July 8, 2007

Bush did right by Libby?

That was the heading of an article in the Ventura County Star on Sunday, July 8, 2007 by Mr Dan K. Tomasson, former editor of the Scripps Howard News Service. It's quite apparent exactly why Mr Tomasson is the "former editor of the Scripps Howard News Service" it appears by all indications that Mr Tomasson is rapidly becoming senile. Or at the very least he is an extreme, right leaning, flag waving, our President right or wrong, our President, Republican. I don't really know which is the worst.

For any person with a smidgeon of intelligence to say that Bush did good by commuting the sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, is far beyond my comprehension. First off this paragon of Republican intelligence calls what Libby did a "victimless crime" I suppose the mental and physical agony that he put the Plame's through, and the great monetary cost to the American public with the extended court case, and the lower esteem that is now held for the office of the Vice President, don't count as "victim crimes" to Mr Tomasson. He then goes on to compare the lies that Libby perpetrated in order to protect his boss Vice President Cheney, to the case of Steven Griles who lied to protect a crooked lobbyist. If Mr Tomasson can't see the extreme difference in the comparison of those two cases, one by a minor politician the other by the chief of staff of the Vice President of the United States, he really needs to reassess his thinking.

He goes on to say that the federal judge that handed out the 2.5 year sentence, $250,000 fine, and 2 years of probation to Libby did it because he saw Libby, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff as Public Enemy No 1. Mr Tomasson did however neglect to mention that the sentence was outlined by law according to the crime that Libby committed, and Oh by the way! The Federal Judge that handed out the sentence was a Republican.

In any case for Mr Tomasson to sway on the side of Bush, the man that is directly responsible for the illegal war in Iraq, the distrust and distaste that is held for our country throughout the world, the most untrusted presidential administration in history, the possible decline of the Republican party, the deaths of over 3500 American service people and possibly 350,000 Iraq civilians only goes to show how a person can become brain washed and totally reliant on the lies and fear factors of his personal leader. My only real fear for Mr Tomasson is that he probably is unable to get a good nights sleep after reading his own words in print.

Rellis Smith

res@venturastuff.com