Angels on Pins and Pinheads

With our mental midgets calling one another names in the midst of an national existential crisis, some of their more reasonable allies and academics met recently in Switzerland to discuss serious matters: power sharing, the constitution, solutions to political blockage, relations with Syria.

I was initially encouraged when reading the lengthy piece: serious people from all sides debating the real issues.

Alas, those people want to keep a low profile and are discussing solutions for a future Lebanon, WHEN THE CURRENT STALEMATE IS RESOLVED. Excuse me but isn’t that putting the cart before the horse? Talk about being out of touch and wasting resources. There may not be a country after this crisis. With the crazies and the hotheads away, why not address the way out of the PRESENT problem.

Elsewhere, in an opinion piece, Chibli Mallat asks more immediate and relevant questions. Why is the head of parliament (Berri who rants about US interference) asking the opinion of the US on the Lebanese constitution?

And why are we even discussing the 2/3 quorum business, when it’s the duty of the MPs to show up and elect the new guy? Especially when nothing is preventing them from being present and voting, even if it means abstaining with a blank vote.