Liberty for Scooter, Justice for None.

First, read this: Bush commutes Libby's prison sentence.

Now for some reaction:

"This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law." (Sen. Barack Obama)

"Only a president clinically incapable of understanding that mistakes have consequences could take the action he did today. ... In George Bush's America, it is apparently okay to misuse intelligence for political gain, mislead prosecutors and lie to the FBI." (Sen. John Edwards)

"This administration clearly believes its officials are above the law." (Gov. Bill Richardson [NM])

I, on the other hand, can't decide whether I'm angry or amused. How blatant can they be before the "opposition" starts opposing?

If only Dick Cheney would shoot a guy... oh, wait. Never mind.

Impeach.

"In the [Constitutional] convention George Mason argued that the President might use his pardoning power to 'pardon crimes which were advised by himself' or, before indictment or conviction, 'to stop inquiry and prevent detection.' James Madison responded:

"[I]f the President be connected, in any suspicious manner, with any person, and there be grounds [to] believe he will shelter him, the House of Representatives can impeach him; they can remove him if found guilty..."

Source.

A Proposal

Marcus Porcius Cato (the Elder) ended every speech he gave in the Roman Senate with exactly the same words.

It didn't matter if he was speaking on domestic policy, foreign policy, monetary policy, military policy, or the delivery of mail to Londinium during the autumn; every speech ended with the same sentence:

Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
"...and therefore, I believe that Carthage must be destroyed." Now whether they were initially in the pro- or anti-Carthaginian camps, I have to believe that the simple and constant repetition of the phrase subconsciously led a great many Senators to share the opinion over time.

Three Punic wars later, no Carthage.

Given the current political situation in the United States, I should like to make a proposal. First, let me state baldly what I believe the situation to be, so perhaps the proposal will not seem quite so outlandish.

The President and Vice President of the United States have repeatedly and knowingly violated the laws of the United States, international agreements to which the United States is a party, and the Constitution of the United States.

They or their offices have refused to comply with both court orders and subpoenas issued by the Congress of the United States.

They have, in their dealings with the Congress, the press, and the citizens of the United States exhibited a breathtaking contempt for the truth, the rights of citizens, or their obligations under the law.

Through it all the party of opposition has scarcely opposed at all. And now that they have at last a majority in both Houses of Congress, now that they have, in fact, finally issued subpoenas, it seems obvious that the President and Vice President of the United States are dropping even the pretense of operating under our Constitution.

And therefore, my friends, it is up to us to spur our representatives in Congress to the deed they will not contemplate. It is up to us to place it in the public discourse. Not through shrill screeds (like this one, I'm afraid), but by the same message, placed everywhere we can place it, every time we can place it:

I believe the President and Vice President must be impeached.
You can even link back to here, if you like.

On July 4, I shall publish in these pages my annual gloss on the Declaration of Independence, which will outline the details of some of these outrages. I confess, however, that I haven't been keeping up the way I once did, so I encourage everyone to take a look and see for themselves where the current administration has done damage to this founding document of our republic.

You might try looking at the Constitution as well, and try to square it with the Unitary Executive. It might prove persuasive.

And therefore, I believe the President and Vice President must be impeached.