Congressional Hearings Not Necessary For Clemens Case

While there is a role for the U.S. Congress in big and small matters that concern Americans, most of us are tired of hearing about Major League Baseball's steroid case and the New England Patriot's videotape scandal. For some reason, though, the nation's most important business has been put on hold for hearings and questioning.

Sometimes Congress is all we have to hold people accountable, so we don't dismiss their power to call people on the carpet. Sometimes these matters are relatively small. But the Roger Clemens steroid accusations is not a matter that should have members of Congress locked up for days hearing testimony. It serves no purpose.

It seems like some members of Congress enjoy the face time they get on these frivolous hearings. They want to fight for the best sound bite, or to see who can best insult someone being questioned. It's one thing when it was tobacco executives sitting there lying to the country about the dangers of their products, and quite another when a baseball pitcher and his trainer are lying about each other.

Everyone understands that performance-enhancing drugs are terrible for sports, and even worse for athletes - especially young athletes trying to get an edge. There's no debate about that. And all the hoopla surrounding the Mitchell Report has, no doubt, made a big difference. But do we really need congressional hearings? We don't think so.

If we want to hold hearings, let's pull health insurers in front of Congress to explain their huge executive payrolls while making health care unaffordable for millions of Americans. Let's figure out why our prescription drugs are much more expensive than, say, Canada, and then do something about it.

We don't mind Congress playing a watchdog role. In fact, we encourage it. But let's make sure the fight they are taking up for us is worth the time and effort.