Wanna get out of your jail sentence? Commit treason .. I mean, perjury ..

President Bush has commuted Lewis "Scooter" Libby's jail sentence of 30 months for perjury, obstruction of justice -- and other felonies -- because he thinks the term "excessive." And that Libby has suffered enough.

This despite 30 months being well within the specific sentencing guidelines under the law for the crimes he was convicted.

Which means Libby will be taken care of the rest of his life by right wing supporters because he lied to a grand jury when he was asked if he assisted in the outing of an active undercover CIA agent - who was dealing with some pretty bad guys.

She was outed because the Bush administration was upset with her husband for discovering that Iraq had *nothing* to do with Al Qaeda's attack on the Twin Towers September 11th.

Revealing the identity of an active undercover CIA agent is an act of treason, *especially* in time of war - a war that Bush literally lied us into with Iraq.

Treason is punishable by sentences up to and including death; he wasn't accused of treason even though the act of outing an agent is treasonous - he was accused only of perjury and obstructing justice.

Because he supported Bush and Cheney to the point of lying about the malfeasance and misfeasance of the Bush administration associated with Iraq, Haliburton, outing the CIA agent, etc., Libby is a hero to the right wing.

The next step may well be that Bush actually gives Libby a full out pardon for his crimes against the nation, not just commuting his sentence.

Despite the court's decision that Libby's crimes were bad enough to warrant serious jail time after he was convicted by a jury -- including the hard work of his top defense lawyers -- Bush takes it upon himself to supersede the court's jurisdiction and abuse his power to commute a sentence.

Bush has the right to do it - the president has the right to do just about anything, but it sounds like he's doing it to reward someone for lying and covering up the corruption that continues to erode the Bush administration and the US government.

It would be like Nixon setting the Watergate criminal mob - H.R. Haldeman, John Erlichman, John Colson, John Mitchell and many, many more - free. All were convicted and served jail terms for similar crimes.

It is stunning to think an American presidency is as corrupt, as destructive, as incompetent, as monolithic and as ignorant as the Bush administration is in 2007.

If you ever did not believe Bush and Cheney see themselves above the law - here's one more little clue if you're investigating.

I have to lay part of the responsibility of this outrage -- and it is an outrage, even though many are going to try to convince you otherwise -- on the media that has not reported extremely significant stories in a way that makes the American public aware of the massive abuse of the office of the presidency and vice-presidency.

Cheney and his henchmen have counted on an unquestioning media who will simply quote the lies of Bush, Cheney and others who so cavalierly pass on false information, then quote the people who disagree, leaving us with what is perceived as "two sides" of a story without any perspective or investigation.

If we had either perspective or investigation, we'd see that one "side" is an outright lie, not any side of any story.

So it's not a story at all, but unchallenging media still repeat statements of Bush and Cheney and their spokespeople as if they're facts when they have not the slightest basis in truth.

OK, maybe sometimes their statements have a slight basis in truth, but it's twisted beyond recognition of that truth.

I do not understand how good Republicans can tolerate what Bush and Cheney are doing to their party, how they are ignoring and obliterating the rule of law and why they would put up with Bush and Cheney's acts that disintegrate so many things that make our nation great.

On the other hand, it's outrageous actions like this that finally fire up an apathetic public; especially during a holiday that celebrates what makes this country the nation what it is supposed to be -- a nation where we are *all* - each of us - including the president and vice-president - supposed to be considered equals under the Constitution of the United States.

If it were not the Bush administration, this action would be absolutely unbelievable. But so many of us are so incredibly numb to the contempt this administration has for the Constitution, rule of law and common sense, all we can do is watch for their next even more ridiculous action which will leave us equally as speechless.

It's as bad as Richard Nixon being rewarded for his work helping the hopelessly alcoholic, rabid, right wing Senator Joe McCarthy and his heinous work on the notorious un-American activities committee, destroying the lives of thousands of innocent Americans unjustly accused of being "communist."

Thanks to his loyalty and support of unfounded attacks on innocent Americans, Nixon was rewarded with unceasing support right through reaching the White House as president.

Come to think of it, so was Ronald Reagan.

The saddest part of all this is that as angry as we get about the abuse of the system, ignorance and hubris costing thousands of American lives, tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis, the Taliban and Al Qaeda become stronger in Afghanistan and of course Ben Laden is still nowhere to be found or captured.

