If you have a friend whose politics fall on the left side of the Great Divide, I would urge you to immediately go to them and make sure that all sharp objects, flammable fluids, poisonous liquids, and most especially their prescriptions for Zoloft and Valium are safely under lock and key.
And if they happen to have a ceremonial Japanese sword lying about, make doubly sure that it is rendered harmless by taking away The Guide To Committing Hara-Kiri Handbook:
President Bush commuted Monday the prison term of former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, facing 30 months in prison after a federal court convicted him of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators.A conviction remains on Scooter Libby’s record, and he must still pay a $250,000 fine.
A commutation is distinct from a pardon, which is a complete eradication of a conviction record and makes it the same as if the person has never been convicted.Bush has only commuted the jail term, which means that the conviction remains on Libby’s record and he must still pay a $250,000 fine.
Commutations are rarely granted, says CNN’s chief legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin. A commutation is a total right of the president and it cannot be challenged by any attorney or court, he said.
If your lefty charge begins to exhibit signs of distress like hyperventilation or incontinence, please follow these instructions:
1. Place a paper bag over their heads to ease breathing problems. (Make sure you remember to take the bag off at some point.)
2. Have some Handy Wipes handy to wipe up the mess after the sputtering, spewing, spittle-flecked rants against Bush are done.
3. If they fall into a catatonic state, this may be a ruse. Make sure they’re not faking by sticking them with a pin. If they’re not faking, you can relax. They will stay that way until election day, 2008.
4. There’s nothing you can do when they piss or crap in their pants except recommend a good off brand of diaper. (Since many liberals have difficulty holding down all but the most menial of jobs, saving them money on diapers is the best you can do.)
I would also like to report that I just glanced out of my window and have not seen any goose stepping storm troopers as yet although reading what Granny Pelosi has to say about the Scooter Libby “Get Out of Jail Free” card dispensed by the White House, we can never be too careful:
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.The President said he would hold accountable anyone involved in the Valerie Plame leak case. By his action today, the President shows his word is not to be believed. He has abandoned all sense of fairness when it comes to justice, he has failed to uphold the rule of law, and he has failed to hold his Administration accountable.
Serious charges to be sure. And I would take them to heart if the President’s enemies hadn’t already made these claims a half dozen other times with regard to something Bush or his Administration has done. Duncan Black goes Granny one better by hinting at the deep, dark conspiracies that prosecutor Fitzgerald missed in his 3 year investigation into who leaked Plame’s name – information he had at the very beginning of that investigation. Mr. Black speaks for many on the left when he posits the idea that “President Bush engages in ongoing obstruction of justice by commuting Scooter Libby’s sentence.”
I guess Black believes that commuting Scooter’s sentence is some kind of payoff to the former Cheney aide for keeping his mouth shut. What exactly is Libby is holding back that would bring down George Bush and Evil Karl? Perhaps the names of high level staffers who slept with male escort/conservative journalist Jeff Gannon? Maybe Scooter has the date certain a military draft will be instituted? Or our attack on Iran (that has been postponed a dozen or more times if you have read how “imminent” that attack has been for the last two years.) Or perhaps the real story of how Diebold stole the 2004 election?
Pick your conspiracy theory to explain Scooter’s pardon. One’s as good as another.
Then there is Jane Hamsher. There is something fascinating about Hamsher that draws even righties like me to her website. Reading her is sort of like viewing that famous R. Crumb poster “Stoned Again” where the hapless hippie’s head melts one frame at a time.
Her meltdowns are equally entertaining. To wit:
Demonstrating his complete contempt for trial by jury, rule of law and his own Department of Justice appointees, George Bush thumbed his nose once again at the very concept of democracy and the Beltway Brahmins are cheering. The dirty unwashed masses who populate our juries are fit to judge each other, but evidently not the ruling class. David Broder can breathe a sigh of relief that People Like Him are safe from those overly zealous US Attorneys who might want to hold them accountable to the same absurd standards that the little people must live by.How quaint.
The White House has turned off their phone lines. Evidently they don’t want to hear what you think. There will still be phones tomorrow, and I don’t imagine anyone who cared enough to drop Dubya a line is going to forget.
I hope all those who predicted that there would be such a cry of outrage over this that Bush will somehow pay a huge price are preparing to, you know, be outraged.
How a President exercising power granted explicitly by the Constitution is “demonstrating contempt…for the rule of law” or “thumbing his nose…at the very concept of democracy” may be considered by some to be hyperbolic, idiotic nonsense. Not so. All one has to do in order to understand Hamsher and other lefties is follow this simple formula: Imagine a conservative, then take away reason, logic, coherence, and most other cognitive functions of the human brain. What you are left with describes both liberals and Ariolimax columbianus or Banana Slugs.
Denied seeing Karl Rove doing the frog march off to jail (Jason Leopold, call your analyst.) or George Bush impeached for…well, we’ll think of something, liberals are now prevented from seeing Scooter being hauled off to some minimum security work camp in chains and an orange jump suit with delicious visions of Libby being strip searched dancing in their heads.
