Scooter Skates! - Vol. 3 Issue 75

President Bush ‘s commutation of Scooter Libby’s 30 month jail sentence reminds me of Bob Dylan’s line, “when you got nothin’ you got nothin’ to lose.” Bush’s poll numbers are now so low that he has nothing left to lose. The 30% of the public that still supports this lawless regime - despite the overwhelming evidence of corruption and incompetence - will not be upset by this absurd pardon. The ironies are rich and many.

Let’s start with the obvious: The President’s constitutional pardon power is absolute and completely legal. No one argues that he didn’t have the legal authority to commute Libby’s sentence. Once again, the problem is not the President’s authority (although there are many other instances where he has obviously over-reached and broken the law), but his incredibly poor judgment. It is an understatement to say that the Bush regime has no respect for our legal system. At every turn, this administration has tried to obstruct justice in favor of its supporters and cronies. The commutation of Libby’s jail sentence may well represent the single worst example of hypocrisy and cowardice in the history of the Presidency. President Bush didn’t stand in the Rose Garden and declare to the world that a great injustice had been done. No, he informed us by a press release issued on the eve of the long July 4th holiday.

If Bush was really serious, he would have completely pardoned Mr. Libby. Scooter Libby was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice by a jury, his appeal was denied by a 3 judge panel of the D.C. Ct. of Appeals (two of whom were REPUBLICAN JUDGES) and his sentence approved by a Republican Judge. (APPOINTED BY GEORGE W. BUSH!) Bottom line: If you’re part of the club, you’re covered. If not, you will be subjected to arbitrary and capricious power executive power, like so many other victims of the Bush-Cheney gang. What else can be said?  If Bush and Cheney had ANY integrity, they would both resign for the good of the country. Don’t hold your breath.

Nauseous again, I remain

Savant

1. I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday regarding the commuting of Scooter Libby’s sentence by President Bush. And though there was nothing illegal done here, I still couldn’t help but make the leap to vent my frustration for the billionth time in the last six years as to why Bush and even moreso why Cheney are not behind bars. He felt I was being foolishly idealistic and in denial to have any expectation of impeachment much less criminal charges. I replied that the truth is that I am neither that foolish nor in denial that there is a close to a 100% chance that these guys are going to walk out of the White House in a year and a half basically unscathed. That doesn’t in any way diminish by sense of fear and disbelief in what is happening.

   My question is: what does that say about our country? We could go on about the military industrial complex; the tenacious control that the multinationals have on our government; etc. etc. But the bottom line is that all that this administration have managed to achieve (or destroy depending on your perspective) along with recent Supreme court decisions has been made possible by the American people. The fact that there is still ANY percentage of the population that a) give Bush any kind of favorable rating and b) still connect Iraq with 9/11 (to name one of many things)is completely and utterly astounding. To call these guys corrupt and incompetent is a gross understatement yet most of us are resigned to the fact that they have “won” and managed to truly flout the law of the land. Nauseating indeed!

   Is there any way at this point that an informed populace can REALLY participate in this democracy at this point? Does a democracy still exist under this “regime”? It’s frightening. As Columbo would say:"I have a problem with this case”.

   Truly discouraged,
   Scott

   Posted by  on  07/03  at  09:54 AM
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