Tuesday, July 03, 2007
President Bush Commutes Scooter Libby's Jail Term: President Bush commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentences and the reactions have been utterly predictable.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
Democrats are apoplectic over the commutation ridiculously charging that this turns The Constitution on it's head. Which is weird because it's The Constitution that grants President Bush the unquestioned authority to commute the sentence.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
Democrats, particularly Hillary, seem to have a short or non-existent memory on the issue of pardon's. I seem to remember a dust up when Bill Clinton issued a truck full of pardon's for people with extremely dubious characters. There were obvious ties between the pardons of some and their generous campaign contributions to the Clinton Campaign.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
Scooter Libby should continue to clear his name through the court system and I fully expect he will. But, since the underlying crime was never proven, and since the actual leaker was never charged in the matter, I hope that President Bush follows through on this action in January of 2009 and grants the full pardon to Scooter Libby if his continued appeals fail.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
I know this will be a hard issue for the Democrat Party to swallow. They never accepted the fact that if Bill Clinton can fire all 90-some Federal Prosecutors (one of which was investigating Bill Clinton in Arkansas), then President Bush is fully allowed to fire eight, two of which had already announced their own decisions to leave. So I'm sure in the face of Bill Clinton's January 2001 "pardon fest", they'll also explode in hypocrisy over the communtation of Mr. Libby's jail term.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
Democrats so far have also predictably ignored the fact that President Bush has, so far, left the guilty verdict, the fine, and the probation in tact. This is standard fare for the Democrat Party. Distort a situation - be it federal prosecutors or the Libby communtation - let the liberal leaning media run with it and continue the distortion, and next will be the equally predictable attack on Fox News for presenting the entire story with all the facts.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
It's almost sad. This is what the Democrat Party- the party of FDR, Harry Truman and John Kennedy- is reduced to. With no new issues and no platform to present and actually run on, they are reduced to class warfare and obfuscation in hopes of confusing the voters and convincing us to vote against some perceived failing of the conservative ideology. Their last big idea was the project to land a man on the moon and bring him safely home. That would be what- 45 years ago? Very sad.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
As we watch the hysteria build and the hyperbole spin out of control over the Libby communtation, let's keep one fact up in mind:
RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
Democrats are apoplectic over the commutation ridiculously charging that this turns The Constitution on it's head. Which is weird because it's The Constitution that grants President Bush the unquestioned authority to commute the sentence.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
Democrats, particularly Hillary, seem to have a short or non-existent memory on the issue of pardon's. I seem to remember a dust up when Bill Clinton issued a truck full of pardon's for people with extremely dubious characters. There were obvious ties between the pardons of some and their generous campaign contributions to the Clinton Campaign.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
Scooter Libby should continue to clear his name through the court system and I fully expect he will. But, since the underlying crime was never proven, and since the actual leaker was never charged in the matter, I hope that President Bush follows through on this action in January of 2009 and grants the full pardon to Scooter Libby if his continued appeals fail.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
I know this will be a hard issue for the Democrat Party to swallow. They never accepted the fact that if Bill Clinton can fire all 90-some Federal Prosecutors (one of which was investigating Bill Clinton in Arkansas), then President Bush is fully allowed to fire eight, two of which had already announced their own decisions to leave. So I'm sure in the face of Bill Clinton's January 2001 "pardon fest", they'll also explode in hypocrisy over the communtation of Mr. Libby's jail term.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
Democrats so far have also predictably ignored the fact that President Bush has, so far, left the guilty verdict, the fine, and the probation in tact. This is standard fare for the Democrat Party. Distort a situation - be it federal prosecutors or the Libby communtation - let the liberal leaning media run with it and continue the distortion, and next will be the equally predictable attack on Fox News for presenting the entire story with all the facts.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
It's almost sad. This is what the Democrat Party- the party of FDR, Harry Truman and John Kennedy- is reduced to. With no new issues and no platform to present and actually run on, they are reduced to class warfare and obfuscation in hopes of confusing the voters and convincing us to vote against some perceived failing of the conservative ideology. Their last big idea was the project to land a man on the moon and bring him safely home. That would be what- 45 years ago? Very sad.
((RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED))
As we watch the hysteria build and the hyperbole spin out of control over the Libby communtation, let's keep one fact up in mind:
RICHARD ARMITAGE ADMITTED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL PATRICK FITZGERALD THAT HE LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. HE MADE THE ADMISSION DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE "INVESTIGATION" TO UNCOVER THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON WHO LEAKED VALERIE PLAME'S NAME TO ROBERT NOVAK. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ENDED IMMEDIATELY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED
Labels: Armitage, Bush, Cheney, Clinton, commute, Democrats, Fitzgerald, Jail, Libby, Mark Rich, Novak, Pardon, Scooter, sentence
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Paris Hilton's Great Adventure: I'm fascinated by the coverage of Paris Hilton's Great Adventure, and in my mind I've been tossing over the so-called facts in the matter. Here's my take- for what it's worth (probably not much when all is said and done)
In my mind there are four elements to this saga. The judicial system, Hollywood celebreties, Paris Hilton, and a judge.
