OPINION & EDITORIAL
That just ain’t right: Libby will evade justice
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Also by Bill Klousie:
- That just ain't right: Newspapers should not endorse political candidates (February 23, 2007)
- That just ain't right: America needs a new 'representative' party (March 2, 2007)
- That just ain't right: Police panic over minor drug offense (February 16, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Prosecutor tarnishes Libby, justice system (March 8, 2007)
- Level-headed scrutiny a must (September 4, 2006)
- Ruthless criticism has no part in intelligent debate (October 6, 2005)
- Cheney deserves action figure (August 6, 2007)
by Bill Klousie
Friday, March 23, 2007
Sorry about missing last week — midterms. After looking at the comments from my last column, my numbers are better than the current administration's. The replies from last week's article were split about 50-50. I think that is a good thing.
I would, at this time, like to personally thank both of my readers. I must say I am a bit disappointed that the article didn't provoke more comments. I would have thought you all were more politically enlightened, or at least more opinionated.
This week is a bit of a potpourri of things that "just ain't right!" In our first case, a policy I spoke about some time ago that just wasn't right has recently been corrected!
But how much has it really changed? District Attorney Brian Blanchard announced a change in policy March 9. The district attorney's office will no longer criminally prosecute the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
I would like to personally congratulate the district attorney's office for the forward thinking they have shown when considering this politically delicate subject. However, the question that comes to mind is: Can, or will, announcing a new policy really change anything?
Has any chief of police in Dane County commented on this change? Have the police on the beat been officially notified of this policy change? Or have they even been unofficially notified? Wink, wink…
Have any new police policies been drafted to educate the officers on the streets — and the public — about how this policy shift should affect the police daily work on the beat? Are any educational materials being developed in an effort to explain and define the scope and limitations of this policy change as it relates to the students on campus and the general public? In fact, can anyone give me any concrete answer to the question of how this announcement in and of itself will change anything? How do we politely ask for additional clarification on this subject and from whom?
Next, up on the docket: Scooter Libby's conviction. What can I say? Either you love him or you hate him! And I don't really care. Here is the point, in my humble opinion: The joke ultimately is on you. This is why: The past doesn't exist. The only things that exist are the present and all potential futures. So let us look at the most probable possible futures of this situation.
One: Mr. Libby is sentenced to 12 to 18 months and a 50 cent fine. Two: "Our leader!" will grant a pardon. Three: The prosecutor will threaten a harsh sentence to entice Mr. Libby to spill the beans and implicate higher-ranking officials. Or the prosecutor will threaten a harsh sentence to entice Mr. Libby to spill the beans, and then "our leader!" will grant a pardon. Or four: The defense files an appeal, loses and then "our leader!" will grant a pardon.
That is about it. Any of the above scenarios ultimately make you, me, all of us the brunt of a dirty little joke, and it's about time we figure it out. Tell me what you think. If it's convincing, I have been known to publicly change my mind about any given question.
I want to know what you all find wrong in your worlds. I think you know about something that "just ain't right!" Let's talk about it. And remember, just like in the movie "What Dreams May Come," we all paint our own heavens and hells. So is this moment in your life heaven or your hell?
Bill Klousie is a junior majoring in journalism and zoology. Send your comments and story ideas to klousie@wisc.edu.
Anonymous (March 23, 2007 @ 8:05am):
Who is the victim in Libby's crime?
Why aren't the lying newsies in jail?
Anonymous (March 23, 2007 @ 2:58pm):
The victim in the Lewinsky scandal was whom?
That's right, your guy and our guy are guilty of EXACTLY the same kind of crime. Our guy happened to be president and immune to doing jail time. Your president happens to be enjoying the same sort of immunity. So next time you drag a Democrat into a sworn deposition/ political witch hunt, think about how paybacks will be bitches.
Mr. Rove, have you ever cheated on your wife? Or, Mr. Rove, do you masturbate to gay porn? That would be priceless.
Anonymous (March 23, 2007 @ 4:29pm):
What exactly do police need to be educated about? They will still issue citations for possession, the perps just won't be charged criminally after the incident. What's going to change? Nothing, actually, as this policy has already been unofficially in place for some time.
Anonymous (March 23, 2007 @ 8:06pm):
Bill, do you want to know why your articles do not generate any comments? It is because you put no true thought into them. You ramble about nothing for paragraphs: in today's article, you have two paragraphs that relate to the headline. Worse yet, those paragraphs are regurgitations of CNN two weeks ago. There is no original thought in what you write. Maybe try making a coherent argument for a whole article that is about an event about which the student body actually cares... and get rid of the extraneous crap that makes your articles, well, crap.
Anonymous (March 24, 2007 @ 7:08pm):
"Or, Mr. Rove, do you masturbate to gay porn? That would be priceless."
Just ask him about his close personal friendship with Jeff Gannon.
Anonymous (March 24, 2007 @ 11:24pm):
So who was the victim in Sandy Berger's crime? I mean destoying top secret documents with Clinton's margin notes on them was what, a schoolboy prank?
Anonymous (March 25, 2007 @ 8:20am):
NO COMMENT
It's the ONLY safe thing to say when the government agents come to call. Martha knows it, Scooter knows it, you should know it too - LOL.
Anonymous (March 26, 2007 @ 10:59am):
Why is it that Bill is the only person in Madison that has a hard time getting high and not getting caught...
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