Independence Day Roundup: A Logic Problem

Everyone continues to wrap their brains around the commutation of Scooter Libby's jail term by President Bush, and the train doesn't stop there: now Bush has categorically refused to rule out the possibility of a pardon winging its way to Libby's doorstep.

Dana Milbank has made a judgment on the whole mess that I think is pretty astute: the reason we're all having trouble with this is because the Bush administration has finally taken the last turn to Crazy Town. It isn't that I thought Bush wouldn't defend his decision — of course he will, until a better idea comes along — but now it seems like they aren't even trying. The administration has collectively thrown its hands up in the air and said, "Hey, you know what? We're just gonna do this, this thing we want to do, but don't bother waiting for an explanation, because we're not even letting the people that are supposed to tell you about it in on explanations anymore." Nobody knows anything, and Bush can barely articulate himself on verdicts and vacations. Terrific.

Be that as it may, someone is going to find something out some time: House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers has announced there will be hearings on presidential clemency power on July 11th. I would not join the office bet on whether Bush will show up to testify if I were you — unless you can stake out a claim to the box marked, "It will never happen." Then you're a lock.

I'm sure that the GOP would make the argument that there's very little connection between the abject delusion emanating from the White House and the fact that they are losing the money race to the Democratic Party. I'd like to think that it isn't the sudden crazy justifications for administration actions that are hurting the GOP's coffers so much as the aggregate of bad leadership over time. Who knows, though. Maybe it's both.

The Dallas Morning News really knows how to put the ol' damper on some July 4th festivities: today they essentially question what it is people are celebrating. They talk about the insistence by Americans "on honoring the national ideal;" even though the lede is pretty disheartening, the story ends up being a bit about how some North Texas communities are celebrating, and why, and how nice it is.

I think that one of the things that makes America special is that we are a nation built around an idea rather than ethnicity or geography, trade or convenience. As a country, we were quite literally willed into existence. That leads to a lot of nationalist wiggle room, where what one guy chants "USA!" about is what annoys someone else. Even when we're all essentially unhappy about the way the country is going, we can still haul out the grills and get a little patriotic, maybe remembering the good times. (In this case, "the good times" refers to the late 1990's.)

I'm a fan of Gary Hart, so when I see him tackling a subject like American posterity, I don't hesitate to read it and recommend it to you. His Independence Day message deals with such heady subjects as "the moral guidepost of intergenerational accountability" set up by the Founders. This quote should get you over there:

Our government is not at liberty to disregard the consequences of its actions on our posterity.

During our veterans series, we have endeavored to bring you some stories you may not have heard otherwise about vets and their families and the people who are working for them. We have also been in search of good reporting on the subject. The Texas Observer currently has a feature on veterans in which they describe their experiences in their own words. You would do yourself a favor by reading their stories.

Lastly today, the Fort Worth Weekly does the alt-weekly genre politically proud with a profile of Speaker Jim Wright. LBJ described Wright as "an eloquent, forceful speaker," and the FWW piece is a well-written opportunity to catch up with Speaker Wright, or, if you're not familiar with him, to get to know a living legend.