately following the agreed upon rules of a game of 4 square. Watch out now!
orangemenace
15 Feb 08 at 7:51 am
Fuck any congrassman or woman that wants to question fucking sports teams if they took steriods or cheated. Fuck Spector especially, all he is an angry Eagles fan.They already proved that on mike and mike in the morning before the superbowl. By the way the Eagles had three other chances to get to the superbowl so they just suck. Hey spector since you care so much about philly why don’t you take a look at that murder rate, i think it was like around in the hundreds for 2007. Just thought you should know, i mean i dont want to distract you from your witch hunt of the patriots. And for Clemens your going to jail for lying… and Congress where fighting a war right now and you goons care about steriods my ninja please!!!!!!
X Da Pimp
21 Feb 08 at 12:32 pm
oh jebus…
haha
21 Feb 08 at 2:18 pm