By Evelyn Jerome
I don’t want to make light of individual citizens voicing their political views — I have nothing but respect for those who have expressed their opposition to the possibility of war with Iraq. Our ability to voice our opinions about political issues is what separates us from the rest of the world.
However, I do not vote for local city council members based on their experience, knowledge, or judgment in the area of foreign policy. We elect city council members to create and implement local policies and establish our city’s budget, which consists mostly of police and fire protection, land use planning and zoning issues, local recreation, and other projects and services. We elect our senators and congressmembers to carry out policies related to our national interests, including our foreign policy.
Both Santa Monica and Los Angeles passed resolutions opposing a war with Iraq. Many who voted in favor of the respective resolutions said that they did so because the high cost of the war would detract from federal funding for education, health care, housing, homelessness and other important local issues. True enough, these programs may suffer — that’s most unfortunate.
But war or no war, federal and state funding to localities has already shrunk with the downturn in the economy. What has our City Council done to prepare for it? At their last meeting, Santa Monica City Councilmembers discussed the Sustainable City Plan, the new smoke-free parks regulation, and building outdoor dining facilities on Santa Monica Boulevard before summertime. These are perfectly appropriate programs for our City Council to debate.
But instead of tackling real issues, like the budget issues that will affect our everyday lives, they debated Iraq. Where’s the budget cutting? Where’s the realistic plan-ning for the future?
How much time did the City Council and its staff take discussing a non-binding resolution opposing war with Iraq, which will be filed in the White House’s circular file?
The anti-war folks say that I’m not “progressive” if I don’t support the anti-war resolution. I say, “I am.” I just don’t believe it’s the appropriate role for city councils — ours or anyone else’s — to dabble in foreign affairs.
By the way, I’m not “too afraid to admit” that I think Saddam Hussein is a threat to his own people and to the world, and that taking him out would be in itself a humanitarian act. (Evelyn Jerome is a past president of the Los Angeles County Young Democrats, and a member of the New Democrat Network. To respond or to reach Jerome, )
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 25, 2003. Read the original PDF.