Thought Theater

Scooter Libby was sentenced to thirty months in prison for his conviction on lying to FBI agents and the Grand Jury in relation to the investigation into the leaking of the name of CIA operative, Valerie Plame.

In last evenings GOP debate, each of the candidates were asked about the prospect that they would pardon Libby. My impression is that the Republican Party views the Libby conviction as the equivalent of Bill Clinton's impeachment for perjury...which leads many to conclude that the thirty month sentence is harsh and unwarranted.

While one could argue against that assertion, the thing that struck me in the answers given last night was the degree to which a number of the candidates minimized the criminal actions behind the situation. Here’s the rub I have with the apparent sympathy for Libby...this is the same party that wants to wear its moral superiority on its sleeve...the same party that sees no need for hate crimes legislation...the same party that is comfortable with the discharge of high value translators from the military because they are gay...the same party that thinks twelve million hard working illegal immigrants ought to be denied a path to citizenship...the same party that opposed the removal of sodomy laws which made it a crime to engage in consensual homosexual sex...the same party that wants to make the burning of a flag a crime...the same party that would send an exemplary mother to jail if she had an abortion following an accidental late in life pregnancy...the same party that pushed for larger FCC penalties because they were in an uproar when Janet Jackson's breast made an appearance on television during the Super Bowl...the same party that ran the White House when Americans sat in front of their televisions following Katrina and watched in horror as people were left to suffer as a result of government incompetence.

Where were these men when cases like that of 17 year old honor student Genarlow Wilson made headlines? Wilson is serving a ten year sentence in Georgia for having had consensual oral sex with a 15 year old girl. He wouldn't have been sent to prison if he had had sexual intercourse...that falls under a "Romeo & Juliet law in Georgia...however oral sex between underage teens constituted "aggravated child molestation and carried a mandatory sentence".

An example of the shameful inconsistency might be helpful. When Terry Schiavo's husband sought to carry out the wishes of his wife and allow her to die, not only did these lock step zombie politicians rally to prevent her passage, they enacted legislation to prevent her death and the president flew back from Texas just to sign the bill...despite pages and pages of evidence that Mrs. Schiavo was in a permanent vegetative state. That wasn't all...many GOP politicians attacked Michael Schiavo...portraying him as some type of monster husband intent on ridding himself of his wife...by men that trade in old wives as if they were used cars.

I could go on but I think you get the picture. As I watched these politicians wax on about poor Scooter, I couldn't help but see why the GOP has been stereotyped as the good old boys club for white men who live in virtual isolation and routinely demonstrate abject disregard for all things unfamiliar. The minute one of their own is assailed and brought to justice, they become spokespeople for the elimination of injustice. Unfortunately, that leaves out Mexicans, gays, African Americans, poor people, uninsured people, women (unless they're the age of their daughters, have big breasts, and prone to kowtowing to old men with cash and clout), the evil entertainment industry (unless you would make a good governor or president), and all others outside the purview and the playground of these pampered and pompous prevaricators.