Speaking of governmental priorities

Senator Arlen Specter, R-Pa., after meeting with National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell in Washington Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008 on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

Again, I repeat the argument that I have been making since 2005... despite federalism, it is appropriate for the federal government, specifically the House or the Senate, to step in and have hearings about topics that are relevant and key within states and local jurisdictions, especially when a "national perspective" can spy trends that may not be apparent within a state or municipality.

One such is corporate welfare for professional sports teams.

Except that legislators don't care. They just want publicity about things like having football games on television or steroid abuse.

Wouldn't you think that the billions and billions of dollars of precious state and local tax resources given to professional sports teams, leagues, and indirectly to the players be of far more import?

The latest issue of Governing Magazine has a good article about the lack of a good relationship between states and local jurisdictions and the federal government, the failure to look at states as incubators for innovation, etc. See "Recipe for Respect: pleading for help from Washington."