Sheriff Baca is reponsible for running one of the largest jails in the world. Legislators require lengthier sentences, but do not provide the funds to provide jail space for the large numbers of offenders.

Paris Hilton was guilty of a probation violation of a non-violent misdemeanor. The Sheriff must obey a federal injunction limiting the number of inmates in the L.A. County Jail.

A psychiatrist and two psychologists reported to the Sheriff that Hilton was suffering serous mental disorders. One time middle class or upper class offenders such as Paris Hilton are the highest suicide risks during their short incarceration times.

The Judge has been on the bench for 28 years. Yet he is limited to hearing traffic arraignments and probation violation on traffic sentences. The City Attorney who wants higher office were offended. So the Judge and City Attorney issue press releases and supplanted the Sheriff in running the Jail.

When will the American public's lust to see their fellow citizens imprisoned cease?

Reporters brought the courthouse to a stand still and the Hilton matter dominated the news. On this same day, President Bush was being ostracized in the Group of Eight Summitt. The immigration compromise bill was unraveling in the United States Senate. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was forced into retirement rather than face a hostile Senate confirmation. The every increasing deaths of American soldiers in Iraq continued with another bad day.

But the Paris Hilton story dominated the space in Salon, the New York Times, Washington Post, and the news networks.

Al Gore has it right. This is not how a democracy should be functioning.

The governing body of the Democratic Party controlled at the time by Clinton activists voted not to accept the delegates from Michigan and Florida for holding their primaries too early.

Now that Clinton sees victory slipping from her grasp, she and her supporters want to change the rules.

We had the rules changed in 2000. Al Gore won Florida; it took a vote recount to determine it. Article II of the Constitution expressly states the States shall choose their electors and the House of Representatives voting state by state resolves challenges to electors. The Supreme Court majority -- who say they are for judicial restraint -- stopped the Florida count of its votes to award George W. Bush the Presidency

President Clinton and Hillary stood by while Al Gore fought the Florida vote count and court battle with $5 million against George W. Bush, who had $95 million from his corporate supporters. Enron provided company plans for use of Bush lawyers and political operatives in Florida President Clinton could have got similar money for Gore; if he felt his office precluded it, Hillary was not restricted. They did nothing.

In 2004, Bill and Hillary Clinton again stood by as John Kerry was viciously attacked for his war service. John McCain stood up for Kerry, but not President Clinton and Hillary. President Clinton could have put a stop to the Swift Boats, but he was silent.

It is always only about the Clintons. They follow the rules they created only if it helps them. If the rules stand in their way, they will start up their media spin to say the rules they created and pledged to follow should be changed.

Hillary made a $5 million loan to her campaign. We will not hear the details until after the nominee is chosen. Where did the money originate? The rules require disclosure, but the details of the payment that kept her campaign alive at a critical juncture are unavailable.

The caucus method of selecting delegates predates direct voting primaries. Now that Hillary is losing caucuses decisively, she and Bill Clinton say those delegates do not count. The rules are to the contrary. But those rules will defeat Hillary, so dismiss those rules and change the Michigan and Florida rules to overcome that decisive defeat.

I have always been an optimist, but I believe the United States is in a one of the most precarious positions in its history. The Supreme Court has chosen the President in 2000. The President has openly advocated torture of prisoners. Congress has acquiesced. I never thought it possible for high Presidential officials to make decisions that justify a grand jury to determine if indictable war crimes and torture -- federal crimes -- were committed.

Rules matter.

If Hillary will not accept the rules she made on Michigan and Florida, then why accept bothersome constitutional and statutory restrictions on Presidential powers? She has President Bush's conduct as a precedent.

There is much more at stake here than a political contest.