(Illustration by the amazing Monk.)
I’m going to say something shocking this morning: thank you, George Bush. For months and months, I have sat here at my laptop, tap, tap, tapping away at article after article illustrating your utter disregard for the law, your disregard of the principles on which this nation was founded, and your failure to recognize that there are higher laws than what George Bush wants at the moment. With one commutation of sentence, W, you just handed us the next election — the White House, a much stronger hand in Congress, and a club to beat your party with for years to come: you think you are better than the rest of us, and that the laws don’t apply to you.
With one stroke of your pen yesterday, you managed to illustrate all of that perfectly with a single action of “my people don’t have to live with the same punishment that you little people do.”
The Grand Ole Imperial Party cheered in triumph. Scooter is free, no jail time for him, suckahs. Yes, it was a 28 percenter bonanza — the soft on crime when it is one of “us” (and not “them”) crowd roared in approval at no jail time for a multiple-charge-convicted felon.
But the remaining 72 percent of the United States? We’re disgusted. With you. With the Dick “I’m my own branch of government.” Cheney power grabs. With the George “Honk if you like mountain biking.” Bush hands off style of government. With a party that coddled the likes of Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay and every other greedy sumbitch who lined his pockets with public funds because he thought it was his due for being a Republican. The American public is sick of you and your self-dealing, crony-laden, above the law disrespect, and with the Grand Ole Imperial Party which thinks that it should pay no penalty when it gets caught lying, cheating, stealing or simply grabbing whatever it wants while the rest of the nation is left to clean up after their infantile tantrums and outright lies.
And by commuting Scooter Libby’s sentence, so that he doesn’t have to go to jail like any other American convicted by a jury of their peers would have had to do, you sent a message loud and clear: “We Republicans think we are better than the rest of you. We don’t have to be punished, and there is nothing you little people can do about it. Now peel me a grape, peasant.”
Revolting.
We fought a revolution once in this country to overthrow that King George. The current one just handed us the next election. What do I mean? Just this: 72 percent kicks the living crap out of 28 percent. And by acting like they are better than the rest of us, that they don’t have to follow the laws the rest of us do, that they can run around and do as they please without regard to consequences because they won’t apply them to themselves anyway, they just sealed it for the next election cycle.
So, thank you George Bush. You have made your odious above the law political party even more toxic than they already were. The Grand Ole Imperial Party stinks worse than a skunk at a garden party.



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A Leona Helmsley moment…without the jail time.
ha
I suppose there is NO chance the Democrats will figure out a way to screw this up is there?
Thanks Christy for focusing on the positive!
good morning, pups – here is an email i’m sending to everyone on my mailing list:
(edited verb case)
I wonder how Judith Miller feels about this?
oh, wait, no, I truly don’t.
From your lips to…
-MS
Good morning all, it a great day for some phone calls.
Good morning Christy!
At least you don’t hear Republicans claiming they’re going to clean up Government anymore. That’s one less lie that comes out of their mouth these days.
Points that needs to be stressed over and over when people say it’s the same perjury, Clinton and Libby…
The process re Clinton worked its will….
The process re Libby was hijacked by Bush to perpetuate the coverup of lies.
Lies about public policy, life and death, compared to personal life. Where prosecutorial discretion holds. Excuse Clinton? Nope. He paid, bigtime.
But right now, over 3500 lives have been paid… and thousands more will pay with pain and suffering for the rest of their lives, and America is paying with the destruction of Constitutional principles and “values.”
All for the furtherance of the coverup. Of lies.
well, one can hope. but i’m not so sure.
and besides… that’s just not good enough for me today. i want a way to reject what they’re doing – and not just who’s doing it.
i’m pretty frustrated with myself… trying to figure out what to do next and not seeing very clearly.
mdhåtter @ 6
I do, just because she served time as a surrogate for a surrogate.
Though I really wonder how Paris Hilton feels about this.
And then, the cowardly lions take their phones off the hook because they don’t even have to listen to the American people. Great post Christy. I cannot imagine your frustration, ony mine. Buck Fush.
David Brooks just adds to the brushfire with his stupid repetition of wrongheaded talking points about all the reasons why bush did the “right” thing. (yes, it is of the “right”)
I also think of DB’s crowing about “A Republican Party in Full” – just before the party did itself in.
Yes, at this point we can all just be glad for the continuance of stupidity, cupidity, cronyism, and crime family antics – because it only adds to the next election’s outcome.
One happy thought. If Libby remains unpardoned, he cannot vote. One less republican vote!!!
Yeah. What Christy said.
This is something I was thinking last night– I have never cared whether or not Scooter serves jail time but I’ve cared about the rule of law itself and it would be -appropriate- for Scooter to serve jail time for this.
This is one of those times that I’m a little disappointed to be living in Vermont because I already -know- my Senator’s going to be all over this so there’s no point in my calling him about it :)
That said, though, perhaps the lawyers here can answer two questions for me:
The President can commute the sentences or issue pardons for anyone, but he can’t block a civil suit, right? I.e., if someone (I dunno… say, Joe Wilson?) decides to sue Cheney or Scooter, Bush can’t interfere with that and could even be called as a witness, right?
Bush can’t issue a “future” pardon, right? I.e., if he knows that a lawsuit is going on, he can’t issue a pardon for any perjury that might take place during that trial in the future, though he could issue a general pardon for any perjuries that have taken place prior to his leaving office?
I’m just thinking out loud here. Not like I’m implying anything or making any suggestions.
It’s called blowback, baby. Blowback.
I wonder if the Republicans have given any thought about what kind of message they are sending our kids: it’s ok to obfuscate and lie. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t matter what awful things you do and it doesn’t matter what the law says. We’ll get you off, because we are above the law.
If Clinton had done this we would have been at war starting last night.
Christy, Any ideas on how we convince journalists and reporters in this country to start asking questions in rebuttal. Both on CNN and the Today show conservatives were allowed to make their argument on no underlying crime because it was Richard Armitage. I just watched Schuster on Crooks and Liars and he was great but most reporters act like parrots.
Not much sleep. Raced to FDL first thing. Which underscores how totally pathetic MSM truly is. Ummmm, God? We are in one big, fat mess down here. Global warming reminds us to build arks again. Gonna take two of everything, with the exception of Republicans. George Bush reminds us about storming the Bastille. And still we wait.
Here again are contact numbers for your dialing pleasure today:
White House Phone Numbers
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
U.S. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Listing of U.S. Senators with phone numbers
Listing of U.S. House members
Maybe today is a day for the flame in the FDL logo at the top of the page to change from blue to orange – as a sign of our outrage and will to take collective action.
I’m a little less sick about this commuted sentence than some other stuff that’s not going any better. Let’s put this into perspective for a minute: Bush’s commuting of Libby’s sentence was disgusting, but it was legal. The leaking of Valerie Wilson was disgusting and illegal and nothing has been done about that. Setting up the DOJ to prosecute Democrats and stall investigations of Republicans is illegal, and Gonzo is still doing it. Lying about everything to do with Iraq is illegal, and that seems to be ancient history these days. Cheney and Gonzo not only break the law, but do it brazenly and keep challenging Congress to do something about it.
Impeach.
Pups, i’m trying to find Nancy Pelosi’s emai – does anyone have it on hand? then ive got to go to work!
