The rule of law has suffered yet another assault. Scooter Libby has been pardoned...or rather, his sentence was commuted. No prison, just a fine. For powerful Republicans, of course, raising a quarter mil is not an issue.
According to a recent CNN poll, 72% of the American people did not think Libby deserved a pardon; only 19% had supported the idea. Yet Bush did it anyways. Granted, commutation is not a pardon, but the distinction will be lost on many.
I'm just guessing here, but it seems likely to me that Scooter delivered an ultimatum: "If I do one day in prison, I'll start blabbing." Blabbing about what, you ask? The peerless Marcy Wheeler demonstrates that George Bush himself was involved in the chain of events that led to the outing of Valerie Plame.
On another topic: I urge you to read, if you have not yet seen it, this RAW Story piece on the right's pathetic attempt to link Michael Moore to -- get this -- the U.K. car bombs. I'm not kidding. According to the reactionaries, the apparent (or claimed) participation of two doctors in the plot means that somehow the entire British health system, the entire concept of universal health coverage, is forever discredited.
(Does this mean we can judge capitalist medicine by the example of Dr. Crippen?)
Yes, I know how silly this smear sounds. Here's what I find intriguing: This absurd meme appeared on several rightist sites almost immediately after the arrests. Do small minds think alike, or does someone issue a script to these guys?
(Update: The more recent news reports speak of six doctors. And the right-wing bloggers are still harping on the imaginary Moore connection. Very strange.)
3 comments:
Second "do over" on Watergate. They win again. I think it's time to find a new strategy. We're relying on entities that no longer represent our interests. Namely, the press. It was a scary thought when I realized I was more informed by a Dead Kennedys LP than anything else. Blogs are a good start. But we need to do more.
Would someone put the camel out if its misery?!?
Every time I think I can't stomach any more, another straw lands on the damn camel, and it still stands up.
Excuse me now, while I go barf.
Somebody ask Pelosi, Reid, and Obama what humiliation of the rule of law must occur before they are willing to put impeachment back on the table.
I share john's cry of the heart. Shoot the f*cking camel, for the love of God.
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