Monday, June 27, 2005
Republicans threaten Baseball
The Republican Party in the US is sure committed to riding professional sports of all its ills. First, there was the moral high ground taken by hypocrites in the steriod inquiry by the House and Senate. Apparently, the US trade deficit will disappear if Bonds stops taking the juice.
Now comes word that some House Republicans are making noises about Baseball and the proposed sale of the Washington Nationals. Apparently, billionaire financier George Soros, he of the mega-bucks anti-Bush fame, is part of a consortium that is exploring the possibility of buying the Nationals. Soros has joined an ownership bid being led by entrepreneur Jonathan Ledecky that is angling to take over the Nats, who are currently owned by Major League Baseball.
ROLL CALL reports: Soros pumped more than $20 million in the last cycle into groups seeking to unseat President Bush and elect Democrats and relates that the very prospect that Soros could have a stake in the team is enough to irritate Congressional Republicans.
"I think Major League Baseball understands the stakes," said Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis (R), who recently convened high-profile steroid hearings.
Davis said that if a Soros sale went through, "I don't think it's the Nats that get hurt. I think its Major League Baseball that gets hurt.
They enjoy all sorts of exemptions' from anti-trust laws. Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.), vice chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that covers the District of Columbia budget, said if Soros buys the team and seeks public funding for a new stadium or anything else, the GOP attitude would be, "Let him pay for it." It is appalling that this wink, wink nudge, nudge reference to the anti-trust exemption that baseball enjoys and that the anti-Labour Republican party also favours would make an appearance.
The US political landscape is even more messed up than Canada. At least, however, we can balance our budget. Big Spending Bush just maxs out the credit card.
Now comes word that some House Republicans are making noises about Baseball and the proposed sale of the Washington Nationals. Apparently, billionaire financier George Soros, he of the mega-bucks anti-Bush fame, is part of a consortium that is exploring the possibility of buying the Nationals. Soros has joined an ownership bid being led by entrepreneur Jonathan Ledecky that is angling to take over the Nats, who are currently owned by Major League Baseball.
ROLL CALL reports: Soros pumped more than $20 million in the last cycle into groups seeking to unseat President Bush and elect Democrats and relates that the very prospect that Soros could have a stake in the team is enough to irritate Congressional Republicans.
"I think Major League Baseball understands the stakes," said Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis (R), who recently convened high-profile steroid hearings.
Davis said that if a Soros sale went through, "I don't think it's the Nats that get hurt. I think its Major League Baseball that gets hurt.
They enjoy all sorts of exemptions' from anti-trust laws. Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.), vice chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that covers the District of Columbia budget, said if Soros buys the team and seeks public funding for a new stadium or anything else, the GOP attitude would be, "Let him pay for it." It is appalling that this wink, wink nudge, nudge reference to the anti-trust exemption that baseball enjoys and that the anti-Labour Republican party also favours would make an appearance.
The US political landscape is even more messed up than Canada. At least, however, we can balance our budget. Big Spending Bush just maxs out the credit card.
# posted by Shaky @ 10:21 a.m. 
Comments:
<< Home
True enough, but don't forget that there are no shortages of opportunities for Cabinet officials who derive our balanced budgets to suggest that taxpayers subsidize our NHL franchises, as John Manley did a few years back.
Huck
Don't even get me started on US politicans throwing public cash around at any professional sport franchise that moves. It is sickening how much public money is lining the pockets of the wealthy in the US.
Post a Comment
Don't even get me started on US politicans throwing public cash around at any professional sport franchise that moves. It is sickening how much public money is lining the pockets of the wealthy in the US.
<< Home
