The New York Times has been with this country nearly as long as the US Constitution. If they could trace their roots back that far I won't be surprised.
The degree of loyalty The New York Times has to the US Constitution is incredibly important to this democracy. Vital. Absolutely and this is proof positive. They have my loyalty as well. This country, based in the truth, is important to me. Without the committment of institutions of 'the truth' we are all lost.
The Libby Verdict is a reminder to that fact. It is grossly inadequate in it's punishment for such a High Crime and Misdemeanor. The impeachment of the Vice President should begin as soon as possible. You know the politics has to be set aside to realize there is a higher value to be satisfied. That value was set down a long time ago. I think it is important for the majority Democratic Senate and House to realize where they are in the history of this nation. The Executive Branch is not a popularity contest as The Republicans would like to believe it is. A popularity contest whereby when won gives the occupant the right to wheeled power over this nation and the world that leads to illegal wars based in lies.
Mr. Cheney's office sanctioned lies to the press to cover up the fact there was no justification for the invasion into Iraq. That has to be punished.
The CIA did it's job. It did it's job under George Tenent. In my opinion, it hasn't performed to that standard since and along with impeachment of the Vice President needs to be assessed the effectiveness of the agencies under this Executive Branch that protects this country.
There is something that happened when Ambassador Wilson wrote the Op-Ed. A reaction happened. That reaction came directly from Vice President Cheney whom kept a copy of the Op-Ed under the glass top on his desk. The reaction from Mr. Cheney was not to correct the course of the falsehoods put forward in the State of the Union Address as pointed to by Ambassador Wilson in his Op-Ed. Mr. Cheney sought to punish agents of the CIA by outing one of the most valuable of it's undercover members, Ms. Valeri .
Intimidation.
Intimidation would be the response by Mr. Cheney. The people surrounding him then carried out the plot against our Constitution, hence the security of our nation. As a result, the war we needed to fight in Afghanistan was abandoned for a billionairs dream come true. We are not more secure today as a nation, if anything we are compromised at the highest levels our government.
The lies by the Bush Administration regarding the yellowcake in Niger cannot be allowed to be overlooked. Evidently, lying is an acceptable and rewarded methodology with this Executive Branch. The lies of the Bush White House never ended. This is only one time when this Executive Branch deceived the American people. The sequelae of the methodology of the Bush White House has lead to incredibly detrimental results for the USA.
Mr. Libby will cry for awhile that he was unjustifiably convicted. He will cry all the more when his very short sentence needs to be remedied in prision. But, the fact of the matter is Mr. Libby should no longer live in denial of the truth surrounding his circumstances. He was not loyal to the US Constitution, he was loyal to a liar and a treasonist in his capacity as Assistant to the Vice President.
Mr. Libby needs to reflect on the fact he compromised the very security of the nation he claims allegience. Mr. Libby and people like him are very dangerous. They seek to place their own ideas before the laws of the US Constitution as if they are provided the opportunity to do exactly that by simply the power of the office they hold. It is Mr. Libby and his false idea of citizenship and patriotism that is more dangerous to the USA than any terrorist.
Without loyalty to the Constitution this government is lost.
Mr. Libby stepped outside that loyalty. He and people like him, such as Mr. Cheney, are very dangerous as they misused the powers of this government to protect it's citizens in a path that today provides little reassurance the acts of September 11, 2001 by the terrorist Osama bin Laden will never be repeated. Mr. Cheney's personal aspirations took the nation's assets on a treasure hunt.
Today, the production of yellowcake by Niger has not changed. It is the same as it always has been. It is controlled and well monitored by the Niger government. The conviction of Lewis Libby has to be a form of apology to the Niger government as well. Never will the Niger government hear an apology for the false allogations by Vice President Cheney.
The issue of journalism comes to the forefront of this occurrence in American history. Journalism is the fourth branch of government guaranteed to the people of this nation by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. We have to look to the profession for it's preception of the power of government in balancing the freedoms of this nation. There is no doubt the testimony of journalists convicted Mr. Libby. To that end, it was justified by Mr. Fitzgerald to insult the autonomy of the profession. The country is better today for it. At the same time, there is a huge insult to the profession. To that end we need to examine the brevity of the committment of this profession to the people of this country to find a way to allow vital testimony while instilling guarantees to it's demands in protecting sources.
If this is any consolation to the profession of journalism, it would seem to me the profession has been used and abused by the Bush Administration at all levels. It is minimally a crime of credibility which is also important to the press. But, this Executive Branch is criminal. It just is. What this episode of Freedom of the Press has proven is that crimes occur to the very profession we have entrusted dearly in this democracy.
There is a Shield Law the profession of journalism believes will protect it and it's dependancy on confidentiality of sources. The Shield Law has been adopted by some states. I would advocate the passage of same by all states and when a more benevolent and truthful Executive Branch is elected into office it should be federalized.
I accept the Shield Law in it's entity as a means of protecting a vitally important freedom of this democracy. The only thing I ask, as an American, is for the profession to consider it's importance in testifying when the integrity of the US Constitution will be laid waste by powerful people adverse to the well being of the people of this nation. To trust a completely free and autonomous press requires the profession to impose high ethical standards. The ethics have to include the demands of transparency when required to protect the Constitution that guarantees it's freedoms as well. It should be a very nice feedback loop whereby the US Constitution protects the press while the press protects the US Constitution in it's entirety and the nation of people dependant on it.
The most aggrieved of all this outside an entire nation of people, is Judith Miller and The New York Times. To that end, with careers and reputation on the line I would encourage both to file suit against minimally Mr. Libby. It is grossly unfortunate the relationship existing between Ms. Miller and the New York Times fell into failure, but, in the same instance the Iraq War is a portion of USA power that never should have occurred.
We are great nation. The conviction of Lewis Libby is proof and I thank Mr. Fitzgerald in upholding the dearest of values important to the document handed down to us well over two hundred years ago. I can't believe, still today, the will of revolutionaries from so long ago, is still being dealt by men of integrity such as Mr. Fitzgerald. A job well done, admired and envied.
The conclusion of this conviction is obvious. The Executive Branch lied to the country, affronted the integrity of the US Constitution while undermining the security of this nation. This issue is not closed !
