If Baseball Were the Government

With Albert Pujols winning the MVP award today, it got me thinking. If baseball were politics would:

• Albert be penalized next season by being allowed fewer strikes with each at bat?
• opposing pitchers have a larger strike zone against Albert so it was more fair?
• Albert be forced to let the opposing team know when he was going to steal a base so they have a better chance to pick him off?
• Albert be forced to share his bonus he gets from winning the award with other teams that do not have award winners?
• other teams force the Cardinals to make Albert sit out at least 1 game per series so they have a better chance to win?

After all, Albert worked hard to become the unanimous MVP choice for the National League. It is only fair that his hard work be held against him so that opposing teams have a better chance to win when he plays.

Of course, that is not the case. In baseball, much like many sports, each team is given a set of rules that they must follow. Those rules are applied equally, no matter the team or the market size. Some sports have a salary cap, others penalize those who spend too much. At no time is success punished. In fact, those teams and individuals who work hard, are rewarded with various awards and trophies. What happens then, other players and teams work hard so they can reap similar accolades. The teams that try hard and win are rewarded by their fanbase when they purchase tickets, jerseys, etc.

When it comes to business men and women, it seems like those that achieve are penalized. The current administration and Democrats want to excessively tax those who succeed. They want to make the people who work hard and are succesful, pay for those who don't. Rather than reward those who are succesful with tax breaks which stimulate growth for the individual business but the economy, they want to burden them with more taxes and forced benefits. Throw on top of that the desire by some to force unionization, which drives up costs and lowers profit. Why would anyone want to succeed?

Maybe the government, especially the Democrats, need to take a page from professional sports and set the rules and then but out.