JPL @ 20
it would help if the dems in congress would start using the words “obstruction of justice”
I realize that the Dem’s are outraged/ecstatic at this latest event but let us remember that there is only really one party in this country. The Republicrat party has all of the power. Look how congress stood up to Bush after the election…NOT! When the election gets here, please don’t go vote for the same idiot that you have been voting for all of you life. Don’t vote for the least offensive of the two. Look at all of the candidate, there are more then two, and vote for someone you believe in.
How Libby woud have looked in prison garb from the Village Voice.
Any thoughts anyone on the idea that Congress should impeach Scooter and thus make it impossible to pardon Scooter (that is, making certain that he lives the rest of his life with the words convicted felon after his name) or/alternatively, immunizing him and forcing him to testify to congress–or would that bring on more howls of exec privilege (which could be funny if you think about it, seeing them claim exec privilege over a matter in which a CIA officer’s identity was revealed and her operation compromised).
Morning everyone — just pouring myself another cuppa coffee…
Kathryn in MA @ 23
from perris, yesterday:
speaker pelosi’s contact page
Pelosi, Reid, Schumer,etc. can express outrage but until the newsmedia stops parroting the
White House, things won’t change.
The thanking GW thing for this was done by Obama lawyer and he was eviserated here for it. I do not agree with thanking him since there was no chance a Rep was going to be president in 2008 anyway.
The lies make me want to puke.
mdhåtter @ 6
It ain’t the Aspens that are turning now…
Christy:
Are you implying that there will BE another election?
Why would King George allow it?
We’ve seen the tricks they use to manipulate the process, and create their own reality.
No Christie, Dick Cheney has already told you that “Another 9/11″ is coming, and when it does, he will nuke Iran. Do you really think that when this telegraphed event occurs, King George will pass up the opportunity to launch into a fake bird flu pandemic in order to justify a declaration of Martial Law?
Elections? As quaint as the Geneva Conventions.
The Dictatorship is here…NOW.
Juan Cole
redX at 32 — It’s called being snide. If you think for a moment that I’m dancing with joy, then you don’t know me at all…
JPL @ 20
Christy, Any ideas on how we convince journalists and reporters in this country to start asking questions in rebuttal. Both on CNN and the Today show conservatives were allowed to make their argument on no underlying crime because it was Richard Armitage. I just watched Schuster on Crooks and Liars and he was great but most reporters act like parrots.
anybody catch Mornin’ Joe this morning when somebody mentioned Joe Wilson, Joe Scar could be heard saying “oh, god – scumbag”.
I don’t get that -maybe I’m just not plugged into the reptilian brain – but why would even con thugs like JoeScar actually fix blame onto Wilson and ‘the wife’?
And Morning Joe is now the permanent Imus replacement. Immediately after discussing/dismissing the clemency issue, he went on one truly amazing ‘nobody’s scared enough’ rant.
Thanks, selise! (dammit, wouldnt you know i sorta dropped my laptop and now i have to program all my emails into the new hard drive. Why me????)
ace at 34 — Yes, because we didn’t have elections in 2006 in which the Democrats took back both houses of Congress.
O.o
The WaPo is still parrotting the “no underlying crime” line, but great to hear Marcy on MSNBC. More of that, please. And she’s on a real roll with the TALON post yesterday which has been picked up by TPM. We need a campaign to get Christy, Jane, Marcy on the Tube.
I don’t know if it’s been said yet, but only in Dick and George’s America does Paris Hilton serve more jail time than Scooter Libby.
Excellent post, CHS. Just re-read all the posts on this from yesterday to get my thoughts straight for some dialing & faxing.
barbara @ 21
And thanking you again, barbara, for the #s. 5:30 a.m. in L.A. & I’m firing up the coffee, fax, & phone…
From the WaPo: A Decision Made Largely Alone
*sigh*
JPL @ 31
did any of them express outrage? or was it just dissappointment? and was it described as an outrageous act, an obstruction of justice? or just more of the same?
JML @ 40
This argument has never made any sense to me at all. If there were no underlying crime, then why did Libby feel compelled to lie to the FBI, perjure himself, and obstruct justice? “If you’ve got nothing to hide…”
selise @ 25
Or: Providing aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war. What else do you call exposing a covert CIA operative working to prevent the proliferation of WMD’s. This is what it was and this is what it needs to be called loudly and publicly. No bullshit about “facts in question.” Such liars need to be mocked and shouted down. It’s not our style but we have to meet their weapons with our own. Every Democratic Representative needs to go to bed saying: I will not stand by and allow treason to go unpunished 10 times every night before bedtime until they get understand what a betrayal this truly was.
It’s my belief that the best course of action from the Democrats is to hold off on any more investigations of this administration and concentrate on winning an absolute majority in the Senate and winning the white house.
Wait till after the elections to investigate Bush and Cheney and this administration when there won’t be anybody around to cover their asses.
As long as Bush is in office current investigations are moot because no one has to fear being held accountable because Bush will provide the safety net.
you go, Marie!!
This is all about the power that the NeoCons have over George Bush. They convinced him to take us into a war based on a pack of lies. Now, with Lieberman leading the way, the’ll convince Bush to bomb Iran. Makes me sick.
Kathryn in MA @ 38
OMG. no backups? we need to get together and set you up with an automated backup.
Good morning, dears.
Christy: just right. Thanks.
It’s not like this bunch decided that they were exempt from the rule of law recently; they’ve just had to spell it out. Expect more.
here’s a question – li’l boots was sent to his room in Kennebunkport and read the riot act (we thought), then, first thing back in Cheney’s arms, **bam** the commutation. Q – was this in defiance of 41 or part of the plan?
Interestingly, part of the daily office today is Psalm 123, which ends,” Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy For we have had more than enough of comtempt Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich And of the derision of the proud.”
If I don’t hear a leader call for impeachment today then I am going to have to cut loose my support for a “top tier” candidate. Edwards is my choice, but I will settle for any of the following leaders making the call:
Ried, Pelosi, Edwards, Obama, Clinton, Gore, Olberman
As of right now there is only one leader on that list, and Denis K will soon have to be put on the list of leaders if there really are no others.
What does it take? I mean most of us started to get tired of this lack of leadership and lack of willingness to use power and leadership to wake people up and help in Nov 2004. Finally 2 years after that people woke up a little bit. Now 1 more year and it just piles on… everyone can see the bald face lies & truth. If the argument is made and history and current facts make clear and repeated the shitty 25% argument won’t even be a speed bump.
How about that shitball Matthews calling into his show to say everything is OK and Scoot was a good guy after all.
i bought .mac – is that what you mean?
Orwell said it in Animal Farm —
All Animals Are Created Equal — But Some Are More Equal Than Others.
oh! like a thumbdrive?
Didn’t we all see this coming? Really? I mean, we all hoped and prayed, but what was it in his past behavior made us think that Bush would have done it any other way.
To add to my list of leaders, I forgot Leahy and Waxman
Fifteen minutes til the switchboard is open. Please be kind to the operators, who face a brutal day.
As do the people we are savaging in Iraq.
As do the people we are neglecting in the U.S.
Anger = energy. Use it. Focus.
I just called the White House switchboard and they answered on the first ring. They referred me to the “comments” ph. number, but not before I expressed my dismay towards the Shrub decision yesterday. Keep calling. btw, Christy, nice job as always.
