We should have expected this. We all knew that I. Lewis "Scooter" Libyy was not going to do day one of jail time, didn't we? So it comes as no surprise that the Decider(TM) has decided to decide to commute young "Scooter's" jail term. after Vice President "I'm a Big" Dick Cheney told him to, explaining that there "a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby" is still in place. Let us examine this "harsh punishment" shall we?
First of all "Scooter" remains a convicted felon and this will prevent him, I assume, from taking any additional government employment and it is likely that he will lose his law licence. In addition, depending of where he lives, he may lose his right to vote either temporarily or permanently. This can be dealt with either by selecting as his place of residence a state where he will not be penalised; after all Libby will remain a man of considerable means and he will be able to, without much hardship, make this decision without penalty. The other option, should he choose to reside where he will be prevented from voting, is that his powerful friends will just work harder at voter suppression to make certain that the loss of "Scooter's" vote is offset but the suppression of ten or twenty likely non-Republican voters.
Secondly there is matter of the quarter of a million USD fine which the Decider(TM) has not decided to decide to commute. That will not be a hardship for Mr. Libby as we can be certain that loyal Bushites are, even as we speak, working to raise the money so that Mr. Libby will not have to pay any of it out of his "hard earned" wages.
Lastly the President tells us that the "reputation he [Libby]gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged...His wife and young children have suffered immensely. He will remain on probation." I believe this to be far from the truth. Within the loyal Republican community he is already viewed as a hero; as someone who fell on his sword to protect the Satanic Vice President "I'm a Big" Dick Cheney. He will have no difficulty getting a highly paid position as a lobbyist or a fellow of a right wing think tank. A lucrative career as an after dinner speaker to the fat cat elites is assured.
Having reviewed the terrible penalty that Mr. Libby still has not to pay I would like to add two thoughts.
First as an American I would like to express my rage and disgust at this move for the man who is, despite my objections and opposition, still my President. Our public servants, of which until recently Mr. Libby was one, must be expected to be held to a higher standard than other citizens and not a lower one. In addition when they violate these standards, as Mr. Bush freely admits Mr. Libby did, their punishment must be MORE SEVERE than what an ordinary citizen should expect for the same offence and not less severe. A public servant who so grossly violates their obligations to the nation's citizens should certainly expect to suffer harsher punishment than a first time drug or prostitution offender!
Second as an American living abroad I now have the unpleasant task of facing my friends and colleagues and trying to explain to them how American can still be considered to be a nation of laws and not what is effectively a Pretzel Republic* with those close to the all powerful executive free from trial or punishment for their misdeeds. I hope those of you who rarely venture outside of the geographic limits of the US of A and who do not often consider the opinions of the vast majority of humanity who are not American citizens realise that this is yet another, and possibly fatal blow, to a reputation that is already severely damaged. America is now a laughing stock and we must expect nothing but scorn when the American government makes its high and mighty pronouncements as to how other countries should ensure that they adhere to international and domestic law.
*I chose "pretzel" rather than "banana" for what, I hope, are obvious reasons.
First of all "Scooter" remains a convicted felon and this will prevent him, I assume, from taking any additional government employment and it is likely that he will lose his law licence. In addition, depending of where he lives, he may lose his right to vote either temporarily or permanently. This can be dealt with either by selecting as his place of residence a state where he will not be penalised; after all Libby will remain a man of considerable means and he will be able to, without much hardship, make this decision without penalty. The other option, should he choose to reside where he will be prevented from voting, is that his powerful friends will just work harder at voter suppression to make certain that the loss of "Scooter's" vote is offset but the suppression of ten or twenty likely non-Republican voters.
Secondly there is matter of the quarter of a million USD fine which the Decider(TM) has not decided to decide to commute. That will not be a hardship for Mr. Libby as we can be certain that loyal Bushites are, even as we speak, working to raise the money so that Mr. Libby will not have to pay any of it out of his "hard earned" wages.
Lastly the President tells us that the "reputation he [Libby]gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged...His wife and young children have suffered immensely. He will remain on probation." I believe this to be far from the truth. Within the loyal Republican community he is already viewed as a hero; as someone who fell on his sword to protect the Satanic Vice President "I'm a Big" Dick Cheney. He will have no difficulty getting a highly paid position as a lobbyist or a fellow of a right wing think tank. A lucrative career as an after dinner speaker to the fat cat elites is assured.
Having reviewed the terrible penalty that Mr. Libby still has not to pay I would like to add two thoughts.
First as an American I would like to express my rage and disgust at this move for the man who is, despite my objections and opposition, still my President. Our public servants, of which until recently Mr. Libby was one, must be expected to be held to a higher standard than other citizens and not a lower one. In addition when they violate these standards, as Mr. Bush freely admits Mr. Libby did, their punishment must be MORE SEVERE than what an ordinary citizen should expect for the same offence and not less severe. A public servant who so grossly violates their obligations to the nation's citizens should certainly expect to suffer harsher punishment than a first time drug or prostitution offender!
Second as an American living abroad I now have the unpleasant task of facing my friends and colleagues and trying to explain to them how American can still be considered to be a nation of laws and not what is effectively a Pretzel Republic* with those close to the all powerful executive free from trial or punishment for their misdeeds. I hope those of you who rarely venture outside of the geographic limits of the US of A and who do not often consider the opinions of the vast majority of humanity who are not American citizens realise that this is yet another, and possibly fatal blow, to a reputation that is already severely damaged. America is now a laughing stock and we must expect nothing but scorn when the American government makes its high and mighty pronouncements as to how other countries should ensure that they adhere to international and domestic law.
*I chose "pretzel" rather than "banana" for what, I hope, are obvious reasons.
No comments:
Post a Comment