The Circus is in Town

So today is the day everyone has been waiting for- everyone who wants to waste their time. Lets face it, nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to come out of today's Congressional hearings on performance enhancing drugs. This is the ultimate dog and pony show.

Why will people, us included, tune in? Because of the gossip angle. Will Roger Clemens contradict himself? Will Brian McNamee slither out of his chair? Did Andy Pettitte implicate Clemens in his deposition?

The pols that are running the show are eating this up. They love the attention and the face time, but why are they using our tax dollars for this? They have no judicial capacity. According to committee member Darrell E. Issa (R-Calif), who may have his own agenda, the committee should not be dealing with this matter at all.

"It has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and any matter with federal policy implications." That's what it says right on the committee's website, backing up Issa's point.

Issa also stated, in an interview with ESPN Radio's Michael Kay last night, that committee co-chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif) promised that no criminal charges would result as part of the hearings. Then why is this even happening? And are you trying to tell us that if Roger Clemens perjures himself, a federal criminal investigation won't be in full attack mode (if it isn't already). In other words, Waxman is really just saying we won't directly begin criminal proceedings.

While this may be entertaining - could it be even more boring than the hearings in 2004? - this will turn out to be an incredible waste of time and money.