Doesnt congress have something better to do!!

[GQ22]

This is soo rediculous what is going in sports and congress. Its not like the country isnt experiencing enough problems with subprime, recession, environment, the war...but yet they have to spend millions of tax payers money to do these stupid investigations.

These guys are pathetic losers who get off on roasting sports figure just so they can get their 15 minutes of fame. The whole state of the government is pathetic....i wish bloomberg would run and just focus on important issues not petty sports relative to whats going on.

 

[Deanos]

i wish bloomberg would run and just focus on important issues not petty sports relative to whats going on.

Bloomberg would be President and have little say in what Congress decides to investigate.

 

[mstrofdisaster]

This is soo rediculous what is going in sports and congress. Its not like the country isnt experiencing enough problems with subprime, recession, environment, the war...but yet they have to spend millions of tax payers money to do these stupid investigations.

These guys are pathetic losers who get off on roasting sports figure just so they can get their 15 minutes of fame. The whole state of the government is pathetic....i wish bloomberg would run and just focus on important issues not petty sports relative to whats going on.

Man, I could not agree with you more. I was going to call my representative to complain...It seems the only reason Congress has any interest in MLB (and other sports franchises) is their anti-trust exemption granted by the govt.

In my opinion, baseball and all other pro sports franchises are private businesses, with tons of revenue, and should be treated as such. If there is criminal conduct, let it go through traditional law enforcement channels.

There are so many more important issues that you mentioned, like the credit markets, healthcare, war, spying on Americans, torture....

I really don't give a f$^k if Clemens took steroids or not.

 

[fritz]

Ah well said, most people don't understand (remember) the president's power. He has nothing to do with taxes and very little to do with anything that doesn't involve the military.


For those that care:
http://www.uhuh.com/constitution/article2.htm

There have also been numerous modifications to the above:
http://www.presidentsusa.net/presidential_powers.html

but they key is that the US president is just a figurehead. He really doesn't have a whole lot of power at all. The schmucks, whom you cannot name, that you elect to congress every year just because you kind of remember their name, or because they are currently in office, are the ones who should be exiled. Congress has all the power, Congress passes the laws, Congress wastes the money, Congress is to blame.

My all time favorite study and I forget the exact numbers so I'll make them up but my made up numbers are close; "80% of Americans think that Congress is doing a horrible job however 85% of Americans think that THEIR STATE'S congresspeople are doing a fantastic job."

Their in lies the problem. (no pun intended). Becoming a senator is the ultimate golden parachute. An incumbent senator is almost never unseated. The pay is great and so are the hours. Another great quote: "The job of a mayor is to become Governor, the job of a Governor is to become a Senator".

If we as a people were able to get away from the career politician mentality and hold our local officials more accountable, rather than the presidential candidates, many of whom have not even seen all 50 states, we'd be in far better shape.

 

[mstrofdisaster]

Something like a representative democracy? Lol.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Long answer to this question is "No they don't", Short answer is "NO"

We were sitting around the firehouse yesterday during lunch watching the hearings and one of the guys brought up a good point.

There are entire societies that want to destroy America and we are here watching congress grill a baseball player and a trainer about doing steroids. Maybe these guys need to find a hobby.

 

[Deanos]

There are so many more important issues that you mentioned, like the credit markets, healthcare, war, spying on Americans, torture....

Here's a list of the various Committees in the House of Representatives. Looks like most of the issues you mentioned are covered. BTW, here's the Senatorial Committees.

 

[mstrofdisaster]

Here's a list of the various Committees in the House of Representatives. Looks like most of the issues you mentioned are covered. BTW, here's the Senatorial Committees.

Dean,

No denying that there are endless committees and sub-committees and conference committees that are established for these issues. The problem is a lack of any agreement between the parties about the approach to
any of these problems. Its this "its our way or the highway" attitude
that prevents any progress. There is no such thing as compromise anymore. (Not that back room dealing in smoky rooms in decades prior was in the nation's best interests either. )

Because something is covered does not mean its addressed to the
satisfaction of constituents, or even addressed at all.

Sorry for getting so heated, I'm just passionate about this subject.

