However, I went to CNN.com this morning, and found the story that irks me enough to pick up the proverbial pen again.
The President commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence.
In a written statement commuting the prison sentence, issued hours after Monday's ruling, Bush called the sentence "excessive," and suggested that Libby will pay a big enough price for his conviction.
"The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting," he said.
I'm sure they will. Apparently, perjury, obstruction of justice, and lying to investigators IN A CASE OF TREASON isn't really grounds for prison these days. I mean, hasn't poor Scooter suffered enough?? The toll all of that lying and grenade-falling-on must have taken... I mean, I don't know how he made it through!
Seriously, though, what kind of precedent does this set?
Plame had worked in the CIA's counter-proliferation division before the March 2003 invasion. She told a congressional committee in March that her exposure effectively ended her career and endangered "entire networks" of agents overseas.
That's not grounds for going to jail? Two and a half years in prison for *that* is "excessive"? What the fuck??
Nancy Pelosi ain't high on my list right now, but for once I agree with her:
Reaction on Capitol Hill was swift. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said the president had "abandoned all sense of fairness when it comes to justice."
"The president's commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence does not serve justice, condones criminal conduct, and is a betrayal of trust of the American people," she said.
Exactly. You know if I leaked a CIA operative's name and/or lied to cover it up, I'd be in freaking maximum security Guantanimo right now. I probably wouldn't even get a trial. If I did, there's no way I could afford any kind of solvent legal representation. Equal justice under the law, indeed. Worse, still, is that Libby is appealing his conviction. If he can drag it out long enough, Bush probably can give him a full pardon when he leaves office next year.
I've never been a big "IMPEACH! IMPEACH!" kind of guy, despite my well-documented distaste for this administration, but for the love of God... it's time.
3 comments:
Bottom line is ALL of Washington is corrupt and has a huge "buddy" system.
When ever one side does something, the other side portrays it as the worst thing that has happened to this country, while ignoring their own mis-steps.
I don't like this whole Libby issue. I think anyone involved needs to be imprisoned. However, it is odd that the media has made him the focus, because of his closeness to the White House. What about everyone else that was involved? What about the guy that actually leaked the freaking name?!
As our country celebrates our independence tomorrow, I often wonder what our forefathers would think of the country today? I have a feeling they would have very mixed feelings. We are now the most powerful country in the world, and our citizens (for the most part) enjoy freedoms that are only dreamed about in other parts of the country.
However, they'd also be very sad and upset with the extreme views of either side without willing to negotiate and compromise. Rather the two sides would rather go to the media and just tell how bad the other side is and how they are trying to ruin the country, in reality, they both are.
It is just amazing that a 3rd party can not be successful here. I've been to Europe and watched some elections over there. I was actually in Europe during the recent German and French election seasons. Each country had like 6-8 political parties. This eventually forced talks and compromise between parties, as one party was obviously being beaten, they'd compromise and the candidate that was being beaten would back one of the others and publically list the issues that they disagreed on and what the compromise was.
Our country has come a long ways in 231 years, but we have so far to go. Remember, everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (note that it doesn't say that you have the right to happiness, just the pursuit of it).
Sorry for using your blog as a soap box.
What about the guy that actually leaked the freaking name?!
Oh, I've hated Bob Novak and have wondered how he escaped *any* sort of penalty for this since the beginning.
Without any kind of meaningful (that being the operative word) campaign finance reform, or some kind of publicly funded elections, there's no chance a third party can succeed here because there just isn't enough money and a large portion of the population is apathetic and uneducated as to what's going on.
Not saying it wouldn't be a giant breath of fresh air, though.
Though I am a registered Democrat voter for family local reasons in Cleveland, I typically voted in an Independant manner on the larger scale. In other words, I've always chosen the individual over the party for president.
Shit...
No matter how you paint it, it is disgusting to rat out the i.d. of a CIA official regardless of the job description. These fucking people should be prosecuted to the fullest offense...all the way to the top if necessary.
They disgust me to a large degree. It would be different if these deeds would actually benefit our country, instead it only divides it even more.
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