Why is Congress so worried about baseball?

First of all, you must keep in mind that not every single law in this country is written down in the Constitution. The constitution is simply an outline used to determine which branches of government do what things, and to provide for the proper procedures in establishing law. For example, the Constitution does not say anything about murder or rape being illegal, it does not specifically state that heroin is illegal, nor does it say anything at all about Ponzie schemes, but all of these things are illegal, and these particular acts can be investigated by Congress.

A good number of folks have brought up the anti-trust exemption that baseball enjoys. While this certainly plays a factor in their investigation, the bottom line is that one of the duties of Congress is to investigate illegal activity. This is why they have had hearings regarding organized crime (despite the fact that the Mafia is not mentioned in the Constitution), or held the famous McCarthy hearings in the 1950's.

And while Congress certainly has bigger problems to worry about, the existence of a large problem does not mean you need to devote all of your energy to that problem and that problem alone. Try looking at Congress as sort of a police department. Congress has various committees who are responsible for investigating certain things. As a matter of fact the House alone has 22 committees, and more than 100 subcommittees. Not every single one of these committees is responsible for fixing the mess our economy is in. A police department also has various divisions within it. A large city department will probably have detectives who work in homicide, who's sole responsibility is investigating murder cases. The will probably have a vice squad, who's job it is to investigate thinks like gambling and prostitution. They probably will also have a narcotics and gang crimes unit as well.And they will have officers whose main responsibility is cruising looking for traffic violations, and maybe even officers who do nothing other than srite parking tickets all day. Now, if that city has a high murder rate, that doesn't mean you stop enforcing the parking laws, or that you allow people to continually break the traffic laws. or that you allow someone to operate a house of ill-repute.

Just because more serious problems exist does not mean that Congress should ignore other problems of a lesser severity. And while perhaps a few ballplayers taking steroids does not seem to be a big issue in the grand scheme of things, it violates federal law regarding prescription drugs, it very possibly involves smuggling these drugs, and it affects a business which participates in interstate commerce, all of which are subject to Congressional oversight.

1) Congress took the unusual step of granting MLB an exemption to anti-trust laws. In other words, it allowed MLB to operate as a monopoly.

It holds this over the heads of baseball.

2) It wants to curb the steroids problem, and making public examples of famous players seems like a good way to get the message across.

3) Many stadiums are funded by local tax revenue. While that's not the federal government's specific concern, the exposure that hearings get can give politicians a soapbox on which to blast the public financing of stadiums. It's a way to look good to the voters.

The big issue is lying to Congress. Several of these players have lied under oath about taking roids. Although I do agree that Congress has more to worry about with an economy headed towards socialism, illegal immigrants flooding over the borders, and Islamofascism out to conquer the world.

Adaxx...Barry Bonds is a cheater who could have been the best to play but is now a disgrace. The sad thing is he didn't need roids in the first place.

While i do agree with you to an extent something has to be done since Bud Selig & especially the head of the Union Donald Fehr has done nothing but downplay everything that has happened & pretend a problem is not happening. MLB Seems to be the only sport where the Commissioner wants to put stricter rules but yet afraid to do so b/c he will get the Baseball Union mad. By doing that he gives the impression that he's too weak to do anything & allows the Union to dictate things so the results? The Union pretty much are to blame for the state Baseball is in right now.

It is a million dollar a year business and tax generator. Congress has an interest in the game and its integrity. Why should sports stars take drugs on the job. Have you had a preemployment drug test. I have and to get a job and keep a job you have to be clean. Why can sports stars breach this. It is unAmerican.

There's many reasons for Congress to investigate. Seilig won't controll the game, so let Congress do it for him.

Congress is taking this too far! I do believe the bigger issue is not steroids in baseball, its all the players who are lying under oath. That's why all these perjury trials are going to be coming up.

Part of it is the anti-trust exemption which allows MLB to circumvent Congress' Constitutional powers to regulate interstate commerce.

Part of it is the simple fact that most MLB games are being played in publicly funded stadiums and since the American taxpayer did pay for these buildings their representatives most certainly do have a right to ask what's going on in them

Congress doesn't care about who's using steroids in professional sports.

Congress cares about people who lie to them under oath in their grand jury testimony. Congress cares about eliminating the people who supply illegal drugs to Americans, whether they're playing professional sports or little league baseball.

it fairly is the way that Congress procrastinates while it has puzzling subjects that it does not prefer to stand. Congress keeps hoping that the puzzling subjects such because of the fact the war and the economic gadget will in simple terms pass away in the event that they expend their time on trivial subjects such because of the fact using steroids in baseball.

You know you do have to wonder.Much of it is because baseball enjoys exemption from anti-trusts laws which lawmakers aways threaten to take away from them.(the other major sports do not have the same exemptions).I would have loved for one of these players to have said"look who is asking questions a room full of tax cheats,men who cheat on their wife's with aides and take bribes for their votes".Congress needs to clean their own house before they worry about others.