New Manager, Same Ball Club

My children will tell you that I always explain my philosophies with baseball analogies. I believe rightly or wrongly that life is best explained using baseball for understanding. Having said that let's first look at our ongoing national team, the legislative branch. This branch over the last 20 years has tried to fix energy, education, health care, taxes, infrastructure, Social Security, Amtrak, Medicare, and on and on. In baseball terms this legislative team has finished out of the playoffs, way out, for at least the last 20 years. If you think this team has been in the playoffs read the Limits of Power by Andrew Bacevich.

Now, the owners of this team, the of the people, by the people and for the people, people, have said we need a new manager with new ideas to lead our team. But, the team is the same. Oh one faction may be in charge now where a different one was before but it is still the same team, with the same the same hitters and the same pitchers and the same player agents. While their performance maybe at best marginally better with a new manager, we haven't really made any trades for power hitters, or solid pitching to help with this team. Face it, this team really has no All Stars.

Spring is coming to America and it is almost time to play ball. The first few months are really spring training as we get to know the new manager and his coaching staff. We have spent a lot of money in the off season but have gotten few new players on our legislative team. We have some new team captains but it appears all they do is yell at the old captains and vice versa. Doesn't make for real good team harmony. I fear another year of missing the playoffs is in order.

It appears to me we need to change the lineup and give our new manager some power hitters, some pitching and some good utility players for his team. Without several lineup changes this team will again finish poorly. Remember this in November and remember to look back at the standings. Play ball.