The Republican Party: Your Silly Laws Don’t Apply To US!”
Kathryn in MA @ 55
no, i was thinking of full hard drive backup. the easiest would be to use a 2.5in, and if you loose your hd, you just pop in the back up.
so Bush had to sneak into the back door of the WH yesterday. Evidently no good news from the Putin meeting – and scared shitless to face reporters about the Libby issue.
Mr. president, I wish you a thousand yesterdays.
egregious @ 60
Well said egregious.
The Plame outing was not about Plame or Wilson, it was about shutting down Brewster Jennings.
Forget about Plame. It was Brewster Jennings that served as the CIA false front that tracked all WMD proliferation in the Middle East. It was Brewster Jennings that had the goods on Cheny, Rice, Bush et.al.- and could put the lie to their claims of WMD in Iraq. Brewster Jennings was the enemy of the Bush Administration and Israel – clearly moreso than was the straw man named “Bin Laden.”
It was Brewster Jennings, THE MOST IMPORTANT UNDERCOVER OPERATION OF THE CIA, that was put out of business by the outing of one of its covert agents. Why don’t we know the true status of the WMD development program in Iran today (they are ten-years away from having a nuke)?
It’s about BREWSTER JENNINGS. This administration took offensive steps to blind the CIA with respect to WMD proliferation in order to enable their confiscation of territory and resources on behalf of the defense industry, big oil and Israel. It was Rove’s idea to send Wilson to Niger, with the intent of shutting down Brewster Jennings.
This is criminal conspiracy. This is Treason. Martial Law is next.
Well, except for implicating mountain bikers in this condemnation, I agree with everything you said.
jayt @ 63
oh, yes, a groundhog day til he realizes what a fnckup he is.
egregious @ 60
I second that.
Christy:
You are right that W just handed us a tremendous opportunity. But if the Dems don’t generate a competent narrative to frame this opportunity we could still see a Thompson (or worse) presidency. We have got to keep up the pressure on the MSM to level the playing field. We need to get Matthews out of Hillary’s panty drawer. We will attack Rudy for his three wives and pre 9/11 incompetence. We will expose Thompson for being a shameless lobbying (and Libby-funding) hack with a rented red pickup. We will bring flip-flops to Mitt Romney rallies, etc etc.
But on our side we have to capture the imagination of the American people. We must show them that our side is the one that respects the rule of law and won’t lead us into wars based on lies. We will stand up to this president and his criminal cabal (Get going Pat, Chuck, Harry, John, etc) We will stand united with our allies in the world and not stomp on them. We can be strong and free and keep this country safe while obeying the rule of law and restoring habeus.
The people are on our side on issue after issue and we won’t let false choices about abortion and gay rights drive a wedge between us and those we agree with on so many important issues.
Meanwhile, I’m callling the White House…
I’ll give you the Right Stuff.
Think: it’s time for a General Strike.
Think France, May ‘68.
Remember it began with 150 students in protest and some labor support. And it grew to ‘regime change’. :-)
Just imagine if a single city began with a day where no one went to work, no one sent their kids to school, no one went to the mall or anywhere else. Even the MSM could not ignore it.
Then imagine ‘a day in the life of a state’, say … Vermont.
Where would it end? Remember, the mighty oak grows from but a single acorn.
I can dream.
Seems like the president and Fred Fielding looked at the options, looked at the likelihood of Bush being taken down by the truth and went with the choice more certain to protect the president.
Plain and simple.
Arrogantly plain and defiantly simple.
A full pardon wouldve meant Libby would have to be forthcoming in details.
Doing nothing would mean Libby might decide on his own to share some details he previously forgot that he could not recall knowing.
And better than any Friday docu-dump timing, the president picks this week and slides news of the commutation under the door as he boards the plane.
Why has this administration been so sloppy and brazen in its trashing of the rule of law? Maybe it’s because it’s intent on trashing the rule of law.
This is only true if the nation makes it to a fair election in 2008: “With one commutation of sentence, W, you just handed us the next election — the White House, a much stronger hand in Congress, and a club to beat your party with for years to come: you think you are better than the rest of us, and that the laws don’t apply to you.”
If it truly believes that “the laws don’t apply to” the administration, we’re in deep doo-doo. A stronger hand in Congress won’t matter if these crooks continue to defy it. It would be prudent to consider that this administration has planned for this eventuality and for staying out of jail.
Hi Christy, I don’t know you at all of course but love your blog and know you have the ability to find what truth can been seen quickly. I just do not agree (or did not have a good reaction to) with a silver lining, sarcastic, or snide approach (since it shares ground with all these myths and lies people are telling).
Of course you are not jumping for joy, if I were to guess you shed a tear.
Perhaps it is my unexperienced writting style that implied I doubted your conviction – I surely do not. I just can’t stand the whole stinking shitball anymore.
Christy, that pic’s a perfect choice!
ok – so I’ve decided that i will indeed call the WH today. Now I’ve just got to get my spiel down to a few points fine enough to justify the full body cavity searches that I assume I’ll have to undergo prior to ever again getting on an airplane.
A couple days ago, a commenter on MSNBC responded to a question about why the Brit attacks didn’t also happen in the US. His reply was that the American dream works. That people come here and merge into the mainstream and build lives, while in places like Britain they are ghettoized.
We must talk about restoring the American dream, coalesce behind a single strong message…hard to do until one Democratic leader emerges, I know. But we must talk about fighting smart…and building opportunity for all, not just an elite few.
In the shadow of the Libby commutation, that should resonate loud and clear.
Initial ear to the ground here: there is gonna be some serious blowback to the Republican party including their presidential candidates.
I love the smell of schism in the morning.
Kathryn in MA @ 57
no… here’s an example shopping list:
2.5in hd
enclosure
superduper
Christy,
You are, of course, one hundred percent sure that we will have a Presidential election in 2008. In my sleepless moments I’m becoming a doubter.
jayt @ 75
and you aren’t kidding
that was a profound curse @ 63
Keep growling Elliot, work it up to a load roar.
(selise – could you email me? thanks!)
From the Rocky Mountain News editorial on the mistake in commuting Libby’s sentence
Four busy signals at the comment line so far. . . a good sign.
The APPEARANCE is that the Bush Administration has declared war against the CIA. The REALITY is the George HW Bush is running BOTH this White House AND the CIA.
I don’t expect most of you to understand or accept that statement at face value, however it is a factual statement.
In actuality, their goal is to purge the CIA of those who are not “Team Players.” The Team Leader is GHW Bush.
Just called the criminal’s house in DC but had no chance to say anything before being switched to the recording line. I guess they do not want to hear what we, the people, have to say.
Christy your measured piece took me by surprise, I was expecting vitriol. Your are correct that this could be the nail in the coffin for the neo-gops we can only hope
Kathryn in MA @ 83
ygm
From the Denver Post Bush spares Libby, Mocks Justice
Right On Christy!!
So I just sent the following to Pelosi and copied Ed Markey
Dear Speaker Pelosi,
I know you must be outraged by the Presidents commutation of Scooter Libby. Outrage, however is not enough. I know you have said of our President that he is not worth impeaching. By deed or by neglect he supported the exposure of Valarie Plame, a covert CIA operative. As you know, Ms. Plame worked to protect our country from the spread of weapons of mass destruction and was exposed in order to extract vengeance on her husband, a critic of the Bush administration. Exposing Ms. Plame was an act of treason. Exposing Ms. Plame’s network was no less than giving aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war. To call it anything less obscures the true nature of that seditious act. How many agents died as a result of this betrayal. We will probably never know but surely many were placed in grave danger.
