Taking A Page From MLB

Dear Congress,

You probably haven't paid too much attention to Major League Baseball recently. Denied the opportunity to grandstand on steroid use (oh, the children!), you've been busy with other things, like failing to fix Social Security. And failing to fix Medicaid. And Medicare. And the budget deficit and the debt and every other problem before you.

You might want to check in with the National Pastime again. See, the Republicans and Democrats of baseball -- owners and players -- have been experimenting with a novel formula. They've been cooperating. I mean with each other. They've decided that the good of the game is more important than which side wins in a false dichotomy showdown.

This year, without a speck of fanfare, the two side inked a five-year deal that will keep the industry humming like a beehive. Players agreed to be HGH-tested and to play in the All-Star game unless truly injured. The owners agreed to improve safety measures and to further level the playing field among teams. They -- choke -- compromised.

As a constituent of the game, I didn't get everything I want. The HGH testing won't occur during the season. The revenue sharing is still sub-optimal. The extra playoffs violate my religion. But on balance, it's an agreement everyone can live with. No animals were harmed in the creation of this compact. (Well, actually, the gloves are leather...)

There may be crackpots on both sides bellyaching about the deal. Fringe nutcases on the owners side who want to hold out for a salary cap. Left-wing loonies in uniform who believe their bodily fluids are inviolable. But those people have been sufficiently sidelined to achieve five more years of peace and prosperity.

Which brings us back to you, Congress. You've been acting like the NBA, what with the ideologues on both sides ruling the day. See where that's gotten us? Your "super" committee has delivered the equivalent of a lockout and cancellation of all games. 

Maybe you'd like to tinker with the baseball formula. Maybe you'd like to mix together some of the good ideas on one side (pay our bills!) with some of the good ideas on the other (stay out of unnecessary wars!) and find some accommodation that we can all live with.

Well, maybe we can't all live with it. The fringe nutcases and the left-wing loonies will have to be sacrificed, like Manny was. The Tea Party Being the Tea Party. Occupy Sanity. For the non-Mannys among us, five years of peace and prosperity would be a good thing. C'mon Congress, take a page from Commissioner Bud and Executive Director Michael Weiner. 

Less NBA; more MLB!

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