SPORTS TAKE OVER CONGRESS

While doing some online research, I was shocked by the amount of pointless legislation that wastes precious time on Capitol Hill and worse, taxpayer money. One thing stood out in particular, and that was the fact that when a professional or collegiate sports team wins a championship, a senator from the team’s home state proposes a bill congratulating them.

I may be treading on the toes of a long held tradition, but it seems to me to be a giant waste of time. We elect these people to guide and shape the future of our country, and while important legislation stagnates in committee for years, senators are proposing and passing bills that are the equivalent to a pat on the back for winning a game.

I’m certain that not a single player on last year’s Pittsburgh Steelers team was elated and ecstatic to hear that Senator Rick Santorum passed a bill congratulating , or anyone from the University of Wisconsin hockey team stared longingly into a television tuned into CSPAN to make sure he got his thanks from Senator Russ Feingold.

These teams are already praised in the national sports media, which is now bigger and more influential then ever, they are praised by their coaches, team owners and institutions, they have parades held in their honor, are given keys to their respective cities. People even spend their own money to buy shirts and hats that proudly state which team won which game. They already get thanks enough, so is it really necessary for our senators to sign their congratulations into law?