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This post, written by Cenk Uygur, originally appeared on The Huffington Post
Will Bush just walk? Will he be able to leave the White House and never account for all of his law breaking and imperial acts? The man thinks he is above the law. Is he?
Do we hold our presidents accountable in this country? Are we truly a democracy? Or have we become like any third rate society that bows down to their leaders no matter what they do?
Democratic leaders are expressing outrage at President Bush's decision to commute Scooter Libby's decision. But will they do anything about it? No. They'll just have more "outrage." Wow, that ought to show him.
I'm tired of beating up on the Democrats. The real culprit here is George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. But they are being enabled by a Congress that refuses to hold them accountable.
Why do you think Bush thought he could do this? Because he knew for a fact there would be absolutely no consequences for him. The Democrats have been screaming about how impeachment is off the table for the last six months (at least). So, what do Bush and Cheney have to worry about? Absolutely nothing.
They have carte blanche to break any laws, violate any rules and act like they are above the law. Because the opposition party has promised them they are. I don't love the idea of an impeachment process either. It sounds so damn distasteful. I wish there were another way. But I don't see it. What can you do with a president who shows disdain for the rule of law and is not checked by popular opinion at all? Can you let him just keep breaking the law or does there come a time where you are forced to act?
I know that Senator Leahy and Representatives Waxman and Conyers are doing a bang up job of investigating this White House, slowly but surely. I know that the Republican Party will suffer in general because of this decision to commute Libby's sentence. They have cemented themselves as the party that is above the people. They have solidified their role as the corrupt cronies, as they cheer this decision on. They are celebrating at their own funeral.
But all of that notwithstanding, it burns me up that Bush is going to walk out of that White House without a care in the world. It is a rage that burns in all of us, all of us who care. Yes, he will be known as the worst president in the history of the United States of America. Yes, he will be reviled and mocked through the ages. But as Peter Baker of the Washington Post explained, Bush doesn't care because he believes he will be redeemed after his life or in the after-life.
Far more important though is the state of our democracy. It's one thing to pine for justice against a man that violated the principles of our country. It's another to let those principles wither on the vine. How many pardons, how many sentences commuted, how many laws broken can one constitution take? How long before our democracy becomes a mockery?
George W. Bush's presidency has been characterized by three words - Above the Law. Is he? If he is right and he never suffers the consequences of his actions, what does that say about our system? What does that say about us?
Can you really teach your children anymore that we are the greatest country on earth because we hold everyone to account and that no man is above the law? That we live in a true democracy where our leaders serve us rather than the other way around?
I'm afraid if you let Bush walk out of that White House without any consequences that you are going to let our principles walk out with him.
Tagged as: bush administration, bush
Cenk Uygur is co-host of The Young Turks, the new morning show for Air America Radio, 6-9AM ET.
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