Congress Strikes Out
This article was originally posted in The Epoch Times (07/21/2011)
Every once in a while a federal judge gets one right. US District Judge Reggie Walton who declared a mistrial in the perjury case against Roger Clemens deserves praise. With one swing of his gavel, Judge Walton struck a blow against the cognitive dissonance that emanates regularly from Washington.
Last year, former major league all-star Roger Clemens was indicted for lying to Congress about his alleged use of performance enhancing drugs. Clemens was on trial for making “false statements to Congress.” Huh? False statements to Congress!
Last year, after Clemens’ indictment, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found genetically modified salmon safe to eat. So using human growth hormone or performance enhancing drugs is bad for sports but on the other hand feeding Americans genetically engineered seafood is good for agribusiness.
Sexting addict and ex-congressman Anthony Weiner is off the hook despite his false statements to the American people.
Tea party Republicans claim that our economy can survive if the debt ceiling isn’t raised.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell made false statements to Congress and the free world about the presence of WMDs in Iraq.
Ex-President Clinton famously denied having sex with Monica Lewinsky.
The Nixon Administration denied bombing Cambodia.
But only Roger Clemens is indicted and tried for lying to Congress.
Whether or not, Clemens used PEDs or made false statements to Congress, no one died in a needless war or lost her home or job as a result of his so-called crime. If federal prosecutors want to stop crimes against the American people they should randomly stop-and-frisk any group of men and women walking along K Street between noon and three. Those are the most dangerous hours for the American economy.
Baseball followers know that Roger Clemens is not well liked. But since when is lack of popularity grounds for indictment and public pillory. Each day that congressional leaders and President Obama fail to reach an agreement to raise the debt ceiling our nation’s economic future grows dimmer. For that they should be pilloried.
Americans have grown weary of the anxiety brought on by Washington’s cognitive dissonance.
Right about now, Americans, too, would prefer if everyone in Washington took performance-enhancing drugs if that would improve our economy, reduce unemployment, eliminate the national debt, and end partisan political bickering.
The use of performance enhancing drugs by professional athletes does not bother me. I think such use should be made known and cleared by team physicians. Mickey Mantle and other athletes of that era played under the influence of alcohol and amphetamines. Former major league pitcher, Dock Ellis allegedly threw a no-hitter under the influence of LSD.
I believe genetically engineered food, however, should not be eaten but if approved for human consumption, it must be clearly labeled. Pro athletes also should be labeled as natural or enhanced.
And our elected representatives in Washington should end their personal and political hypocrisy, stop lying and get on with solving our nation’s economic problems.
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See also, Politico.com/The Arena, Open Mike, July 23-24.