As often happens, it's a bad day for the Bush administration and a good day for Democracy. Let's recap: The 2nd Circuit court has ruled that the FCC was arbitrary and vague in assigning fines to Fox TV when presenters on the Billboard Awards show used the word "fuck" in their acceptance speeches; this means that they can fine people for violations but they have to be consistent about it. Unfortunate for a government which might like to selectively silence individuals without being too vocal about their reasons.
On the other hand, Scooter Libby has been sentenced for his role in obstructing the Valerie Plame investigation. In this case it wasn't about public cussing, it was about undermining the intelligence gathering community. I know they're both important; but in one you have to be embarrassed in front of your kids and in another, people die and the terrorists gain ground.
Libby faces 30 months in prison and a $250,000 fine, even after the letters of support from almost everyone who worked to get us into the Iraq war. Who didn't petition for the Scootster? Dick Cheney! The very guy Libby lied to protect. Pwned, Scooter! Yes, Karl Rove is conspicuously absent as well, though perhaps he submitted his appeal in the form of forged xeroxed fliers from Democrats.
Free speech and opposing opinions have proven vexing to this President, as they do to all presidents; but Bush has taken gone farther to slap down his naysayers than any other president in history. "I listen to the Generals on the ground," he says - of course he does, otherwise how would he know whom to fire? It's a dumb strategy, because it simply doesn't work. Or rather it works for a while, but it eventually leads to a pissed-off cadre of former employees seeking revenge. And maybe I'm wrong, but I like to think that today maybe Scooter may finally regain his hitherto faulty memory.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Special Prosecutor Rides Scooter
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3 comments:
piker... GWK here, from WAMK. Can't see how all the day is a good one for the Dem's, considering Jefferson's recent headlines. And his potential run in the REAL big house (prison) of up to 235 years is a tad bit longer than the 2.5 years Libby received.
PS, having to type in a security phrase after each comment is....
Who Jefferson? From which district? And having 90K in the freezer undermines the war on terror how?
And that's why the sun still shines for the dems.
--Skot
p.s. Dan: "pwned?" Gezundheit.
"He's not one of ours. Go ahead and kill him." - Cap'n Barbosa, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3
Jefferson IS probably guilty of taking enormous bribes, so to hell with'im. Presumably the maximum sentence won't be meted out. But as Skot says, you're not more likely to get blown up or beheaded because a N'awlins pol took money. And, I might add, you can compare sums to those of Randall Cunningham, Bill Frist, Bob Taft or Tom Delay (again with Delay!) if you really want to make this a left vs. right thing.
Sorry about the security phrase, but it keeps the pen!5 en1@rger people from posting comments.
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