Dear Mark: Rome is burning, and President "Nero" may not be fiddling, but he is playing golf, flying to Rio and filling out his NCAA basketball bracket on ESPN. Shouldn't the president behave more presidential? — No Basketball for Obama

Dear Basketball: Presidential golf outings and college basketball picks can be endearing to many citizens, and even President Obama needs a break from the rigors of running a country. But with the major problems in Libya, Japan and our own country, it is time for Obama to man up and act like the leader of the most powerful nation in the world. It looks as if Obama spent more time analyzing the East Regional bracket than the mess in the Middle East.

Dear Mark: Nancy Pelosi is at it again, opening her mouth even though both of her feet have set up permanent residence there. She claims the budget debate is not about the money, but about the "morality of what we're doing." Do politicians ever listen to the words that come out of their own mouths? — Hear No Evil in Hartford

Dear Hear: Politicians don't even listen to the people who sent them to Washington, so what makes you think they would listen to themselves sermonize? Most politicians don't really care what they are saying; they just expect the unwashed masses to accept their words as gospel.

Amid the turmoil in the world, Pelosi managed to come through with her usual comic relief. The House minority leader commented, "We cut here, we cut there to find a middle ground. That may not be enough; I think this debate is on a higher ground of our values. It's not about the money; it's about the morality of what we're doing."

When a politician starts barking that it's not about the money ... it's about the money. I find it hilarious to hear Pelosi claim the moral high ground concerning budget cuts when under her leadership the national debt increased $5 trillion. I guess on Pelosi's planet ruthlessly spending other people's money is not considered immoral.

Dear Mark: Oil prices are breaking the $100-a-barrel threshold, and Democrats are once again blaming oil companies instead of their own tree hugging policies. New York Sen. Chuck Schumer said the oil companies are acting like children hoarding their toys by "sitting on lands they aren't using." How can I stop from pulling my hair out over the idiocy of these politicians? — Kojak in Kentucky

Dear Kojak: As you can see from my photo, I haven't had much luck in kicking the hair-pulling habit when it comes to political morons. Bless Schumer's heart, his idiotic sound bites rank second only to Pelosi's. Living in Texas, it's amusing to witness a bunch of Northeastern liberal elitists preach to the rest of the country about oil and gas. The only thing Schumer knows about oil is what he uses to slick back his hair before he goes into the Senate each day.

The left's accusation that oil companies are hoarding land instead of drilling is simply a feeble excuse for not opening up more of our own homeland for energy exploration. If the oil companies are as greedy as the libs constantly whine, why wouldn't Exxon drill as fast as possible to get their share of $100-a-barrel crude? Oh, I forgot the answer to that question requires an understanding of basic economics, something that is sorely missing in Washington.

Dear Mark is a public platform for your enrichment and entertainment. E-mail your questions to [email protected]. To find out more about Mark Levy, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.