Misplaced Priorities

Dear editor:

There are so many major problems facing our country today: the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; the possible war in nuclear armed Pakistan; the U.S. foreign debt in the trillions; Swine-flu epidemic; continually rising unemployment; the drug wars that are creeping into our Southwestern states; the cost of oil; the economic crisis facing our country and the rest of the world; the Middle East; environmental problems; the cost of financing and paying back our continuing and growing budget deficit; China; individual state, city and local financial problems and cutbacks; home foreclosures; bank failures; etc, etc, etc. It is a huge burden for our elected representatives to try and solve in the long and short term. They have to put their minds and staffs to the full time test of trying to solve these problems.

But, do they always put first things first and at least try to solve the biggest and most important problems first? Usually, but not always. Take the case of Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-TX) and three of his colleagues at a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protections. What did they think was so important as to jump ahead of major world problems facing their committee and Congress?
According to Congressional reports, Rep. Barton has introduced legislation that would prohibit the NCAA from advertising its national champion in football as such unless it was produced via a playoff system. He levied the most pointed criticisms of his peers toward the Bowl Championship Series. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to try a new model, and that’s why we’re here today.”

I love football, but let’s face it; shouldn’t that be way down the list of problems facing our country? Is that why Rep. Barton was elected to Congress? Should college football and its championship be handled at the highest level of government in our country? A little bit of common sense and intelligence, which congressmen and senators don’t always display, would answer that question very easily…. NO! Let’s get back to work on the important items and stop wasting time satisfying some school left out of the BCS equation, which is obviously what Rep. Barton is trying to do.