I found the whole recent congressional investigation of steroids in baseball somewhat dubious at best, but guess there is some value there. Baseball is the national pastime, illegal use of drugs could have been involved, and there was always the issue of interstate commerce -- in particular, an industry that receives a special antitrust exception. All the concern about the Congress wasting time really is hot air -- is Henry Waxman not investigating enough things? In fact, ESPN has it that Waxman was dubious about today's hearing, but Roger Clemens pressed the issue. [H/t WFAN]
Without this, would Congress suddenly investigate the Bush Administration or something some more? Oh come on. Just how much time and resources, relatively speaking, does it take for a small subset of Congress to investigate? Not that the whole thing isn't a bit of a mess -- who do you root for, really? Clemens did come off as a loser, but amusingly, so did the Republicans. I caught the end of the questioning on the local sports station, WFAN. The afternoon hosts are also shown on YES, the Yankee station.
They think Clemens is patently guilty. [Various reasons to think that, including apparently his accuser only wrong when it comes to allegations about Roger Clemens.] And, more amusingly, really hated the Republicans on the committee, who they saw as biased clowns. Clemens apparently a loyal Bushie sort and/or Republicans oppose Waxman by instinct. One of the two is a registered Republican, the other an independent who said he leaned Republican on some issues. They apparently are not aware about the tendencies of some of the Republicans here. Rep. Chris Shays, the representative of one of the hosts received particular scorn. Welcome to my world, guys.
[This includes "maverick" McCain deciding that haziness on torture, ignoring the dangers of wiggle room in this area, is fine. It also underlines the value -- even if nothing concrete comes out of them -- of public hearings, where the responses of the targets (and the actions of their questioners!) is on public display. Miers and Bolton, anyone?]
Meanwhile, I guess for those who cynically talk about business as usual in D.C. should note when it is not. We actually had two incumbents, including a Bush Dog (by progressive blog hero, Donna Edwards; the other was a Republican beat from the Right ... so there might be a "toss the bums out" mentality), get beat in a special election. And, for some time, I feared a Hillary v. Rudy race, but at least one of them won't be around in November. The support of newcomers for the telecommunications immunity bill suggests the limitations of "change," but it is there. If ever so slowly.
Or, at least, the necessary minimum necessary for the possibility to exist.