First, largely our judicial system has become a "process" where people have a brush with the law, they come into the process, someone in a black robe drops a gavel, some money is paid, and then the perpetrator returns to their life. The process continues on, and on, and on.
Second, you have the Hollywood celebreties that lead dangerously out of control lives that occasionally brush up against "the Process". They do something stupid, or dangerous, or both, then get on the "process-go-round", pay their fine and get on with their lives.
Then you have Paris. She is living that dangerous life, has her brush with the process, and expects to get kicked out the far end of the "process-go-round" and get back to her life. But.....
Finally you have the judge. This judge apparently resents the Hollywood types that play the process game and then end up killing either themselves or an innocent "passer by" on the celebrity road to self destruction. On top of that, celebrities tend to get high paid lawyers and then flaunt the system and the courts.
My guess, and that's all it is, is this judge looked at Paris, saw that no one in her life has ever said "no" to her, that she was on the Anna Nichole Smith Express, and that she merely expected to play "process-go-round" and get back to her life. I think the judge said "not this time". I believe he decided to do two things; bring some sanity and purpose back to the judicial system in the form of accountability, and intervene in Paris' life and try to give her that Life Lesson that may save her life.
Jail is supposed to be punitive; it's NOT supposed to be a part of process that "other people" experience. I totally believe the judge indended to send a wake up call to Paris that her life is way off track and to other Hollywood celebs that his court is not a part of "proccess-go-round".
In my mind there are four elements to this saga. The judicial system, Hollywood celebreties, Paris Hilton, and a judge.
First, largely our judicial system has become a "process" where people have a brush with the law, they come into the process, someone in a black robe drops a gavel, some money is paid, and then the perpetrator returns to their life. The process continues on, and on, and on.
Second, you have the Hollywood celebreties that lead dangerously out of control lives that occasionally brush up against "the Process". They do something stupid, or dangerous, or both, then get on the "process-go-round", pay their fine and get on with their lives.
Then you have Paris. She is living that dangerous life, has her brush with the process, and expects to get kicked out the far end of the "process-go-round" and get back to her life. But.....
Finally you have the judge. This judge apparently resents the Hollywood types that play the process game and then end up killing either themselves or an innocent "passer by" on the celebrity road to self destruction. On top of that, celebrities tend to get high paid lawyers and then flaunt the system and the courts.
My guess, and that's all it is, is this judge looked at Paris, saw that no one in her life has ever said "no" to her, that she was on the Anna Nichole Smith Express, and that she merely expected to play "process-go-round" and get back to her life. I think the judge said "not this time". I believe he decided to do two things; bring some sanity and purpose back to the judicial system in the form of accountability, and intervene in Paris' life and try to give her that Life Lesson that may save her life.
Jail is supposed to be punitive; it's NOT supposed to be a part of process that "other people" experience. I totally believe the judge indended to send a wake up call to Paris that her life is way off track and to other Hollywood celebs that his court is not a part of "proccess-go-round".
Labels: celebrity, Jail, judge, Paris, Paris Hilton, sheriff
Monday, May 07, 2007
Paris Hilton Jail Sentence- Unfair? : Is the 45-day jail sentence for Paris Hilton unfair? If you've read most of my blogs by now, you'll likely think my position is that she should go immediately to jail without passing go. You might be wrong.
What kind of tickets, fines, judgements, sentences have been handed down to a State Governor who, while violating state seatbelt laws, was in an incapacitating accident that almost killed him?
What kind of tickets, fines, judgements, sentences have been handed down to a New Jersey State Trooper that was driving the Governor at 91 miles per hour while talking/texting on a blackberry?
Now, I'm not saying Paris doesn't deserve her punishment. But when you compare driving on a suspened license with hurling yourself down the highway at 91 miles per hour, playing with a blackberry, and not wearing seatbelts, I'm kinda wondering where the equity is in the situation?
My final opinion? Yep, send Paris on off to the lock up for her 45 days- she might get her wake up call. But let's also drag the Governor of New Jersey and his state trooper in front of a judge and make some judicial judgements as well!
If the rich and famous (Corzine) are going to get a break because of who they are, then apply the standard equally. If they're going to get locked up and treated like most people would, then apply that standard equally as well!
What kind of tickets, fines, judgements, sentences have been handed down to a State Governor who, while violating state seatbelt laws, was in an incapacitating accident that almost killed him?
What kind of tickets, fines, judgements, sentences have been handed down to a New Jersey State Trooper that was driving the Governor at 91 miles per hour while talking/texting on a blackberry?
Now, I'm not saying Paris doesn't deserve her punishment. But when you compare driving on a suspened license with hurling yourself down the highway at 91 miles per hour, playing with a blackberry, and not wearing seatbelts, I'm kinda wondering where the equity is in the situation?
My final opinion? Yep, send Paris on off to the lock up for her 45 days- she might get her wake up call. But let's also drag the Governor of New Jersey and his state trooper in front of a judge and make some judicial judgements as well!
If the rich and famous (Corzine) are going to get a break because of who they are, then apply the standard equally. If they're going to get locked up and treated like most people would, then apply that standard equally as well!
Labels: Corzine, Democrats, driving, Governor, Hilton, Jail, John Corzine, New Jersey, Paris, Paris Hilton
