You would think that with all the issues surrounding this country, that our leaders would have their hands full tackling matters like foreign policy, immigration, social security, or the ever-rising fuel prices. While the majority may set their eyes on exacting change in these areas where it’s needed, Senator Arlen Specter has decided focus his efforts elsewhere.

For some reason that I’ve yet to figure out, Specter sees the NFL’s Spygate situation as a more pressing issue.

Sure, what the Patriots did was wrong and was a slap in the face to the integrity of the game. And whether or not you think the punishment fit the offense, the fact remains that the NFL has adressed the issue and will make sure that similar situations don’t arise in the future. That’s part of the NFL’s job. When rules are broken within the League, they step in and hand out punishments. It’s not the job of any govermental branch to police a professional sport.

Except under the most extreme conditions, politics has no place in sports.

I understand that the NFL is a professional industry just like the music industry or the real estate industry, but at the end of the day, it’s still a game. So Specter should drop the notion of an independent investigation and find something a little more useful to do with his time.

What also gets under my skin is the reality that Specter’s work is publicly funded. The fact that the taxpayers’ money is paying his salary while he attempts to police a game is beyond absurd.

Mike Fish of ESPN.com wrote, “As the media gathered in a Capitol briefing room Wednesday afternoon, aides for Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., flipped on the TV in anticipation that Specter would deliver a statement to the Senate critical of the NFL’s investigation into Spygate. But he never made it to the floor. A lengthy exchange on food aid proved to be a more pressing issue.”

Imagine that. Food aid was considered more worthy of deliberation.

Senator Specter, get a clue. Politicians have no business engaging in matters of the NFL, or any other sport for that matter. There are more important issues for our leaders to tackle that are actually relevant to the well-being of this country.

 Spygate is the NFL’s problem, and it should remain that way.

 – CB