With massive and complicated health care and climate change legislation on the table, two ongoing wars, the national debt piling up at a record rate, and an economy still losing jobs, you'd think Congress would have plenty of substantive issues keeping it busy. But what is the House Judiciary Committee up to? That's right, it's holding hearings regarding concussions in the National Football League.
Even some on the committee itself recognize the idiocy of involving Congress in the business of the NFL.
"Football, like soccer, rugby and even basketball and baseball, involves contact that can produce injuries," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas. "We cannot legislate the elimination of injuries from the games without eliminating the games themselves."But naturally there was a Democrat available to reject basic commonsense in favor of government intrusion into areas it doesn't belong. Isn't there always?
"Young children, often encouraged by parents and coaches, attempt to imitate what they view as the noble behavior of their football heroes, gladiators," said Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga. "This behavior is clearly dangerous, and a refusal to recognize and respond to this danger is reckless and irresponsible."We need government involvement with the NFL for the children, and because people are too stupid and childish to figure out things for themselves. We need our big nanny, the federal government to guide and protect them.