I almost feel sorry for them. I really do.
UPDATE
Oh my God.
Hamsher’s got nothing on Olbie and Wilson. Check out the video via Hot Air and tell me that these guys aren’t several martinis short of a good drunk.
9:17 am
“How a President exercising power granted explicitly by the Constitution is “demonstrating contempt…for the rule of law†or “thumbing his nose…at the very concept of democracy†may be considered by some to be hyperbolic, idiotic nonsense.”
This is too simple. Without either defending or criticizing Bush, I would say that it is obvious that certain pardons (how about Marc Rich when Clinton was President?) or commutations can be criticized on the above grounds. The fact that a President has a certain power does not justify his every use of that power.
9:19 am
Talked to a Lib friend of mine this morning. According to him this is the biggest crime in the history of the US. When I mentioned that Clinton pardoned for cash, he denied that it had happened and then said, “Well Clinton never killed Americans when they dissented.” According to the modern Left, there are hundreds of Americans who Bush has killed for “knowing too much.”
You can not reason with these people. They can only be laughed at.
9:20 am
Last I saw “the rule of law” was the Constitution. Or did they change that to mean “my interpretation of the law.”
The President’s power of pardon and commutation is absolute. It can be criticized but not by positing the ridiculous notion that it violates “the rule of law.”
9:58 am
Is the Libby thing the biggest thing to happen to our democracy (such as it is)? No. But what it illustrates is that justice and the law take a back seat to politics and power. You right wingers are laughing about it, but you were apoplectic over Clinton, which suggests you weren’t really upset over the alledged issues and their legality but that he “got away with something.” Fine. Bush let Libby get away with something, proving the hypocrisy of the right. Curiously, the primary argument by those on the right who reacted so vehemently against Bush’s immigration proposal was that it granted amnesty to people who did something illegal. Is there a difference here? The lesson appears simple: If you’re poor and sneak into this country to wash dishes and mow lawns, you’re Public Enemy No. 1, but if you’re well connected you may lie under oath on behalf of the White House and it’s no big deal, because, you know, there’s “illegal” and there’s “ILLEGAL.”
10:05 am
“The President’s power of pardon and commutation is absolute. It can be criticized but not by positing the ridiculous notion that it violates “the rule of law.—
I’m only an ignorant Brit, but I have always been confused about this one. Why does the President have the ability to pardon anyone? Doesn’t it inevitably create a conflict whereby Presidential favourites cannot be brought to justice? That seems to run counter to the checks and balances of the rest of the system.
Take the example of this Marc Rich guy (who I know nothing about). You say that Clinton was paid to pardon him of crimes and so he did. Why was he allowed to?
10:05 am
Rick,
Just checked out the Puffington Toast, and there are about two dozen screeds on this.
Two question for all the leftists who read comments here.
1) When Bush leaves office, against whom will your perpetual 2 minute’s hate be directed?
2) Under what circumstances could the leaders of your party and your punditocracy possibly be more infantile?
10:26 am
The only thing left to do now, is give Scooter back his security clearance. It’s painful to see such a good and loyal man get railroaded by actual justice. If you think that was a jury of his “peers” you’re sadly mistaken. The uninformed, unclean masses don’t deserve to pass judgment on this great American.
The rulers can’t be expected to be held to the same standard as myself, and as a member of the ruled, I understand and accept that because that’s what I’m told I’m supposed to do. Everyone else should too.
This is a great day for America. It truly is. History will judge George W. Bush as one of the great, yet misunderstood minds of our time. It is unfortunate that so many people hate him, his staff, and his policies. They may seem like complete and utter failures, but as noted, history will surely see it differently. That’s why I love history so much.
10:29 am
I don’t know what’s sadder; your unhinged analysis or the fact that some conservatives will fail to see the sarcasm and agree with you.
11:39 am
This is more fun than twirling those little glowlights at a Ringling bros and Barnum and baily circus.
11:39 am
If Bush had the ability to reduce the sentance, that would have been the appropriate action. But he does not. He either pardons or leaves it alone.
Comparing Clintons pardons to this one is way to shed light on this, but a better way of showing that Libby’s sentance truely was excessive is by comparing Clinton’s sentance for the exact same crime, lying under oath/obstruction of justice: $90,000 fine and suspension of law license in Arkansas for 5 years. No jail time – a mere slap on the wrist. Pelosi, Jackson, et all, have very short memories.
12:18 pm
“Scooter†Libby Is A Pawn in the Cheney/Neocon Foreign Policy Cabal
As President, Bush certainly has the right to pardon Libby but this disregard for the will of the majority of Americans in this situation is just business as usual for the politicians of both political parties. For too long they have generally ignored the will and views of productive, working Americans for the powerful special interests that control both political parties.
It is time to take control of Washington away from the special interests and return to a decentralized, limited federal government controlled by the voters. The best way to accomplish this is politically through the Ron Paul Campaign and by education of the American public on the benefits of direct democracy and limited confederation government like our first central government, The Articles of Confederation.
