What would Bush et al be worried about by doing this? Their popularity will go down? Congress might make them answer for their actions?

Pssht. This is nothing. I rue the coming end of the administration, when they know that no one and nothing can possibly intervene in their actions. My guess is it will be the most active 'lame duck' administration this country has ever seen.

After all, did anyone really expect Bush would let Scooter go to prison? Impeach!!!!!!!

Nancy believes in bush.

Reid supports bush.

NO IMPEACHMENT NO JuSTICE.

Justice in america is a JOKE!

So is DEMOCRACY!

CNN can be clever. There website headline for this news item: "Scooter Skates". Cute, huh? Just like everything else the Bush Administration has done.

This from a guy who crassly mocked the pleas of a woman he put to death.

Jackass.

I think the Bush justification for any action isn't based on any law; it's simply "Because I Can".

Right and wrong, the rule of law, ethical standards, and all of those other catch-phrases all go by the wayside with the philosophy of "Things would be alot easier in a dictatorship as long as I'm the dictator".

oh noes, it looks like scooter will scoot away... happy 4th of July for Bush, he and his gaggle can celebrate their Independence from We the People.

I'm sick right now. I can't think of any more insults for this criminal Administration. I wish Congress would do it's fucking job and impeach Bush, but they obviously don't "do" checks and balances anymore.

What is there to do?

Actually, it is a surprise. Bush only commuted the sentence rather than outright pardoning Libby. That frankly surprises me. I figured he let the SOB off scott-free. I guess there is some honor --albeit not much -- even among thieves, liars, and crooks.

If Libby had been pardoned he would no longer be able to claim the 5th if asked to testify.

This "elegant compromise" (to quote CNN) is the best of all worlds.

Scooter's legal fund will more than make up his fine and I expect he can make as much money, if not more, on the talk show circuit than he would have as a lawyer.

Scooter will be fine.

Now the House of Representatives and Senate need to render their judgment on Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, in accordance with the United States Constitution, to establish the principle that no person or clique may stand above or outside the law.

Their failure to act under the present circumstances may be the signal event in the transition of the American government from a constitutional republic to an oligarchical empire. The lethargy of the Congress and the People may be interpreted as acquiescence of this change and the end of the experiment in self government with protected personal and political rights. The party that controls the instruments of compulsion and violence will hereafter exercise the power while the party that represents equity and justice will be eclipsed in the dark of an authoritarian nightmare.

I have repeatedly contacted my Congressman on the issue of impeachment, but his reply is that

"I appreciate your passion for this issue. However, I agree with my colleagues in Congress that efforts to pursue impeachment would - at this time - seriously detract from our ability to lead our country in a new and positive direction."

Since the Democrats became the majority in Congress in January, they have caved in to Bush's demands multiple times. Unless this latest event galvanizes them into action, I see little hope for relief or hope.

George Bush the Second said this as TX governor:

"I don’t believe my role is to replace the verdict of a jury with my own, unless there are new facts or evidence of which a jury was unaware, or evidence that the trial was somehow unfair."

Happy 4th of July every one! It is fascinating to see the death of a democracy happening on the same week its birth is celebrated.

Oh, I think Bush will pardon Libby when he leaves office. Just a commutation for now. He doesn't care about consistency. That's what's consistent about him. He is a spoiled child that just does what he wants whenever he wants and doesn't care about consequences or who it hurts. He is a Baby Man.

It ain't justice; it is "just us".

Another mockery of our once-valued legal system.

Cheney must be laughing rather heartily right now; he won again!

Throw the Constitution in the trash can, people-it don't mean shit anymore.

To begin impeachment proceedings, you need a simple majority in the House. OK, the Dems have that.

However, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the proceedings. Gee, in which direction do you think John Roberts is going to push things?

Then, in order to get removal from office (i. e., a conviction), 2/3 of the Senate has to vote for conviction. The Dems do not themselves constitute 2/3 of the Senate, and I can't imagine that 15-16 Republicans are suddenly going to get all Mr.-Smith-Goes-to-Washington and join them.

And if you think that Bush (let alone Cheney) would resign on passage of an impeachment resolution like Nixon did, you're REALLY dreaming.

Now granted, it has to be 2/3 of the Senate who are PRESENT have to vote to convict, so I suppose if you picked a day when the Republicans were all going to be out golfing...

So you impeach, and you have a trial in the Senate and actually convict him and then what? What would you do besiege the White House? You have no enforcement power. You can't impose law on the the lawless. He simply would not acknowledge the legitimacy of the law or the Congress's authority to read it, prosecute it or enforce it. America created a monster in Bush and now America is stuck with it.

Me? Uruguay is looking better each day.

Clinton pardons Marc Rich, and there is an uproar heard around the world about a corrupt President. Papa Bush pardons the Iran-Contra figures, and "exonerates" them (Oliver North is a celebrity guest on Jeopardy). Zsa Zsa Gabor slaps a Beverly Hills policeman and pays dire legal consequences. Kenneth Starr throws Susan McDougal in the slammer until she agrees to lie about Clinton; Starr then accepts a position as President of Pepperdine University. Leonard Peltier sits in prison for a crime he did not commit.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander? Hm. I think Old Lady Justice might be peeking from behind that blindfold, but I'm just a paranoid conspiracy theorist.