Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Another Vital Federal Matter

How can one adequately make fun of an institution that so grotesquely parodies itself?

I'm thinking of the D.C. junta, personified in this case by the House Government Reform Committee. (And no, I didn't just make that up, really! You can read all about it here. Really!)

Yes, indeed, with Leviathan in debt to the tune of $7.75 trillion, unable to secure its own borders (and generally uninterested the project), and multiplying wholly-optional wars of aggression overseas, what are our glorious representatives busying themselves with? That's right: the burning question of what's to be done about those naughty "professional" baseballers who are using hazardous substances to unfairly enhance their performances.

Let's see: we could ask exactly where in that celebrated dead letter, the U.S. Constitution, Congress is empowered to concern itself with entertainment practices. But what's the use? One could ask the same thing about at least 99% of the Congress's other activities as well ... and just as usefully.

Or we could wonder just how a Congresscritter, a proud member of an institution that is routinely unable to approve a budget (something that they're actually supposed to do) in an orderly or respectable fashion, can keep a straight face while proposing to order the affairs of any other institution. But, I suppose we can rely on any of our porcine Representatives to have mastered completely the art of simulating a normal facial expression while orally spewing crap. It's just part of the job.

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