Opinion: In today’s pages: Benazir Bhutto, the Tearoom Trade, Darwinian diabetes
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Two-time Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto sets her agenda for her home country:
I know that some people have been surprised that I have been negotiating a transition to democracy and talking about the future of Pakistan with Musharraf. On dictatorship, there can be no compromise. The parliament must be supreme. That’s why I have made it clear to Musharraf that my party, the Pakistan People’s Party, supports the constitution, which requires that the president be a civilian who is legitimately selected by the parliament and provincial assemblies. After much negotiating, I announced on Wednesday that Musharraf had decided to resign as army chief.But that is not the only issue. The ban on twice-elected prime ministers, like myself, holding office again was not part of Pakistan’s constitution and must be abolished.
Author David Ehrenstein talks about the ‘Tearoom Trade’ that Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) proves is still alive and well. Greg Critser explores diabetes from an evolutionary standpoint.
The editorial board laments that even as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is trying to reform schools, the new school board is making its first misstep by trying to shift kids’ lunch money to healthcare for part time workers. The board also asks that the EPA tighten air quality rules for ozone-laden counties like L.A., and that Florida stop trying to move its primary to January.
Readers react to the Larry Craig crime. Huntington Beach’s Tim Geddes says, ‘Craig has about as much chance of being reelected as the Idaho Vandals have of beating the USC Trojans on Saturday.’