The Larry Kane Report

My wishes for the holiday season now underway run the gamut from peace to political leadership. Here’s my list. Send me yours.

The first wish: a solution to the deteriorating crisis in Iraq, but one that gets our troops home without endangering the region, which is a pot waiting to boil over. Any solution of the Iraqi crisis must include a containment plan against Iraq and harsh warnings to Syria about real consequences if it continues to sponsor the terror gangs.

Another wonderful gift would be news that the Republican and Democratic candidates for 2008 would stop pandering to their party’s extreme factions. This is nothing more ugly than political hypocrisy, and possible future Presidents ought to get out of the business of telling people how to live their lives.

A fantastic gift to the people of Philadelphia would certainly be a genuine Mayor’s race where issues would mean more than personalities, issues like fighting spreading crime and cutting business taxes and figuring out ways to improve the quality and equality of education.

Also on my list is a wake up call to the Democratic party that power can be fleeting. People want results, not just investigations, although a probe of gross war profiteering by some American companies would be appropriate.

One of the most quality gifts would be to see local newscasts get back to their roots, and give people the information they need about issues that affect them besides just crime. Crime is a big issue, but mass transit and educational needs are virtually ignored.

A wonderful gift to the people of the United States would be a federal mandate for school bus safety, and a requirement for seat belts. Latest figures show that 17,000 kids are treated in emergency rooms every year because of school bus accidents.

Some gifts for Philadelphians: Better directional signs, a cleaner airport, a single pay card for mass transit systems, and a more regional approach to solving problems. This last item is critical. 70 percent of the people in this region live outside of Philadelphia. They have a stake. They should be part of regional solutions, not part of the petty turf wars that mark Philadelphia politics.

Finally, I will ask for some miracles: Less speeding on the highways, more books for the libraries, and yes, a sports championship. It has been 23 years since the last one.

Maybe this final item is too much to ask for.