 

[Deanos]

Sorry for getting so heated, I'm just passionate about this subject.

Which is why MR tries to avoid discussions of a political nature. Even threads on steroids in baseball mentioning Congress gets the pot boiling.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

How bout them yankees?

 

[mstrofdisaster]

Which is why MR tries to avoid discussions of a political nature. Even threads on steroids in baseball mentioning Congress gets the pot boiling.

Sounds like a good operating principle. I'd rather talk about reefing and COD4 anyway.:wink1:

 

[noodleman]

sooo...anybody ever see the movie "Wag the dog"?

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Ah well said, most people don't understand (remember) the president's power. He has nothing to do with taxes and very little to do with anything that doesn't involve the military.


For those that care:
http://www.uhuh.com/constitution/article2.htm

There have also been numerous modifications to the above:
http://www.presidentsusa.net/presidential_powers.html

but they key is that the US president is just a figurehead. He really doesn't have a whole lot of power at all. The schmucks, whom you cannot name, that you elect to congress every year just because you kind of remember their name, or because they are currently in office, are the ones who should be exiled. Congress has all the power, Congress passes the laws, Congress wastes the money, Congress is to blame.

My all time favorite study and I forget the exact numbers so I'll make them up but my made up numbers are close; "80% of Americans think that Congress is doing a horrible job however 85% of Americans think that THEIR STATE'S congresspeople are doing a fantastic job."

Their in lies the problem. (no pun intended). Becoming a senator is the ultimate golden parachute. An incumbent senator is almost never unseated. The pay is great and so are the hours. Another great quote: "The job of a mayor is to become Governor, the job of a Governor is to become a Senator".

If we as a people were able to get away from the career politician mentality and hold our local officials more accountable, rather than the presidential candidates, many of whom have not even seen all 50 states, we'd be in far better shape.

YES, the President does. The President does not pass a bill into law but he can veto bills. He appoints many workers for the executive branch without the need for Congress to approve. The current President appointed $10 billion dollar(tax dollar) contract to Halliburton(interestingly Cheney is the vice president of the company until ~2005 who also happens to be our vice President of United States.) without an open bit. Oh, I think he said the State department awarded it not him but I wonder who tell what the Secretary of State to do and who had presided when the rebuilding project of Iraq was contemplated 8 months before the invasion and who have agreed the $10 billion(Tax dollar) to go to who? If I know of such a potential business I would have invited everyone in MR to rebuild the reef of Iraq that would have costed $1 billion. My soldier friends in there were forbidden to wash their clothes in spare time but to bring the clothes to Halliburton which charge us $100(tax dollar) a bag that the soldiers say they can do a better job than that company. So I guess the scene of soldiers shinning their shoes is too outdated.

Agreed, WE are to act to make local and federal politicians accountable for their acts and get back our promised Democracy.

The Congress should really investigate further to confiscate the steroid and donate them to us for our reef.:biglaugh:

 

[steve614]

after all that time and money what did they really accomplish except for smearing one of the best pitchers of all time's name.if they didnt want steroids in baseball why didnt they test for it back then??

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

after all that time and money what did they really accomplish except for smearing one of the best pitchers of all time's name.if they didnt want steroids in baseball why didnt they test for it back then??

may be the investigation is intended to smear more than just the name of one person but other possible connected politicians along the line.

 

[GQ22]

while this whole congress grilling is most likely a display of banality by our moronic goverment...i stopped and thought, maybe the government really isnt soo stupid and this is perhaps a ploy to redirect the american people's attention to other more trivial issues, such as baseball.

This disguises the troubles in the economy, the war, etc....

Maybe they arent soo stupid, and are the sneakiest guys in the room...

In any case, the government structure sucks.

 

[jim63dt]

Yea Yankees Chief, They Are Swell

 

[juan319]

We are all expected to perform the best of our abilities, then we are critized if our performance is not up to par and scrutinized if they exceed the expectations.
On the other hand, we tend to over protect those whom we feel affinity to, right or wrong, it matters not.
Kuddos for an excellent open topic educated and reminded me of why WE VOTE.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The Mudskippers look good too!