For more information, review the free, online book, “The Swiss Preserve Solution†which highlights how Swiss style confederation government and direct democracy could restore limited government to the United States. Read Restoring America’s Original Republic with the Swiss Confederation Institute at http://www.swissconfederationinstitute.org/swisspreserve41.htm
12:26 pm
President Bush’s clemency statement; “was handed a harsh sentence based in part on allegations never presented to the jury.”
Fitzgerald and the Judge took into account the seriousness of the original referral and properly held Libby to account for his actions related to the investigation. When Fitzgerald realized Libby had not committed the underlying crime he perjured/obstructed himself to avoid; he should have offered a reasonable plea bargain. Had the underlying crime been charged to Libby or someone else Libby tried to protect, then Fitzgerald’s harsh sentence would have been justified. Fitzgerald’s “cloud over the office of the Vice President” was hyperbole.
12:46 pm
Rick,
There are few things I love more than my country. Thus, the latter. It’s way way sadder.
1:35 pm
I think the issue is pretty clear cut. You can argue about whether a crime was committed at all (kinda like what Clinton did in the White House) but once the investigation started, the law says you can’t lie to the grand jury. Scooter did. He was convicted. He was sentenced, using the guidelines prescribed by law. Guidelines this administation has forcefully argued should be followed by judges. So how can the president claim that the punishment was “excessive?”
And by the way Sirius, I think us crazy liberals asked the same question when Bill Clinton left office. Now you simply rail against anyone who doesn’t agree with you.
8:09 pm
I never liked Democrats or Republicans using the Presidential pardon. This is a royalty thing more than anything and should be taken away from the future Presidents.
10:11 pm
For Rob and Drongo as to Predidents and Pardons (from http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_pard.html:
“To the framers, the power to pardon, familiar as a power of the King of England, was necessary because the way the law was applied. In England, it was common for minor offenses to carry a sentence of death, with pardon by the King being the only way to avoid the punishment. Judges often applied a death sentence, having no choice, but at the same time applied for a Royal Pardon in the same breath. This is what Hamilton was referring to when he mentioned “necessary severity” and unfortunate guilt.”
Also:
There are several reasons for a President to issue a pardon, and they come from all sides of the political world. The pardons of President William Clinton can illustrate some of the various reasons. Clinton pardoned his brother, Roger, for obvious familial reasons. He pardoned a pair of Hasidic Jews convicted of defrauding the government, restoring their civil rights but leaving monetary penalties intact. In a controversial move, he pardoned fugitive financier Marc Rich, after application for clemency, in part, from the state of Israel, which had benefited from Rich’s philanthropic gestures. President Ford pardoned President Nixon of any wrong-doing in order to put a close to the Nixon era for good. President James Madison pardoned army deserters in an attempt to refill the military’s ranks for the War of 1812. President Abraham Lincoln pardoned all Civil War deserters on the condition that they return to their units to fight. Carter pardoned the Vietnam War draft dodgers to help in the long healing process the nation endured after that war.
Does that clarify things a bit?
11:31 pm
Please drop by the Blog, read, post a comment, bookmark us, and have a Happy 4th of July.
Regards,
Dale
http://www.rideitin.com
9:03 am
I realize, Rick, you’re tickled pink Scooter got his sentence commuted hence all the fun you’re having mocking the left. But considering all your sanctimonious rants of the past, telling anyone to hide sharp objects is laughable. I often worry you’ll stroke out.
As a liberal, I’m hardly bouncing off the walls over Bush commuting Scooter’s sentence. Considering all the casualties because of his incompetence in Iraq, this bit of political corruption is small potatoes. I am disgusted though.
Unlike your typical rants, this isn’t a partisan disgust. Clinton abused his right to pardon. Daddy Bush did too. I’m sure most presidents do. Still, it’s a highly corrupt act.
Naturally, Bush didn’t go through the typical motions of passing Scooter’s commutation through the Justice Department. Why? It has nothing to do with justice. Is it Bush the political coward caving into pressure from his party? Is it bare naked cronyism? Considering Plame-gate potentially touches the White House it’s clearly a conflict of interest.
There are around 3,000 people on the list seeking presidential pardons. Bush runs his pal Scooter to the top of the list. You, of course, are gleeful he did. Obviously, right-wing partisans think Scooter should get special privileges on the grounds he’s a loyal Republican. Democrats to the back of the bus?
I can’t wait for your next rant lambasting the Democrats for being soft on crime where you pound your chest about the “rule of law.” It’s all about political gamesmanship. Principle be damned.
4:40 am
“Does that clarify things a bit?”
Yes, thanks. It looks like a power easily open to abuse but one which was needed for legitimate reasons.
I’m a bit surprised that the power of pardon isn’t required to be ratified by congress though. Wouldn’t that prevent the worst abuses while leaving the field clear for worthy pardons. That would require the agreement of both Congress and Executive to overturn decisions made by the judiciary.
Still, not having recently designed a political system I’ll bow to the original decision.