Isn't it a bad idea for ex US leaders or civilians to meet with foreign dignitaries..

[Iamme]

...like how Jimmy Carter or Jesse Jackson do?

And did you see Jimmy on CNN last? night (or was it the night before?) talking about how he went for some cruise down some river over in North Korea with the North Korean President?

Or did I really wake up from how I doze off at night and not quite hear something right?

But IF this sort of thing is really going on...shouldn't this really be illegal? Shouldn't only our current government officials be able to meet with foreign leaders over current issues? Aren't these other people sticking their noses where it doesn't belong...even if they mean well?

I cinsider myself mostly liberal...and Jimmy Carter is a liberal. Yet, I just don't think it is a good idea to be possibly sending mixed messages (one message from Bush, and another message from Carter...now technically a nobody in world affairs) to a foreign leader over some current dispute, or whatever?

[Ziggurat]

But IF this sort of thing is really going on...shouldn't this really be illegal? Shouldn't only our current government officials be able to meet with foreign leaders over current issues?

No, not really. Former officials should have the same rights as ordinary citizens in this regard, and I don't think it's really worth it to make it illegal for people to meet with, say, Castro.

Aren't these other people sticking their noses where it doesn't belong...even if they mean well?

Yes, that's certainly true. But instead of making it illegal, such people should be mocked and/or ignored when they do such things.