HRC: Say whatever it takes
Topics: Democracy
05 Jul 2007
From: Ervan Darnell
Regarding the Bush's commutation of Libby's sentence:
> SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), New York: What we saw today was elevating
> cronyism over the rule of law. And what we saw today was further
> evidence that this administration has no regard whatsoever for what
> needs to be held sacred. And when I'm president, we're going to get
> back to cherishing the Constitution, upholding the rule of law, and
> putting forth the best values of America for the entire world to see
> again.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/july-dec07/libby_07-03.html
Yes, the commutation looks like political corruption, but it was no
other than Bill Clinton who was deemed above the law and not held liable
for material perjury because of political favoritism from others of this
own party. And, it was none other than Bill Clinton who engaged in a
large number of apparently politically motivated pardons (especially
Marc Rich)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton_pardons_controversy
Of course, HRC is not Bill, but if she is to criticize Bush on these
grounds she should include Bill too. Libby is the partisan mirror of
Clinton's impeachment in so many ways: a politically motivated witch
hunt over a relatively minor, but real, crime used as retribution for
policies and not criminal behavior. The Rips
"Constitution" and "rule of law" makes me choke. This is exactly what
Dims don't believe in (nor Rips anymore either, though they give it lip
service more often). An expansive bureaucracy with authority to
micro-manage people's lives is inherently the opposite of the "rule of
law". And "living constitution" (a frequent liberal concept, though not
one I have heard HRC herself use) is just the opposite of "cherish the
Constitution".
For me, the conclusion is that partisanship overwhelms political
philosophy. From the Dim point of view, whatever the Rips do is wrong,
the rationalization will come later (and vice-versa).
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