OPINION: Time For a Little Game of “Hot Potato”

Ever play the game as a child of “hot potato?” A small group of people get in a circle and toss a potato around. If you drop the potato or hold it too long “get burned” you are out until the remaining two are hitting the potato back and forth as fast as they can, until the last person drops or holds on to the potato. Congress and the President play “hot potato” with issues all the time with  the American people the “always loser.” It is always someone else’s problem, fault, idea, or “potato.”

Today let’s play hot potato with a few news stories. You take a minute and comment or respond on the following:

1. Roger Clemon’s trial begins today. He is accused of lying to Congress. Many sports commentators in the past few days have commented, “Congress lies to us all the time, why are they accusing Clemons?” Does Congress have any business hauling athletes before a committee and forcing them to testify? Should our prosecutors spend millions of dollars going after Roger Clemons and Lance Armstrong?

2. Will the President and Congress come up with a long term solution to our “debt crisis,” or come August will they pass the “potato” down the road? Want to take bets on this one based on past performance.

3. Casey Anthony is not guilty of committing murder? True or False. This is a trick question, of course she is. Better question do you believe Criminal trials should not be equated with a search for the truth? They are merely a process for the testing of evidence: Can the state prove the charges against a defendant by proof beyond a reasonable doubt? If you think we should change the system ask yourself, if I was being charged with murder you did not commit, what would you want the standard of proof to be?

The “potato” is now heading in your direction. Let’s see what you do with it.