And our economy continues to take an extraordinary hit thanks to Bush putting us more than a trillion dollars in debt to pay for his war with Iraq.

All of which, by the way, Ben Laden not only hoped for but predicted. He knew Bush well enough to count on his knee-jerk, ignorant and inappropriate response to Al Qaeda's attack.

Put simply, Bush simply doesn't care how we feel - why should he? He continues to do whatever the hell he feels like with no accountability. As in, none.

I mean, Bush probably thinks that if HE doesn't have to deal with any scrutiny or accountability, why should anyone else in his loyal circle of pals like "Scooter"?

Heck, I bet Bush thinks "Libby's doing a heck of a job!"

More, Bush and Cheney do not care that we don't like them - why should they?.

Bush and Cheney do not care that they "get to" flaunt the law whenever they feel like it -why should they?

Bush and Cheney do not care that they have corrupted our government and given the finger to the rule of law, voters and the idea that there are actually three branches of government. Why should they?

Bush and Cheney do not care about ordinary Americans, the economy (do they know how expensive milk is these days?), how to actually and honestly combat terrorism, corrupting the government at all levels, reality, stealing, lying, manipulating or whatever they want to do, whenever they want, where ever they want, however they want to do it, regardless of how many Americans and Iraqis are killed in the process.

Again, why should they? They continue to do anything they wish with no accountability.

Remember my blog on "disinformation" recently? How I said that the government releases information when the public is busy with other events - like the weekend, the Rose Bowl, Super Bowl, and say -- big holidays like the 4th of July?

Well, that's why they released the announcement of Bush's commutation of Libby's jail sentence Monday night, July 2, when most Americans are getting ready to celebrate the holiday, hoping that they will not be watching the news, hoping they'll be too distracted to care and that the unquestioning media will simply release the statement and get some typical "liberal complainers" to respond.

By the way, Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani both agree with Bush's action. They are Republicans hoping to be nominated to be a presidential candidate, and many Republicans are doggone pleased they do!

Congratulations, Democrats! You could not have had a sweeter election gift than this because, gosh, the rest of us realize that when we break the law, we get thrown in jail. Seriously, even Paris Hilton.

Come to think of it, thanks to DNA, we're seeing how many people are thrown in jail even when they don't commit a crime.

Huh?

Six fundamentalist Islamics and would-be terrorists from the Middle East and Yugoslavia .. in the US illegally .. were arrested this month in New Jersey when two of them tried to buy AKC automatic machine guns. They planned to kill as many people as possible at US Army base Fort Dix.

One of the men delivered pizzas to the base and told the group he knows Fort Dix "like the back of my hand."

They had been plotting the attack for some 16 months, according to New Jersey U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie.

Thanks to a local video store employee, the six were identified, followed by law enforcement and two paid informers infiltrated the group. The clerk was asked to transfer a video to DVD showing ten men preparing for the attack and making anti-US statements. The clerk reported them immediately.

The group had been watching tapes of terrorist activities and one of the 9-11 suicide-hijackers speaking to a camera to inspire others to commit themselves to "the jihad."

"Jihad" actually means a holy cause, not war, but terrorists consider killing themselves and all "non-believers" a holy cause, which is why they call their acts of terrorism jihad.

Suicide bombers are treated like rock stars among "believers," and make tapes of themselves to show how dedicated they are to Allah and how they look forward to the good fortune they will enjoy when they die - hooking up with all those virgins, yanga yanga yanga. Families of suicide bombers are frequently given large sums of money for sacrificing their lives to the cause of killing.

While fundamentalist Islamics are among those who entreat followers to kill "non-believers" and themselves in order to do that, mainstream Muslims the world over are starting to speak up, insisting that terrorists have hijacked their religion to carry out their own particular political agendas.

Now, here's my problem with what politicians have said after exposing the plot and arresting the six defendants - who are actually considered "far from hard core" terrorists by law enforcement officials:

Republican presidential wannabe Rudy Giuliani said that, literally, if you vote Democratic, you're going to die from terrorist acts. Republicans will protect us.

Uh-huh.

Other typical ultra right-wing wackos have said the same. A vote for a Democrat is a vote for inviting terrorism in the US, especially if we bring our troops home from Iraq. Riiiiight.

You know, they're using the old illogical argument that we need to fight 'em over there, so we don't have to fight 'em right here at home.

