The age-old saying, ‘politics and sports don’t mix,’ may be true in some ways, but the reality is they are far more intertwined than we often realize. This is especially evident when examining the annual struggles of Congress to pass appropriations bills, a process that mirrors the cyclical disappointments experienced by many Major League Baseball teams, particularly the Cincinnati Reds.
The end of the baseball regular season often signifies a period of reflection for struggling teams, just as it does for Congress as it faces its yearly battle to fund the government. The Reds, my team, are a prime example of this phenomenon. Despite a roster boasting star players like Hunter Greene and Elly De La Cruz, they have been stuck in a perpetual rebuilding cycle since 2013, failing to reach the World Series since 1990. This recurring cycle of hope and disappointment is eerily similar to the plight of Congress.
The parallels between the two are undeniable. The government’s fiscal year ends on September 30, almost perfectly aligning with baseball’s regular season finale on September 29. While some teams advance to the playoffs, many, like the Reds, are left to regroup for the winter. Congress, unfortunately, often finds itself in the same position.
Since the 1990s, Congress has consistently struggled to approve its 12 annual spending bills on time. This has led to numerous political standoffs, ugly government shutdowns, and a lack of progress. The promise of reform seems to be a recurring theme, echoed by bipartisan lawmakers who pledge to do better next time, but with little real change in the status quo. Sound familiar, Reds fans?
The House of Representatives has often teetered on the brink of a government shutdown, as was the case last fall. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., ultimately passed a bill to fund the government at existing spending levels until November, preventing a shutdown. Despite this, the issue persists. In Fiscal Year 2023, the House approved six spending bills while the Senate passed none. The following year, the GOP-controlled House approved seven bills, while the Senate only passed three. This trend continued into Fiscal Year 2025, with the House approving five bills and the Senate passing zero.
When House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., took office last October, he advocated for individual spending bills to be passed, aligning with the original intent. However, despite his efforts and the adoption of stopgap bills, the House found itself in a familiar predicament, failing to secure enough votes to fund itself in July.
The current situation mirrors past events. Similar to last year, conservatives have criticized Johnson for his handling of appropriations, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of progress. As a result, Johnson is now in a similar position to McCarthy, facing pressure to pass an interim spending bill to prevent a government shutdown. He has even pushed for a bill extending through December 20, hoping to avoid a “Christmastime omnibus” spending bill.
This repetitive cycle of promises and failures is reminiscent of the Reds’ long-standing struggles. Just as Cincinnati fans have grown accustomed to the team’s disappointment, observers of Congress are accustomed to the annual funding drama. Like the Reds, there is a consistent hope that a change in leadership or management will bring about a shift in fortunes. However, as history suggests, both Congress and the Reds may find themselves stuck in their familiar patterns, with the promise of a brighter future perpetually just out of reach.
Perhaps, like in baseball, there is always next year. But the past offers little solace, and the reality is that both Congress and the Cincinnati Reds are in need of a genuine change in approach if they wish to break free from their cycles of disappointment.
