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Bright side of the Clemens hearings

By Daniel Shaviro

As a Mets fan, I am all the more inclined to believe that Clemens is lying and that he is only getting what he deserves. But I also feel sorry for him and (emotionally speaking) not at all vengeful.

But the true bright side of today's Congressional hearings relates to a comment I made at the colloquium last week. Chris Sanchirico said he found it absurd and disproportionate for the Congress to have devoted so much attention to the private equity issue when (especially if it is just a matter of tax rate "arbitrage," as he believes) there are so many bigger issues to consider. But I pointed out that Congress could certainly do worse things with its time than hold multiple hearings on an arguably secondary issue that it wasn't going to do anything about anyway. After all, just think of the stimulus package.

From that perspective, it's nice to see them spinning their wheels on the central policy issue of our day, whether Roger Clemens took HGH, rather than engaging in yet more affirmative mischief.

Full post as published by Start Making Sense on February 13, 2008 (boomark / email).