Brian Hoffman
From the April 20, 1994 edition of The New Castle Record
I thought it was interesting that Senator George Mitchell Asked no to be considered for the open position on the Supreme Court. The word is, he’s holding out to become the new Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
Mitchell is the majority leader of the United States Senate and, obviously, a highly regarded individual. Supreme Court positions aren’t offered too just anyone. You haven’t seen Jeff Gillooly’s name mentioned, have you? Dennis Rodman?
That Mitchell would turn down the position is an interesting note. You’s think someone who first becomes a lawyer would aspire to be at the top of his field, and that most likely, would be a member of the Supreme Court.
If you’re a basketball player, you want to play in the NBS. If you’re a surgeon, you should want to be the Surgeon General. If you’re a mailman, wouldn’t you like to be Post Master?
It only serves to reason that a life-long lawyer and politician would aspire to be on the Supreme court. Think of the power that lies in your hands. Your views would have an impact on issues like abortion laws, balanced budget amendments, and government policy. The buck is passed until is stops on your desk, literally.
Most of us have heard someone proclaim, with great passion, that he or she will, “take it all the way to the Supreme Court.” It’s the top of the ladder.
On the other hand, how often have you heard someone say, “I’ll take it all the way to the Commissioner of Baseball?” Of course not.
While a Supreme Court judge decides if people live or die, the baseball commissioner decides if American League pitchers will come to bat. He decides if Geore Steinbrenner has to share his money with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Big decisions for the Supreme Court include stuff like “Roe vs. Wade,” or “Brown vs. the Board of Education.”
A big decision for a baseball commissioner is saying the A’s can’t Vida blue to the Yankees, or that Willie Mays can’t play in the old timer’s game if he shakes hands in the lobby of Bally’s Casino.
Now, to play devil’s advocate, I’m not saying I wouldn’t make the same decision as ol’ George Mitchell. I’d much rather travel around the country and watch ballgames than sit in a room and read legal briefs.
As for pay, the baseball commissioner makes about a million dollars a year and a Supreme Court Justice has a salary of $164,100 a year. That looks like a lot to you and me, but compare it to Barry Bonds!
The President of the Untied Staes makes $200,000 a year, about as much as the guy sitting on the end of the Washington Bullets bench. And you don’t even get endorsements. Could you see President Clinton on the front of Wheaties box, or pushing Big Macs. Well, maybe pushing Big Macs is a bad example.
Robert Downey, our production supervisor, was quick to add, “yes, but it’s estimated he gets million of dollars in perks. Like how much he’d have to pay rent that house or pay for his travel.“
Sure, that’s a perk. How would you like to live in a house in the middle of Washington with strangers walking through the place all day. And as for travel, the NCAA basketball championship is just once a year.
The problem with the country might be summed up in how much we pay our most important people. Why should someone sit on the Supreme Court when he, or she, can make millions of dollars more being Jon Kocak’s agent?
What we ought to do is take the most important positions, like President of the United States and Supreme Court Justice, and make sure those folks make more money than anyone else in the country. Then you’d have the smartest people in the jobs that require the most intelligence, and who cares if the American Legue has the designated hitter.
Al McGuire used to say he’d take that first NBA coaching job that was offered to him where he would get a dollar more than the highest player. It’s the same principle.
Then President Jimmy Johnson could turn this country around.
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
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From The New Castle Record archives
