Regular readers of us at Various Things & Stuff know that we are no fans of the administration of President George W. Bush. In fact, we firmly believe he’s only really been president for four years, the 2000 election having decisively gone for former Vice President Al Gore.
We think Bush has been an a nearly complete failure as president on almost every level and has drained the office of any national or international credibility that it once had. His unnecessary, elective war will go down as one of the worst things ever done by an American president. And his choice of aides and underlings leaves almost everything to be desired.
But today, let’s address the issue of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveling to Syria, and meeting with that nation’s president, Bashar Assad. (Speaker Pelosi’s trip followed that of a trio of Republican congressmen, Robert Aderholt of Alabama, Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania and Frank Wolf of Virginia.
Frankly, we think they’re all wrong.
We say that not because Syria is a state sponsor of terror and refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist, although both are true. It’s fairly well established that Syria has provided aid and comfort to terrorist groups vexing Israel and other countries.
And it’s not because we think dialog isn’t a useful thing in the Middle East. It is. The Bush administration’s stubborn refusal to even talk to nations like Iran or Syria until they do what we want cannot help but make matters worse. Obviously, the doctrine of demanding action before dialog is clearly not working.
We say Pelosi, Aderholt, Pitts and Wolf should not have gone to Syria because none of them has the title president, ambassador or secretary of state.
Whether we like him or not, Bush is the elected head of state of this nation. And whether we agree with it or not, Bush is responsible for setting foreign policy. (We at Various Things & Stuff couldn’t disagree with his foreign policy more, by the way.) But Bush is the president, and the president alone calls the shots. That’s one of the reasons why it’s so very important to end the rule of incompetence that’s characterized our nation for the last six years.
But until the time set aside for us to set that new direction comes — it’s called the 2008 election, and there are candidates auditioning for the job now — Bush has the authority (and the responsibility) to set foreign policy.
Now, we can understand why Pelosi did what she did; she’s tired of seeing nothing accomplished by a tried-and-failed strategy. But that doesn’t give her the authority to subsume Bush’s proper role. And while the White House failed immediately to call out Aderholt, Pitts and Wolf, we will, for the same reasons.
Pelosi has important duties here at home, including doing her level best to end the Iraq war as quickly as possible. We’ll hope the next president, the next secretary of state and the next ambassador to that region will do a better job than the current administration has in dealing with the issue of Syria and terrorism.
But until noon on Jan. 20, 2009, we have one — and only one — president, and his name is George W. Bush. God help us.
Before your weekend partying begins, it’s always a good idea to coat your stomach with a hefty dose of Quick Hits. Here goes!
» The Nevada Tavern Owners Association has decided to appeal District Court Judge Douglas Herndon’s decision on the anti-smoking Question 5 to the state Supreme Court. (Question 5, aka the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, ban smoking almost everywhere in Nevada, with a few exceptions.)
But according to the Review-Journal, there have been 1,885 complaints from people that certain bars are still allowing smoking. And since we’ve already cured cancer and won the war on terror, this is apparently all we have left to bitch about. Aren’t we a lucky society?
"We’ve spoken with many tavern owners on how to get their particular establishments into compliance with the act. We’re talking with businesses every day. We’re a little disappointed they are wanting to fight," said Stephen Minagil, an attorney for the Southern Nevada Health District.
Yes, and those exasperated zookeepers have talked with the animals about why they have to stay in their cages. They’re talking to them every day, in fact. And yet, they’re disappointed that the animals still want to get out and roam free. Stubborn animals! And tavern owners!
» According to an Associated Press report out of Reno, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid is saying that President George W. Bush must learn how to compromise. "I’m a legislator. I know how to compromise. He doesn’t. That’s what he’s got to learn," Reid said. "Compromise is not a bad word. I think it’s been real hard for him to understand he can’t do what he did before we had a new Congress in town. He’s going to have to learn to deal with it."
In other parts of the interview, Reid said he’s trying to teach monkeys to talk and get Lindsay Lohan to stop drinking.
» Apparently, compromise is a dirty word. At least that’s what Mayor Oscar Goodman might think, after his proposal to the NBA contained no mention of taking games — even games involving a potential Las Vegas team — off sports books betting boards.
But think about it: Why should we take local sports off the boards? If, as Goodman argues, we really do have the best regulation in the world when it comes to gambling, why should we tacitly admit that gambling equals corruption by suspending gambling on a home team? If our system of regulation is really "…the world’s leading example in providing the necessary framework for operating wagering that earns the public trust and confidence for integrity and operational excellence," there’s really no need for compromise here, right?
What’s that? The Gaming Control Board and the Gaming Commission approved Pansy Ho as a partner with MGM Mirage in an Asian casino? Oh, forget it. Just forget it…
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