All members of congress have taken an oath to defend the constitution of the United States. By granting clemency to Mr. Libby, the President has declared his allegiance to these traitors. As our representatives, it is your duty to begin impeachment proceedings with all due speed. When you speak with one voice, declaring the treasonous character of this administration, the American people will be behind you.
I wanted to send it to Hoyer and Clyburn as well but hey don’t take email from non-constituents. (There ought to be a rule against that.)
raven @ 3
I don’t know, but we can be sure that Democratic “strategists” will be actively looking for ways to screw it up, and will eagerly advise them on how to screw it up.
MSNBC gives a shout out to Jane:
Link
So, after several calls, I get a ring. And another. And another.
Nobody answers the call; nobody switches me to a machine-leaving message.
Thirty rings at least.
I hang up.
Busy signal. Busy signal. Busy signal.
I’m thinking the switchboard operators will be enjoying one very long coffee-break morning before the offices close for the holiday.
God bless America.
Millineryman @ 82
I’m glad you said that because I was fading into a blue funk. No time to feel sorry for ourselves.
MADNESS! MADNESS! MADNESS!
Kevster @ 70
quoting atrios from last night:
Not a peep on the Indianapolis Star’s online opinion page…what a shock.
I’m not going to waste my time finding out what WaPo has to say about the Libby commutation, but the NY Times (today’s editorial) is calling a spade a spade.
Soft on Crime
At the end of the day, Libby is still a convicted felon, pending appeal.
realworld @ 91
Nice. Very nice.
The aspens are blushing today.
IrishJim @ 93
and jane, as usual, was fucking brilliant:
What is up with Steny Hoyer? He issues two words about the Libby Commutation: “It’s disappointing.” WTF? Can the Dems please get some congressional leaders that are more articulate than “It’s disappointing”?
Nice piece. I hope these fools keep doing this kind of stuff so all of America can see and understand how sleazy this crowd is.
realworld @ 90
They all have fax numbers in their contact info. Most computers these days if you plug in a telephone line have some kind of fax capability. Don’t let the e-mail blockage stop you.
With clemency now, it’s likely there will be a pardon for Scooter later. It’s also more likely than ever that the Republics will try to make the next election about gay marriage, flag burning, and porn.
Other Pat @ 94
You could fax WH, or there are others to call- see barbara’s post @ 21…
I called both my senators and speaker pelosi. I told all three that I felt that Bush was obstructing justice by commuting Libby’s sentence. I told them that there is evidence that both Bush and Cheney were involved in giving the order to out Plame and that I wanted them impeached. I said that Bush commuted Libby’s sentence because he feared that Libby would tell the truth about who gave him the orders to out plame.
Democrats need to get the message together. No we can’t prove that Bush was involved BEFORE the investigation. Impeachment is THE investigation. However, Libby gave us evidence, the trial gave us evidence that Bush and CHeney were aware and involved. If this is so it is obstruction of justice and Bush does not have the legal right to do that.
Get the message straight. He commuted to prevent the truth about who gave the order from getting out. We need an investigation.
Prairie Sunshine @ 77
This is really an interesting take, Sunshine. I need to think about this. Meanwhile, build fences, fuel flames of xenophobia — the Republican platform.
I’m hoping that the career employees in DC throw up their hands at the shenanegans of the Bush Administration. In the most blatant manner possible, BushCo reached down into the work of other offices, plucked out something that he wanted, and made it happen. This makes Cheney’s screwing with the Interior Dept over the Klamath River look minor, and it has got to royally piss off the career folks in government, as it circumvents the work that they do.
How would you like to be part of the Office of the Pardon Attorney today? Almost every petition that comes in from here on out is going to say “But look at Scooter!”
How do you answer that, when you make your recommendation to AGAG and the White House?
what are the chances now for a wag the dog?
see Iran news
I’m in Aspen, but the only thing turning is my stomach.
Judy, are you in town for the “Ideas” summit, featuring the likes of one Karl Rove?
Let’s do lunch. Maybe Scooter can join us!
The comment I just left at the White House:
Got.Ours.Pissoff.
Christy,
Once again, totally Brilliant.
Thunderbird @ 41, I borrowed your excellent idea and used it in this letter to my congressman, Hank Johnson:
Dear Mr. Johnson,
First I want to thank you for the excellent work you are doing on behalf of our district. My 4 year old daughter and I proudly wore your buttons everywhere during the campaign and we look forward to supporting you again.
Second, thanks for pursuing impeachment of Vice President Cheney. Please continue this and call for impeachment of the President as well. I am outraged at the President’s behavior in the commuting of I. “Scooter” Libby’s sentence.
What does this say to the people of our community? Why is Genarlow Wilson languishing in prison for consensual sex with his life destroyed before it even began while a traitor who obstructed a federal investigation is on probation. What does this teach our children when a felon convicted of lying to federal investigators and obstructing the investigation of traitorous acts against our country serves less time than Paris Hilton?
I urge you to continue to raise your voice against these injustices.
Sincerely yours,
*****For those of you who don’t know, Genarlow Wilson was convicted of consensual oral sex with a 15 year old–the charge was aggravated child molestation when he was 17 and she was 15. He was sentenced to 10 years. Lying about a consensual blowjob as president, impeachment; receiving a consensual blow job as a teenager, 10 years in prison; lying and obstructing a federal investigation into treason, two years probation. WTF!
Badwater @ 105
Well, let’s see . . . Scooter’s leaking and lying certainly offends the republic, for which the flag stands, and it’s clearly obscene. Two out of three.
beryl326 @ 108
It’s coming in the next few days. Some sort of action. Maybe some limited bombing runs, or something.
Marie Roget @ 106
thanks!
Christy – perhaps it would be most effective if we had a bullet point list of what we should say in our calls to Congress. That way, they get a clear, consistent, powerful message about how to act rather than just receiving a collective burst of outrage alone. The list should be short, perhaps something like;
1. Bush’s commutation of Libby’s sentence was nothing less than obstruction of justice.
2. Congressman ____ should please stand up for the rule of law and make a public statement denouncing Bush’s action as obstruction of justice.
3. Congressman ____ must push for a full Congressional investigation of this travesty and must move forward with impeachment immediately if the administration fails to cooperate with the investigation.
Isn’t pardoning someone who covered up a crime that the President committed illegal? I mean, could the President grant a pardon for someone who killed under his orders?
JML @ 40
Exactly right. We need them, and David Schuster and Joe and Valerie Wilson. We need to see and hear them every day, multiple times a day until it starts to sink into the lizard brains.
Citizen Jane @ 115
Please remember that letters get hung up for a long time in the post-anthrax mega-security dealie. Phone calls and faxes best. Emails after that. OR all three!!
ace @ 86
BushCo [tries to] corrupts everything it touches.
Where is the subpoena for Team Fitz?
People, people. You’re just not thinking 4th dimensionally.
This is not about Libby’s prison sentence being excessive (it was). This is not about Bush showing utter disdain for the law or the separation of powers (he does). And this isn’t even about Bush kissing Republican party a** (he is).
