Pluto bounced...

In Prague today, a group of renowned astronomers convened to declare that Pluto no longer qualifies as a planet. After a week of intense scrutiny, and analysis, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of its planetary status, a position it held for more than 70 years.

By taking this historical act of dissembling established order of the universe, the notable union of astronomers suggests that there are certain criteria, and standards, "celestial objects" (CNN) must meet before they can be admitted into the elite planetary club. One wonders why there are standards heavenly objects must meet, and not presidents? If we can bounce Pluto, why not Bush?

It might be worth exploring the idea of an international leadership union applying the cognate concept that world leaders, too, must meet certain universally accepted, and acceptable, standards, or face excommunication. While theoretically the arbiter, and standard-bearer of relations between countries, the United Nations has been neutered by the meglomaniacal interests of superpowers it once sought to hold in check. An union of international leaders might be a vehicle for ensuring cooperation, as well as ejecting those who imperil others with their own ideological dysentery.

In today's cynical climate, one is hard pressed to find even one leader who would pass the litmus test with regard to human rights and civil rights. If a group of astronomers can come up with standards to determine which objects in the heavens deserve to receive hierarchical entitlement, and decide to bounce a planet that doesn't fit, surely a group of politicos can develop a way to rate, and eradicate, those whose hubris, and sense of entitlement, negate any potential benefit their actions may have.

An effective world union with the power to expel those leaders who compromise the survival of the planet, and eliminate those pesky rogue leaders who have traditionally proved to be such a pain in the rump for the rest of the planet might not be a bad idea, then folks who defy nonproliferation treaties, and Geneva Accords, would lose their stripes, and suffer the same fate as Pluto.

The concept of impeachment, as we know it, would become an archaism in light of an international approach to abuse of power, and nationalism, the subliminal cause of most of the world's conflicts, would go the way of the dinosaur. If such a global leadership union were to exist now that posited humane treatment,,due process, and freedom of expression as among their criteria for remaining in power, just think of how many world leaders would get bounced starting with Bush, moving on to Putin, Blair, Kim Jong II, and Mahmouid Ahmadinejah. Now think of how many would remain.