McCain also wanted cap and trade and put his name on the worst attack on freedom of speech in recent memory, the McCain-Feingold campaign finance “reform.” So, this isn’t very surprising.
Arguing the sweet science is “plagued” by “fraud, corruption and ineffective regulation,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is proposing a United States Boxing Commission with the power to determine who judges and referees major fights.
McCain co-introduced the legislation Monday with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (both men were amateur boxers in their younger years). The duo’s move was spurred by Timothy Bradley’s controversial win over Manny Pacquiao earlier this month in Las Vegas. Reid, who represents the boxing mecca of Nevada, said last week he believed Pacquiao should’ve won the fight, an opinion echoed by pundits. The promoter who represents both fighters said the “outlandish” decision represented “a death knell for the sport.”
“Professional boxing remains the only major sport in the United States that does not have a strong, centralized association, league or other regulatory body to establish and enforce uniform rules and practices,” McCain said in a Senate floor speech introducing the legislation. “Ineffective oversight of professional boxing will continue to result in scandals, controversies, unethical practices, a lack of trust in the integrity of judged outcomes and most tragic of all, unnecessary deaths in the sport.”
Shouldn’t the Senate stick to its constitutional roles before taking on new ones of very dubious merit?
Sen. McCain might be wise to regulate something a little closer to home.
Meghan McCain blames her support of legalizing marijuana on her experience of living in Los Angeles. Everywhere she went around the city she could smell the drug and it gave her reason to research the issue further. The political star was on the Wendy Williams Show on Monday morning dishing on her perspective of pot smoking and she really had the audience engaged. Pitching her new book, the star compared herself to rapper Snoop Dogg when she talked about pot smoking. In fact she even admitted she smokes pot.
Mutt. Straight up.
“political star”?!?!?!?
So, boxing is the most pressing problem facing the nation right now? This is the problem with a full time legislature full of career politicians. They sit around and think of laws to pass to justify their existence.
Let’s just make congress a part time institution so they can stay out of our business.
Boxing (as pretty much all professional sports) has had corrupt insiders since the first bought out in front of the cave.
This is the problem with a full time legislature full of career politicians.
This, exactly. These people need to be out of DC more than they are in DC.
Copy Texas.
Lege’ meets every other year. Session is of fixed duration. Pay them a pittance.
Bring. It.
Chairs!
Deck!
Titanic!
Get a clue Senator.
A Gy/Sgt I knew when in the service back in the 70s was once sent to the Philippines to do a report on the drug problem and how it affected our servicemen. They didn’t like his report. Seems he told them that wherever he went, riding a bus, seeing a movie, eating a meal, he got a contact high from all the smoke in the air. What they didn’t like was him stating that he saw no problem. The servicemen couldn’t avoid it but were doing their jobs and were not bothered by it at all.
“Ineffective oversight of professional boxing will continue to result in scandals, controversies, unethical practices, a lack of trust in the integrity of judged outcomes and most tragic of all, unnecessary deaths in the sport.”
Thank God that in college athletics the NCAA was formed…got rid of those problems….
I would like to say to my good friend Sen. McCain and my good friend Sen. Reid that if they find grounds for collaboration, maybe it could be on the US budget. Maybe this could be a starting point; two over the hill senators (boxers) coming together to do something good for our country. Or maybe not.