This is about PROTECTING DICK CHENEY.
As long as the focus is on Libby, and to a lesser extent, on Bush, it keeps the focus OFF Cheney.
What does it tell you when the president is working this hard to protect the vice president? (and FYI, Cheney learned the secrets of real VP power from none other than Georgie’s daddy, Bush the Elder, who was Nixon’s CIA director and Reagan’s VP. Cheney just didn’t learn the stealth lesson well enough.)
People – it is not Rove, Ashcroft, or Rumsfeld:
it is Cheney, Cheney, Cheney.
If we’re going to impeach someone, let’s make sure we get the right guy.
Soon.
well, technically this is one of the few, if not the first time, that aWol has upheld his oath of office, specifically the “nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted” part of the Eighth Amendment. a 56 year old guy named “Scooter” and federal pen would be a textbook case
Sometimes, the message is subtle; other times, it’s a sledgehammer.
I just received an email — on a completely non-political topic — with a quote:
Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I’ll be mulling over my own specifics, but you can be sure that when I do good, I will let others know it is in opposition to all the bad the president has done.
(reposting from Late Late Nite)
Watch out for Patrick Leahy.
He was already pissed on Sunday over the stonewalling his committee is getting from Fred Fielding and the White House about the non-cooperation his committee is getting on documents regarding the US attorney firing investigation and also the oversight into the warrantless wiretapping.
I don’t think yesterday’s events will help improve his mood.
Leahy.
Schumer.
Whitehouse.
George, they know where you live, and they know where you work, and so do we.
I called the White House this morning (busy so far, so other people must be as sick and tired of Bush as I am) and my Senators Clinton and Schumer.
But the best was when I called Cheney! I got through on the first try to his Chief of Staff’s office where I politely dumped on some haplass aide who seemed shocked that I had even gotten through, who didn’t even bother to ask me for my name, and who simply said a stunned “thank you” before hanging up on me before I could say anything more.
More than revolting
If Libby threw sand into Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald’s eyes, then President Bush just poured kerosene on Justice’s rule book.
Dear Speaker Pelosi,
I urge you to focus on the threat to America posed by the criminal Bush administration.
This is not a legitimate government.
This is a crime syndicate.
By seizing unlimited power they have provoked a Constitutional crisis in America.
They are in contempt of Congress, in contempt of the US Constitution and the rule of law.
They have already done incalculable damage to America, which will take generations to repair.
The longer they stay in power the more damage they will do.
Americans elected a Democratic majority in Congress for the purpose of confronting the outlaw Bush administration.
But the Democratic Party leadership appears to think it’s better to endure the outrage for another year and a half than to confront this criminal behavior head on.
The Bush crime syndicate appears to be ready to attack Iran, dragging America into another disastrous war, just to distract Americans from the utter incompetence of their administration.
If Congress does not act at this time, there may not be another democratic election in America.
Failure to act in this crisis is the reason why Congress’ approval rating is even lower than Bush’s.
History will remember those who stood up in defense of the Constitution and those who failed this primary responsibility.
There is no other issue more important than stopping the Bush crime syndicate and bringing it to justice.
Please put impeachment back on the table.
Defending the Constitution and the rule of law IS WORTH IT!
Sincerely,
Peterr @ 126
Yeah! Not only that, we know where you fish!!
barbara @ 117
Letters to DC offices, that is. Letters to the local offices do not.
And given that this is a holiday week, perhaps the members of Congress might be in their local offices . . . Call there too, or email/fax that office. Better yet, drop by and say hello in person.
Tell them that Scooter sent you.
Joe Wilson on KO last night summed it up when he twice said Bush is corrupt to the core.
The three panelists on Hardball appeared to be in a state of shock after Marcy succinctly laid the case out in basic language. What a rare moment to see speechless panelists.
And Ambassador Wilson is now telling the media enablers to go back and look at what has gone on and then REPORT IT.
Lets see whats left on the repubs to do list:
rig elections, check.
gut the constitution, check.
make sure the rule of law does not apply to us, check.
Ignore the will of the American people, check.
I’m sure they is so much more but it makes me too upset to list them all.
Monk or Darkblack, I would love to see your dark arts employed to do a series of photoshop works. Photos of anguished American and Iraqi families at the funerals of their children, dead as a direct result of Libby’s, Cheney’s and Bush’s lies. Maybe the photo of the little Iraqi girl, traumatized and covered with blood, screaming after her family had been shot to pieces in their car by our troops. The captions could refer to the suffering of poor Mrs. Libby and her children.
The bastards. The immoral, lying, rotten bastards. To think our service men and women volunteered to fight and die based on these bastards’ lies….
GeorgeSimian @ 114
who among our fearless leaders is paying attention? Leahy? Pelosi?
Conyers Committee to hold hearings starting next week, according to Mike Viquiera on MSNBC.
Please, please, get competent, focused counsel to ask the frickin’ questions!
I just want to add that there seems to be a lot of talk about this pardon being some sort of gift to Bush’s hard core neo-con base. That’s bullshit. Bush did this for himself. You do not have to look outside of that for the reason. Rove has saturated the Right talking points with love for Libby, but don’t confuse that with love for the base. He did this to reward Libby for keeping his mouth shut and Bush and Cheney and Rove out of trouble.
Elliot @ 35
Yes he did.
And luckily for me, as only a few days ago I offered a dollar to everyone here if even one of these crooks ever served a day of hard time. My offer still stands, but is effectively moot now.
[in fairness, I should probable admit to a bit of “insider trading” here. Several years after being convicted by Patrick Fitzgerald (along with about 70 or 80 of his criminal underlings) former Illinois Governor George Ryan has still not spent a minute in jail]
It’s all a farce.
Citizen Jane @ 114
Yes, keep using the treason word! This is the true frame everyone can understand. They exposed a covert CIA agent in a time of war. Traitors!
Peterr @ 115
And brown folk! Don’t forget about the untold reams of printed paper yet to be dedicated to the way America is rolling under a wave of brown folk.
And here’s a no-brainer, what do you want to bet that ecology actually finds a foothold in the right wing platform? How much time will be spent with the MSM giving a soapbox to suddenly, VERY concerned personages of a conservative persuasion who are shocked, just SHOCKED, at the present state of the world ecological situation. If only the damn liberals hadn’t but such a bad taste on the Kyoto accords, we’d all be in better shape, n’est-ce pas?
Who’s got another prediction for a sudden surge in conservative concern?
Kathryn in MA @ 52
Hey, I’m a “plan” girl here. If it weren’t just too hard to arrange at the last minute for the President of Russia to be cover, I’d think gaming Libby strategy was the whole point of the trip.
And fwiw, the riot act was probably for laziness and transparent clumsiness. After all, when hw proffered shooter for the vp search, shooter had already written that godawful strategy for the thousand-year reich that got buried, then followed it up with joining the pnac stuff. I think hw’s argument has been more about means and style than goals, though I suppose it is possible that he was a stupid enough “patrician” in 2000 to think that he had tamed the power-hungriness of a man who’d made his bones helping to thoroughly out-play hw years before.
“some animals are more equal” Isn’t that what Clover has Benjamin help her read on the side of the barn just after Boxer is taken away to the glue factory? I’m beginning to wonder whether too many of the Dems think they’re the pigs in this fable, to the Repugnants’ farmers.
