Timely Pardon

It is about time that President Bush pardoned, excuse me, commuted Scooter Libby's felony sentence for obstruction of justice. Had he done this earlier, perhaps even extending Mr. Libby the courtesy of immunity from prosecution, we might have gotten to the truth of who compromised national security for political gain. President Bush claimed at the beginning of the Valerie Plame scandal that anyone found breaking the law within his administration would be held accountable. Scooter Libby was found by the prosecutor, jury, and judge to have done just that. However, Libby's role was only as a shield for those guilty of much greater crimes. The President will likely give Libby a last minute pardon as his term comes to an end. This will give Scooter Libby his emancipation and allow him to write his book. Libby will be free to tell the world what really went on behind closed doors, as the administration pushed for a war that they knew was unjustified by fact. However, by the time Libby is published, all the revelations will likely have no real meaning beyond a historical footnote.
Once the winder of 2009 comes, it won't matter to the general public what laws were broken by members of this administration. The compromises of the Justice department, in service of the political ambitions of Alberto Gonzales, will all seem like ancient history. Comedians will stop making Darth Vader jokes about Dick Cheney and move on to the absurdities of the new President. The publics lack of interest however does not mean that there is no reason to be concerned. The changes this administration has made in our system of government will live beyond our attention span. The tactics and precedents that have been employed by this Whitehouse and Vice President's office will surely be used to justify conduct in future administrations. Dick Cheney claims that his office is not part of the executive branch. If this view becomes accepted through common practice, common interpretation of the law and common thought, it will be established as fact for the rest of America's history. Think of a political position that you are personally opposed to. What do you think someone of that philosophy would do with the new executive powers created by the Bush administration?
It is well known, that once power is given it is very difficult to get it back. What executive powers the administration has taken and what power they have invented for themselves will be integrated into the way future federal governments will conduct themselves. The Bush administration has worked very hard to increase the power of the executive office. Those powers will be maintained by the next President and the President after that. Power is seductive. That seduction can easily lead to corruption. Even if you don't believe this Whitehouse has been corrupted by the powers it has given itself, how long before a administration of the future is left uncontrollable by the rule of law.
The President's pardon of Scooter Libby is absolutely necessary to the continued liberty of our nation. Only when he is free to speak about the failure of his friends and colleagues to live up to their oaths upholding the rule of law can balance be restored to the federal governmental system. Only when congress regains the courage to fulfill its role as oversight to the actions of the executive will the ability of the people be restored to navigate ourselves into the future. The President is giving Scooter Libby the chance to save this nation from its own disinterest in governing itself and from an executive branch more than willing to choose our future for us. I can only hope his has the courage needed for the task and that the President's political courage in giving this “pardon” will not be wasted.