reviewed by Pincas Jawetz (PJ@SustainabiliTank.info)

New York City, October 23, 2005

The ONION is a satiric - opinion - weekly - newspaper; by its own
recognition it is “America’s Finest News Source” in its 41-st year of
publication.

The front page article of the 13-19 October 2005, publication carried
the
title: “Bush To Appoint Someone To Be In Charge Of Country” and the
insert
said - “President Bush is Expected To Appoint Someone To Run The U.S.
As
Soon As Friday”.
I refrained from reporting about this earlier and waited to see what
happens
on Friday the 21-st. Now I am ripe to write.

Mind you, our website is not involved in political issues unless they
relate
to fuels that hamper sustainable development. The article starts by
reporting that “In response to increasing criticism of his handling the
war
in Iraq and the disaster in the Gulf Coast, as well as other issues
such as
Social Security reform, the national deficit, and rising gas price,
president Bush is expected to appoint someone to run the U.S. as soon
as
Friday.”

I thought this was an interesting idea, though I had some misgivings
considering my rather global interests, as I thought, and not just
lately,
that the needed position is rather for someone to run the world.

The Onion, reporting from Washington, said that the Cabinet-level
position
is to be known as Secretary of the Nation. The Secretary will report
directly to the President and among other duties will oversee the
economy,
natural disasters, national infrastructure, homeland security, poverty,
and
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The paper reports that 51 percent of
the
people asked said they trust Bush to find the right appointee, and that
Beltway insiders thought Senator McCain would be a good Republican
choice
for this position.

Personally, I think there is the need also for a Secretary for Future
Generations who will have access to decision making that implicate also
the
rest of the inhabitants of planet earth. This appointee could then work
in
tandem with the Secretary of the Nation and reposition the U.S. in its
natural global leadership position.

Listening to the news at the end of Friday, I found out that there is
indeed
talk in Washington of change in the White House. This talk revolves
around
the Judith Miller case, and the possibility that Vice President Cheney
will
step down and Madame Condoleezza Rice will take his place. That could
be a
start indeed, but no official announcement was made yet. Instead,
listening
to the rebuilding needs after Katrita, as expressed on CNN by no less
then
former real life Czar Secretary Kemp, and this even before we know the
size
of the damages from Wilma - “it will require the appointment of a
rebuilding
Czar” - could this be the Secretary of the Nation?

Rebuilding Katritastan will cost a minimum of $200 billion, the like of
expenses for Iraq,both areas bent to have ever increasing expenses,
no-bid
moneys were dished out already, and two month after Katrina very little
results on the ground seem to be evident. Kemp said that planning is
needed,
and he would like to see Secretary Powell or Mr. Andrew Young as heads
of
this rebuilding authority. Even these folks will not be able to do a
decent
job without the help of someone to tell them how to prepare the region
for
what the future has in store. What sort of rebuilding will be
sustainable,
at a time that our transgressions regarding nature make it impossible
to
simply turn the wheel back and start anew.

“the Onion”, as always, points us to the need to open our eyes, but
this
time it does not have complete answers in store.

To the meaning of Katrita and Katritastan please look at articles on
www.SustainabiliTank.info

To further reference to Friday October 21 and US energy policy, please
see
“Tom DeLay’s smile…. “ posted October 23, 2005.