I better go read me a Psalm.
Look, I am all into having the GOP totally wiped off the face of the Congressional map. Really, I am. Total defeat for the GOP would be a great thing…but I gotta say that my feelings on this are tempered by the FACT that NONE of the Bush/Cheney/Gonzales outrages will be officially wiped away when the Democrats take over (by default). They have not and WILL not really hold the Admin and its minions to account. They have not and WILL not work to totally and OFFICIALLY discredit the “Unitary Executive” dictator theory.
I am not at all interested in electing a Dem into a “Unitary Executive” position. I do NOT want a Dem OR a Rethug to have the powers claimed by Bush and Cheney, but by doing NOTHING of substance (investigations simply intended to embarrass do no good) the Dems are, apparently, just seeking to make political hay with the Bush insanity while still holding the basis of it all intact so they can wield the same power.
No. Not acceptable. I, for one, will NOT vote for a Dem at all unless and until the “Unitary Executive” and ALL that has fallen out from that fantasy has been fully and officially expunged. It must have NO credibility at all and the ONLY way this can be so is with impeachment on the friggin’ table. Impeachment was and is the ONLY way to undo the damage done by Bush/Cheney. Anything short of that self-servingly gives the next Dem President the SAME powers of abuse that Bush/Cheney had.
Impeachment is on the table again or my vote (and money) is OFF the table. It is unacceptable for the Bush/Cheney regime to exit power with their “theories” on Executive power essentially intact. I will no more vote a Dem into a “Unitary Executive” position than I will a GOPer. Unless the Dems DO rather than just talk (and simply “investigate” for the embarrassment points and to run out the clock) then they do not get ANY of my support. No DO, no vote. No DO, no money.
DO. Just DO.
barbara @ 121
Sorry Barbara, I should have said email. I consider letters by email letters as well. As an academic, I am well aware of the usefulness of email and only send snail mail when I am forced to do so. I’ll be clearer next time–the only letters I write are via email.
I called Pelosi, from what the aide said it’s pretty clear they are being deluged with calls, and he switched me to a comment line that is being reviewed every four hours.
Favorite reaction so far:
“The arrogance of this administration’s disdain for the law and its belief it operates with impunity are breathtaking. Will the president also commute the sentences of others who obstructed justice and lied to grand juries, or only those who act to protect President Bush and Vice President Cheney?” _ New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.
ace @ 86
oh, i believe you. nasty carryings on since 1963.
Citizen Jane @ 144
Crikey! Wasn’t being snarky–honest! I’m an editor, and it’s my way. Which almost guarantees I will now commit an egregious editorial faux pas.
Peterr is right about chasing ‘em down at their local offices this week. You can run but you can’t hide!
LIMAMA @ 140
That comment line must have a LOT of memory, if they’re only going to review it every four hours.
Loved your call to Cheney’s office! And how is Mr. Addington this morning?
William “Billy” Krystol comments on the Libby commutation, from CBS news radio:
“The President has exhibited the kind of loyalty that will bring Conservatives back to the fold.” (paraphrased)
GeorgeSimian @ 119
If they can prove it probably. But the CW was that Poppy Bush pardoned Capspar Weinberger in order to protect his own a** in Iran/Contra. With Weinberger pardoned about a month before his trial, the Special Prosecutor had nowhere else to go and wound up closing shop.
In addition to emailing my senators and rep (and Pelosi, Reid, and the DNC) I sent emails to the ACLU, People for the American Way, and the ABA, asking them to put pressure on the house and senate. That’s what organizations are for.
Here is the gist of my email:
I write to express my concern about the President’s decision, yesterday, to commute the prison sentence for Mr. Libby. As a former lawyer, I admit that I have long felt our criminal justice system penalized many people too harshly, both at the time of sentencing and in its treatment of people who have served their sentences.
Had the president used the opportunity of the Libby sentence to start a national discussion about the fairness of punishments, I would have welcomed that. But he did not. Instead, in a week when (as I understand it) he has proposed that federal sentencing guidelines be made mandatory, he announced that he would commute Mr. Libby’s sentence.
During the Paris Hilton case we heard much about the importance of having one system of laws for the rich and the poor. That is the essence of the rule of law. I am troubled by the president’s decision to ignore the rule of law in this case, particularly when he did so before the judicial appeals had run their course.
I have already written my representative and senators, asking them to take this issue up. But I doubt that they will do so without public pressure. I write, as an ABA member, to ask the ABA to express displeasure at this act.
Thank you,
beryl326 @ 110
Bombings in England, Ireland . . . I’m with you on that. Surprising that Chertoff did not raise the threat level, just increased security on airlines. Saving that ramp-up the fear factor for later, I imagine.
Also saw a Fox News pundit the other day saying the bombings were linked to the change of the British government. There’s another talking point for the future, change regimes and they’ll blow you into oblivion, plebes.
Remember when we bought those rubber stamps?
I want to buy Nancy a new Table.
I don’t think that anyone’s displeasure will have an effect on this criminal administration. Impeachment proceedings are the only way to obtain the evidence necessary to expose and depose the Unitary Executive Cheney and his puppet Bush.
Bustednuckles @ 154
Excellent! I’ll contribute!
sandflea @ 152
PS: plus Lieberman’s ramblings.
make that the Plenary President, PLENIS.
Howard Dean said that Bush gave Libby a “get out of jail free” card. That inspired my husband to design this.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01564.html
if anyone wants to submit a question/comment-amy goldstein is hosting a wapo livediscussion at 10am……i usually just go in and read the discussions later……..
Praedor Atrebates @ 139
i’m pretty much in agreement – except for the part about knowing that congress won’t hold the administration accountable. they haven’t done it so far – but that doesn’t mean they won’t do it in the future… BUT ONLY IF WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. if we don’t, then it’s on our heads too.
Hello all,
Firstly I feel so sorry for Jane, Christy, Marcy and the rest of the team for what happened, after all your hard work, sacrifice and effort.
I believe, dear Firepups, that deep in your hearts you knew this was going to happen.
The US media asks “why does the rest of the world hate us?”.
We don’t hate you, we don’t envy you – we are sorry for you and we are so disappointed.
We remember, how the Americans helped us, we remember JFK, Clinton and Reagan all coming to Berlin to support us – but we have never seen Bush here – not publicly anyway.
Now, after this last episode you are becoming irrelevant, nobody cares about you any more. You have no friends any more – except Albania. Your Congress really needs to do something urgently to regain some self-respect – once you learn to respect yourselves, others will respect you.
I know you are trying, but you are voices in the wilderness, unless you can get your representatives to actually DO something.
As per KO, “Goodnight – and Good luck.
Fresh thread, up and running for everyone.
Christy has a call to arms upstairs.
http://www.firedoglake.com/200…..n/#respond
barbara @ 154
I’ll pitch in on this IF the table has the word “impeachment” inlaid on the top. It could be nicely done, a dark maple table with oak inlay.
With impeachment IN and OF the table, there’s no way Pelosi can take it off the table.
Cheney is gearing up for his widely advertised false flag attack on US shores to justify the nuclear bombing of Iran.
I expect it to come within the next four days, while all of America is on vacation.
