Scott Horton goes so far as to compare the radical politicisation of our justice system with KGB Russia:

Moreover, this episode tells us one of the most deeply guarded truths of the Inner Party of the Neocon movement, namely: the ends justify the means. That is, to accomplish a goal accepted by the Inner Party, you are entitled to do anything—break the law, by all means, and indeed set the law into oblivion if you can. That explains the fate of the Geneva Conventions, which were, alas, simply inconvenient—they got in the way of the notion that no rules can stand between us and the accomplishment of our objectives. For the Nietzschean Neocon man (let’s call him Übermensch or perhaps even better, Scooter Libby), there are no rules; they exist for the people of the herd. And that explains the indignation when the rules for the herd are applied against Scooter.

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Back in my earlier life, I invested many years defending democracy and human rights advocates in the former Soviet Union (and in this effort, I had strong support from prominent Neocons, many of whom remain my friends today). I remember one afternoon sitting with Elena Bonner, the doyenne of the movement, in her apartment on Moscow’s Chkalova Street, turning over the case of a poor refusenik who was being persecuted by the KGB. And Bonner lectured me: “You need to remember one tactic of the totalitarian mindset, a tactic that belongs to the basic training of KGB cadres. They frequently accuse their victim of doing exactly what they, in fact, are doing. Why? It has a double utility. It forces the victim to use his meager resources defending himself from false challenges. But more importantly, it deflects attention from their own scheming and plotting.” Well, that turned out to be exactly the case in the matter we were discussing.

http://harpers.org/archive/2007/07/hbc-90000436

To my mind, this does not overstate the case and is a valid comparison. We are quickly descending into totalitarianism.

"But Clinton did it FIRST...!!!!"

Nothing to see here. Walk away...

Here.

...is logical & realty-based.

Speaking of logical & reality-based: I think Keith Olbermann is poised to do you one better:

Tonight on Countdown, Keith Olbermann (via his 'Special Comment') is going to ask Bush & Cheney to resign.

Check your local listings.

...will continue to insist that impeachment is off the table. Is there anything more important than preserving our democracy? Apparently protecting their jobs is more important to Pelosi, et. al.

A year or so ago on your old blog, I posted a link to an article which detailed how, under Pinochet, the Chilean judiciary and supreme court found ways to pervert the interpretation of its existing laws to achieve most of the objectives sought by the dictature.

I used this example to claim that in fine the law means only what those in power say it means, no more, no less.

While I believe Bush himself will leave in 2009, I am concerned that "regime" (should I say the nomenklatura?) will find new unprecedented "legal" ways to retain its power.

It may indeed have been predictable. But it still feels like a 2x4 upside the head, and a death knell.

I want to scream, but screaming accomplishes nothing. I want to put words to my fury, but the events of the past few weeks make me question the power of my words, and even yours.

We have undeniably had an effect, but I now fear it has been too subtle to matter. Maybe all of our work to reform the press has just been lipstick on a pig.

Bush and Cheney remain unimpeded by even the full-throated anger of the blogosphere. Our republic lies in ruin. Versailles applauds. There must be something more we can do.

I have never been the street-protesting type. Among other drawbacks, it seemed only to affirm the "dirty hippy" meme. But maybe the time has come. Can we translate our fury into something beyond words?

You do know that Scooter Libby was Marc Rich's attorney, right? I hope the WH is flooded today with calls. The Democrats in DC deserve no respect until they take action to reign in King George. As far as King George remaining in power past 2009. I hope that would be something that would cause people to march in the streets with torches and pitchforks. Hell, maybe it would spawn a revolution that would kick the ruling class out of DC. That includes the likes of Friedman, Russert, Matthews and Broder.

Left unsaid so far, however, is the obvious consequence that if the Democrats do not raise unceasing holy hell, including voting for impeachment of Bush and Cheney, that they will be seen as commuting Bush's sentence!

But that is nothing compared to the chaos that will ensue if this band of outlaws attacks Iran. I've said before that the American experiment is over, and I hope your column wakes more people up to that incontrovertible fact. These are the darkest days I have ever encountered in my 61 years of living in this country, and the neocons' final act has yet to play itself out.

If Bush and Cheney aren't removed from office, there won't be an America left to heal. We NEED impeachment, or everything is finished.

This headline says it all. It needs to be repeated over and over again.

Over the last six years, all of those safeguards have failed completely.

Libby knew very well of this outcome and that was predictable when his defense team suddenly decided not to call Dick Cheney as a witness in return for the “get out of jail free card” they received today. This is not surprising.

What is surprising is that candidates like Thompson so emphatically support a decision that is so unpopular with the American people – only 21% support it.

Why do all the Republican candidates act as if they no longer have to appeal to the majority of the American people? (This attitude goes way beyond Republican Primary political pandering.)

Our election process is supposed to be one of our other safeguards to prevent abuses, but the Republican Party acts as if it is just one more rule and tradition that does not apply to them, or to their grasp on power.

All of them act as if this hopelessly corrupt system will continue unabated and cannot be corrected by the “will of the people” in an election. They have come to regard the majority of Americans as completely irrelevant. This attitude is frightening.