The book 1984 (published in 1949) presents an imaginary future where a totalitarian state controls every aspect of people’s lives. The state called Oceania is ruled by a group known as the Party its leader and dictator is Big Brother.
While the premise is far fetched using the current and recent decision making processing of the Geo-Political landscape as a model I believe I can with much certainty predict the following:
1) On or about April (as Derby fervor rises and becomes topical) Congress will restart hearings into the workings and dealing of Thoroughbred racing
2) Unless a unilateral governing body has been created or one has stepped forward and began to develop deep inroads towards the process of creating said governing body then
3) Congress will using the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 take control and oversee Thoroughbred horseracing
Congress has not veiled this reality in any fashion in fact during the hearings of this past June various members essentially stated the above facts verbatim. However the ramifications of these threats do not seem to have made much of an impact upon the racing community, yes steroids are no longer to be allowed after the first of the year, yet little else has seemingly been presented in order to ward off an effectual hostile take over by Congress.
The ramifications of a potential take over would be magnanimous to and among the racing community as not only would bureaucratic hegemony reign over the industry but controlling individuals would be appointed by political means and whims potentially without consideration to experience knowledge and or love of Thoroughbred racing as a whole. Traditions generally speaking could be rendered outdated and useless under bureaucracy as administrators may determine despite long held history what was now to be important and useful based upon their own political agenda.
I however also foresee an alternative to this Orwellian future whereby I believe if an intensive marketing campaign is aggressively sold to the current power brokers within the horse racing industry we would wrest control away from the Government creating a scenario in which an internal organization such as the NTRA would become the governing body within Thoroughbred racing. Despite past prior and current failed attempts to undertake such an endeavor there is now a ticking clock resonating over the industry. The simple fact is changes are coming and I believe we need to passionately market a slogan such as “who do you want overseeing the future of Thoroughbred racing – a bureaucrat – or a horseman”.
The realization is simple and foreseeable if Thoroughbred racing does not unite and work together to create a unilateral governing body – Congress will!
While the premise is far fetched using the current and recent decision making processing of the Geo-Political landscape as a model I believe I can with much certainty predict the following:
1) On or about April (as Derby fervor rises and becomes topical) Congress will restart hearings into the workings and dealing of Thoroughbred racing
2) Unless a unilateral governing body has been created or one has stepped forward and began to develop deep inroads towards the process of creating said governing body then
3) Congress will using the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 take control and oversee Thoroughbred horseracing
Congress has not veiled this reality in any fashion in fact during the hearings of this past June various members essentially stated the above facts verbatim. However the ramifications of these threats do not seem to have made much of an impact upon the racing community, yes steroids are no longer to be allowed after the first of the year, yet little else has seemingly been presented in order to ward off an effectual hostile take over by Congress.
The ramifications of a potential take over would be magnanimous to and among the racing community as not only would bureaucratic hegemony reign over the industry but controlling individuals would be appointed by political means and whims potentially without consideration to experience knowledge and or love of Thoroughbred racing as a whole. Traditions generally speaking could be rendered outdated and useless under bureaucracy as administrators may determine despite long held history what was now to be important and useful based upon their own political agenda.
I however also foresee an alternative to this Orwellian future whereby I believe if an intensive marketing campaign is aggressively sold to the current power brokers within the horse racing industry we would wrest control away from the Government creating a scenario in which an internal organization such as the NTRA would become the governing body within Thoroughbred racing. Despite past prior and current failed attempts to undertake such an endeavor there is now a ticking clock resonating over the industry. The simple fact is changes are coming and I believe we need to passionately market a slogan such as “who do you want overseeing the future of Thoroughbred racing – a bureaucrat – or a horseman”.
The realization is simple and foreseeable if Thoroughbred racing does not unite and work together to create a unilateral governing body – Congress will!
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