I fail to see why this is viewed in a Republican/Democrat dichotomy. What about the PARDON of Marc Rich by Bill Clinton, an utterly unfortunate act. The problem is the system in its present state which includes non-entities such as the Bush family, Kerry, Gore, the Clintons, etc.
Right On Christy! “72 percent kicks the living crap out of 28 percent”
thats true only if we have accountable ‘paper ballots’ to insure honest counting of the votes….
Impeach Diebold electronic voting machines!!!!!!!
prostratedragon @ 141
sh!t!! no wonder Tipper doesn’t want Al to run – they probably got death threats to their family during the florida counting.
The White House line busy, must be a technical issue with the lines, and have nothing to with not wanting to hear from the American people. Three carrier battle groups in the gulf off Iran, now they would not manufacture an incident that would light up the middle east and central Asia like a giant fire cracker. No might be just as easy to do something closer to home, like declare the kitten king pres. for life if your going to run the country like a tin pot dictatorship you might as well go for the whole package.
Gunga Djinn @ 149
It’s true, they should be at full 28% strength by the end of the week; taking into account travel time to get down from the ‘compound’ in northern Idaho and for the southern brothers to bailing-wire the truck together enough to get to town. There’s gonna be a big gathering of Aryan brotherhood to show solidarity over this, fur sure. They might even hit 29%, if they can bring the end-of-timers back to the fold!
dakine01 @ 84
And this is my letter to the editor:
————
From an editorial in today’s online edition:
“No one relished the prospect of Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby serving 30
months in prison for lying to investigators who, despite much huffing
and puffing, never established any underlying crime. Yet the fact
remains that a jury concluded that Libby did lie, multiple times,
including before a grand jury.”
Not so fast there, guys. The investigators were “huffing and puffing”
because they were climbing Mt. Lie while Scooter threw rocks down on
them from the summit. No underlying crime was shown precisely because
Libby lied and obstructed justice, which is what he was convicted and
sentenced for.
Mr. Bush has shown once again that the rule of law need not apply for
a position in the White House.
Well, last night my son started printing his “ROLL for US” t-shirts! For a 14 year old, he’s got a heart for justice. BTW “ROLL for US” stands for Rule Of Law Leadership for U.S. He’s added the word “Now!” below the the graphic.
Christy, did you read EW’s post this AM? Her questions are great. We need to unify the blog community with a list of questions they can put in a letter, state in a call and say face to face with their reps. People I speak with express a sense of loss in direction to address the corruption. Many express they do not think there is anything they can do to bring change and uphold what this country is supposed to be representing. All state, “We are no longer a light of freedom to citizens in other oppressed nations.”
realworld @ 91
I was more blunt with Pelosi. I told her to do her constitutional duty or make room for someone who will.
Sorry, mods. so much to recover!
KLynn @ 172
We are no longer a light of freedom to citizens in this this country, if things do not change. Not really the way I wanted to start the fourth , maybe it time to start drinking in the afternoon it will not help the country but will soften the impact of these continual assaults on my sense of justice and reason.
W broke tradition here.
Usually the bombs drop on Friday afternoon, don’t they?
Were cops with handcuffs en route to Libby’s house yesterday? Otherwise why the rush?
Petty, narrow-minded me thinks the admin wanted nothing more than to stifle any gloating from across the aisle.
Paranoid me thinks something else is looming that the admin figures will swallow up this Libby business.
Bu$h has given Democrats their axe to grind in the next election. Let’s see how well they wield it in 2008.
Enough of this so-called base! The only base Bush was playing to was the Washington Hoi Polloi! You think the common Conservative in Kansas gives two hoots about Scooter’s fate? At 28%, I fail to see how this action is going to rally anyone—except against Bush. I mean, is any Republican in their right mind going to say hey, we support the Preznit now because he saved Libby’s butt from jail?
Judy Miller spent more time in jail than the actual culprits!! Clinton was impeached for a lousy blow job! Chew on that a spell while I get some more Rolaids.
I wish I were as optimistic as Christy, but two things bother me about her prediction:
The Republican machine, and
the Democrats.
Le plus ca change….
The only amusement I can get out of this whole situation is in hearing the Bushbots bemoaning poor Scooter’s future.
“POOR SCOOTER! He has to pay a whopping 250k! He’s still a convicted felon! He’ll lose his law license! OH WOE IS ME! How in the world will he be able to support Mrs. Scooter? How will he feed the little Scooters?!”
Puh-leez, cultists! He’ll make a mint now the same way he was going to do it after his WH gig . . . He’ll get a six or seven figure job with A.E.I. or Heritage Foundation. Good grief! Scooter will be the ROCK STAR of neocons. They’ll flock to him and fall at his feet in admiration of his “loyalty”. He’ll be signing autographs at the next neocon hootenanny!
argosfalcon @ 176
Well, we’ve got kids and the drinking just wouldn’t work on this end. BTW my son corrected me, his shirts say “ROLL over US” -Rule Of Law Leadership Over U.S.
You are right, our leadership isn’t even a light to our own citizens. Perhaps the citizens need to be the light to Bush, Cheney & Co.
“So, thank you George Bush. You have made your odious above the law political party even more toxic than they already were. The Grand Ole Imperial Party stinks worse than a skunk at a garden party.”
My thoughts exactly.
Now, having seen how the Democrats can take an election where the challenger should have wiped the floor with the incumbent and wind up losing not from merit but from dirty tricks on one side and chickenshit on the other, I’m going to hedge my bets, at least for now.
ace @ 165 and sandflear @156:
I agree Lieberman’s comments of just a few days ago, plus Cheney’s longterm plans and the official government accusation of Iran’s involvement in recent death of 5 U.S. soldiers (which Juan Cole points out took place in a Sunni area, so Iran involvement unlikely) plus military buildup in the region all point to action against Iran
It would be Bush’s big finale…literally…and he’s got nothing to lose!
I just fired off an email to my Senator.
Just for good measure I included the piece from KagroX.
Democrats in Congress, please repeat for the next 12 months:
Why is it that the Republicans so often avoid playing fair on the issues facing this country? Time after time, they work to short-circuit the system, to excuse their criminal friends, to appoint highly partisan and unqualified people to the Justice Department of all places. Etc. etc.
There’s a reason the right so often rigs the game and resorts to distraction, distortion and subterfuge. Because they have to. Their “ideas” are too weak to prevail without cheating.
Persuading others that your ideas are the best is what this country is all about. The government’s job is to make America a better place. Cheaters need not apply.
Mike J @ 185
What a small minded pathetic post. You are incapable of seeing the legal difference between what should have been a private sexual indescretion and someone that revealed a covert agent doing work on monitoring the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. You are merely an ubber nationalist that is in love with his guns, his Party and it’s leader. In that sense you are no different than the SD of the NSDAP. Look it up because I’m sure you don’t know who or what they are. And you call yourself an American? Laughable.
barbara @ 108
And that, I presume, was why New York was hit by a couple of inept car bombs that never went off, and London by a determined suicide attack that killed over three thousand people and destroyed or heavily damaged several iconic structures.
Hmm….something wrong in the details here somewhere, but it’s too early in the morning for me to sort out exactly what.
Mike J @ 185
He is frightened and not very bright. Be sorry for him.
Oh, and people who talk like that usually wet themselves if anywhere near a gun fired in anger.
Poopyman @ 179
With this administration, optimism is a form of resistance.
