Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on, of all things, concussions – yes, the committee charged with vetting candidates for the Supreme Court of these United States decided that the best use of its time was to hold a hearing to, amongst other things, badger the Commissioner of the National Football League for not doing enough about this issue.

Let’s see – there are certainly any number of federal judge positions empty, the country remains in a prolonged recession with unemployment approaching double digits and, no doubt, there are numerous other issues that demands this committee’s attention, but they decided to focus on villianizing the NFL for the effects of concussions.

Mind you, one of the main questioners in this comedy is our loveable liberal, Maxine Waters, whose husband Sidney – wait, wait, – played in the NFL.  One of the great porkers in Congress, June 2009 Porker of the month, has a fundamental issue with a simple concept called Conflict of Interest.

Now, I, in no way, shape or form, wish to dismiss the effects of Concussive Syndrome on athletes.  I have worked in health care almost since the day I graduated from high school, having served as an athletic trainer at both the high school and college level, amongst other positions.  Athletes who suffer concussions require special attention to insure that they do not return to competition until the effects of the concussion has cleared.  Athletes who suffer multiple concussions need to be closely monitored for longer term affects.

However, should the Senate Judiciary Committee dedicate an entire day to this topic?  I think not.  As succintly stated by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) “We cannot legislate the elimination of injuries from the games without eliminating the games themselves.”

Get your priorities straight Congress – deal with the important issues that affect this country.  The depleted federal judiciary, the continuing problems with the economy and double digit unemployment, health care reform.  Any number of topics are more worthy of a day’s work than a hearing on Concussive Syndrome, which is a medical condition and warrants medical research, not Congressional grandstanding.

JustJon