It's funny how alike our politics and our sports have become over the years. The team with the most money wins! That was an adage in baseball when it came to the Yankees. They won because they had the most money. As much of a Yankee as I am, there is some truth to it. It does help when you can hire the best in the business. It's still a bit of a risk because you are dealing with personalities not machines, and sometimes personalities get in the way. We pay our sports players far more than we pay our politicians! As a result, the politicians have to find a way to pay themselves, and they succeed most of the time. Harry Truman said, "an honest public servant can't become rich in politics. He can only attain greatness and satisfaction in service." He isn't wrong. Harry said some pretty controversial things in his time, some quite racist and very offensive. He issued apologies for his speeches quite regularly. Something that happens a lot when you just tell the truth as you see it, not the way folks want to hear it. Harry wasn't woke! He also spoke about term limits. He said, "term limits would cure both senility and seniority, both terrible legislature diseases." Both of those are just as bad in sports just tolerated a lot less by the owners that have to pay the bills. With politicians they just have you pay the bills!
Think about it, we have the Congress, comprised of the house and the senate. The house being one team and the senate another. They flip-flop over time gaining the edge. One team can't win without the other teams' cooperation. Currently the house is controlled by the Democrats, call them the Boston Red Sox, but they already traded Babe Ruth to the senate, they can't win against the Babe. Have to hope the Babe goes into a slump, get injured or sick. Or simply wait it out, old age will catch up to every player. Term limits would solve that problem except it may hurt your team next time. Would also solve the current senile problem we are having today. Yes, the twenty-fifth amendment can be used to remove a president due to senility but how does that work? It is a complex process that can take a great deal of time. Additionally, it has to be voted upon by Congress and receive that 2/3 majority. Really not much different than placing a sports player on waivers. He stays on the team, receiving full pay and benefits until he is claimed by another team, or his contract expires.
The number varies from year to year, but on average the incumbent will win reelection better than 80% of the time. The reason for that is money. The incumbent always has more money and resources than the challenger. He or she is already on the team! Easier to stay on the team than to make the team. That's true in sports and politics. And both, to a degree, depend upon popularity. You can have a bad season, a bad term, but if the people like you. it's alright. Well, as long as you are making money for the "team" it is. The source of the money isn't that important, just getting the money is.
In these modern times we have taken to wearing the "uniform" of our team! We are waving our banners openly, speaking in disparaging terms (trash talking) the opposition. True in the political arena today like never before. Just look at what flags are flying today. I've seen "*uck Trump and "Let's go Brandon" among others. No matter which team you are cheering for I'd say that was some pretty poor sportsmanship. Remember the days when we didn't advertise our political affiliation? We simply showed up at the game to support the team. Now there are those that don't want to actually attend the game, just mail in their support. I guess that is one of the few things different about sports and politics. People want to go to the game to be entertained. In politics they aren't as concerned with attending the game as they are winning the game. As long as their "team" wins it's all good. Well, maybe there isn't a difference after all.
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