Thoughts on impeachment
The argument against impeachment has been that:
a) the effort would soak all energy away from the many other needed efforts of the Democratic majority, and;
b) that impeachment would not make it out of the House, and would have even less chance in the Senate anyway.
So the argument is that the cost of impeachment efforts would be that absolutely nothing (impeachment or any other effort) would be accomplished under this congress.
While this was a tenable argument early in this session–in the heady days after the ‘06 elections–it is now clear that NOTHING is making it though the Senate. The notion that this Congress is going to move forward meaningfully on any progressive issue of substance is simply unrealistic. Congress has a huge case of constipation, and the site of the blockage is clear.
If we are doomed to pursuing hopeless legislation regardless of what that legislation may be then why not tilt at the only windmill that is truly worth the effort. And that is the halt of executive over-reach before that amassed power can no longer be challenged by the first branch. As it stands today, each and every future president can look back at Bush’s constitutional crimes and see a GREEN LIGHT. And, just as importantly, so will future legislators.
Instead, many democrats’ mouths are watering over what the Libby commutation means politically for the ‘08 election. Christy Hardin Smith’s post here is one, thanking Bush (albeit bitterly) for his action. On the other hand, many republicans are cheering this abuse of justice, just as they have cheered all the executive’s other abuses. And so the “sport” and “score-keeping” continues, with both types of reactions politically based, and missing the fundamental problem.
For the future health of the republic, crowing about anticipated Democratic landslides and deepening presidential poll numbers are completely irrelevant.
So I ask you–what would you rather have Congress waste its time on. Immigration and minimum wage, or the very core viability of our government as composed of three equal and independent branches.
(Sorry if I missed someone mentioning this above if I am repeating)
Seems to me this will be another one of those hard choices GOP candidates will have to either condone or choose to distance themselves from Bush over. I am sure the republicans love having the Bush anchor around their necks yet again.
This writer obviously has a very short memory about pardons… and Scooter was only a commuted sentence. The scary thing: All the hate that comes out from the left is unbelievable… if the Democrats win in 2008, I could easily conceive of political trials like Libby’s, and curtailment or elimination of freedoms for anyone that is not aligned in a Politically Correct manner. This is really, really scary.
Bill Sanford @ 193
There is no such thing in this country as a “political trial”. The Libby trial was a criminal trial, and Libby was convicted. Libby remains a convicted felon. But I do agree with you that your comment is really, really scary.
The Bush Cabal has made me so crazy with rage that I truly believe now that THERE WILL NOT BE AN ‘08 ELECTION. They simply cannot win, and their scheme to cheat to win has hit a huge snag (via AttorneyGate), but they will allow (or even orchestrate) a huge terrorist attack, declare martial law, and W will remain Prexnut until all dissent is obliterated (detention camps, anyone?). To even think this illustrates quite plainly that America is dead…and Nazi Germany has taken its place.
Molly Ivins, street gritty. Exactly the kind of talk most of the Democratic candidates for any public office should have in their repertoire from now until January 2009.
Beyond that, they better have in mind what they DO want to do, besides use the unconstitutional power their predecessors grabbed. Forget that; throw the ring into the fires of Mt. Doom, or you doom us all.
You know, I can’t say how funny it is to read rants about Bush lies, the rule of law, and how our constitution is being subverted, by people who do not have the slightest understanding of law, our constitution, and only the foggiest grasp of what truth is.
Mark Rich was pardoned (not sentence commuted, but fully pardoned) for what reason exactly? Oh, right. He gave money to the Clintons. I’m sure you are all outraged about that, right?
Let’ see, all the U.S. attorneys in the country (not just a handful) are fired. Not by Bush, but by Clinton. But that was not political, right?
Let’s see – we bombed Serbia, but that was with full U.N. authorization, wasn’t it? And the congress voted for it, right? Huh? Clinton just decided, himself, to do that? But that’s okay – we no longer have any troops there. No long term commitment, right? Bueller? I’m sure you are all outraged about that, right?
Sandy Burger stole documents from the National Archive (he stuffed them in his pants for Pete’s sake) and ahem, destroyed them? Files related to 911? But he’s getting jail time, right? No? And you are all outraged about that, right?
Let’s see, the president himself clearly commits perjury. Not Bush, I mean Clinton. About sexual harassment. Which he later admitted he did. He gets impeached, but hey now, impeaching the guy was just wrong! Those lousy Republicans! After all, it was just about sex. Who doesn’t lie about sex? To a grand jury?
But to the matter at hand. Let’s see, so Scooter Libby outed Valarie Plame, right? No, not exactly. Richard Armitage did that. And admitted it. Before Scooter Libby was even brought in for questioning. And Armitage was not prosecuted. Why not? Because the law requires intent to harm, which apparently did not exist. But Libby obstructed justice over a non-crime, and should therefore be punished. But a $250,000 fine and loss of your career is just a slap on the wrist, right? Clinton got so much worse for commiting perjury – he was embarassed. Ouch!
I just hope Hillary gets elected so we can go back to the high moral and ethical standards of government we had before Evil Bush showed up.
You are all, every one of you, getting played by the Democrats. Most of the horrible lies, injustices, subversion of the constitution, etc. that you believe has occurred under Bush is pure bunk. Far worse was done under Clinton, but because he mouthed the right words, he is an icon and Bush is a goat.
Like I say. Funny, in a pitiful sort of way.
Big D @ 197
And President Clinton has exactly what to do with Libby? Just asking…
Big D @ 197
Well done in a way. This site has never confronted the Clintons or their past or future. Where was Christy when the CLINTONS pardoned Rich. Where is Christy now after the CLINTONS pardoned Rich It is is a mistake to see the Democrats as any more of anything than the Bush family. Clintons, Rich, Scooter and Bush, a sorry group if there ever was one.
LeftDCin 72 @ 199
Once more, and for the 17,224th time today – what does any of this have to do with anything but I. Lewis Libby?
newtonusr @ 200
Clinton is a disbarred former attorney arising out of perjury. Libby is a disbarred former attorney arising out of perjury. Rich was a fugitive from justice pardoned by a later disbarred Clinton who was represented in obtaining the pardon by a later disbarred Libby. Bush commuted Libby’s sentence and (eye into the future) later pardoned Libby in full. Libby, Bush and Clinton and Libby all went to Yale. Bush and Clinton were somehow both elected President and the US of A somehow has to deal with the Clintons, Bushes, Richs (ex wife fundraiser with the the Clintons) and Libbys. A sorry bunch of people posing as public servants (Rich excepted). That’s what this has to do with Libby. Libby’s career cluminated in disbarment. Clinton’s career culminated in disbarment. Before that happened Libby represented Rich before Clinton and got a pardon which FDL does not seem to care about, one wit.
Trolls @ 197 and 201
Let’s see: Clinton lies about blow job, no one hurt, except your sensitive feelings about the possibility of someone enjoying sex.
Libby covers up betrayal of CIA agent ordered by White House, national interest damaged.
Here’s a tip, when it comes to thinking, practice makes perfect, or at least better.
CHS: what can you do about attracting a competent variety of troll?
Prairie Sunshine @ 1
Helmsley—–Taxes are for the little people.
Bush—–Jail is for the little people.
The Democrats are going to change everything back and limit the power of the Executive Branch.
Hahahahahahaha! I made a funny!