If you read my recent blog about this bizarre assertion, you know that fewer than 4% of those fighting the US in Iraq are associated with al-qaeda.

Terrorists don't need to be in Iraq because the Iraqis and now infiltrating Iranians are doing their work for them: keeping our soldiers busy being caught in the crossfire of a civil war between the Sunnis and Shiites (who have been warring for some 1,300 years) and fighting previously peaceful Iraqis who have grown to hate the US because - gosh - more than half a million innocent Iraqis have been killed since the US invaded, and US soldiers are now blamed for destroying their country.

Hmmmmm.

So the question has to be why we're there to begin with, losing nearly 3,400 American lives with tens of thousands of our soldiers injured or maimed. What was the goal to begin with? More and more, the real answer appears to be to get our hands on their oil.

To all those who claim that the Republicans are strong on defense and security?

The six would-be terrorists - and who knows how many others who are not stupid enough to take a video of themselves practicing killing people to a video store for transfer - made their way into this country across who knows which border, port or train - on the Bush/Republican watch.

When they entered the country, Republicans and Bush had complete domination of the White House, Congress and Judicial branches.

Democrats didn't get any clout until the election was held several months after the pizza delivering terrorist had free reign to move around Fort Dix - where they train troops to fight in the Middle East.

Is this even starting to make sense?

The most serious questions:

Why are we not devoting our resources to flushing out Ben Laden and al qaeda -- those actually and vocally (proudly) responsible for killing thousands of people (many of whom were Muslim and non-American) on American soil September 11, 2001 (when Bush and the Republicans again had total control in the White House and congress) instead of fighting in Iraq.

Why do so many security loopholes remain in our borders and ports?

Why have we gone so deeply in debt to fight the war in Iraq - borrowing billions from our "good friend" China - without a specific goal or end to the battles in sight?

Are we sending tens of thousands more American soldiers to Iraq to be cannon fodder?

Three former US generals who were military leaders in Iraq - at least one of whom resigned in protest of what he considers President Bush's misuse of military personnel in Iraq - are featured on television ads now, stating plainly that President Bush has placed our nation at risk, that he is destroying our Army and Marine Corps and is needlessly costing us lives in a war we have no business fighting.

He does not mention to the vast destruction to the nation of Iraq itself and the hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis killed because we are there. He is only talking about his concerns of what he considers the dismantling of our army and marine corps - his area of expertise.

Still, Bush sends more soldiers over - making them work far past their legal commitment and enlistment agreement. Not giving them the proper breaks between being sent to the front lines. It's no wonder so many of our brave women and men are coming home with post traumatic stress disorder - only to find too few resources to help them when they return.

Meanwhile, we don't have enough military personnel in the US to address disasters here in the US - whether it's from the horror in Louisiana, Mississippi and other states from Katrina or recent hurricanes in the Midwest and other domestic disasters.

In case you don't know - I am an Air Force veteran and am astounded at the decisions that have been made about the use of our military, our continuing security loopholes and other problems that appear to be overlooked because we have concentrated so many resources in a nation that was never a threat to our country or borders to begin with.

I'm delighted Saddam Hussein is history - but the "threat" he was to anyone outside Iraq and the Middle East was no greater than other leaders in other Middle Eastern nations and certainly far less than Ben Laden and al qaeda, sitting tightly in Afghanistan and Pakistan with the notorious Taliban, who are working to gain a foothold there again.

Expect the Republican rhetoric to skyrocket the closer we get to the election. I mean it is going to get nasty. I mean you won't know real nasty until you witness this coming election.

Because they don't want Democrats coming into the White House to witness the shambles Bush has made of the US Presidency, and the evidence he will leave behind of all the other *extraordinary* errors of judgement he made during his tenure.

Republicans would come in with a CYA attitude, wanting to clean up Bush's mess without any public notice. And believe me, they will desperately want to be sure they are in a position to take care of the mess left in his wake.

Democrats would definitely - to a degree - expose what they find. They can't afford to expose too much evidence of the Bush travesty because it would make the government and our two- party system appear to be broken.

Now the question is whether the Democrats have the stomach and stamina to stand up to all the right wing bravado, fear mongering, dishonesty and dirty politics. Take special notice of who counts the votes.

And whether Americans care enough to get involved with the election to make sure the nation gets back on track - working for the ideals and promises pledged by our constitution and Bill of Rights.