Betrayal from the Top
There are certain boundaries that are not meant to be crossed in life. We all recognize them without giving them a second glance, strictly because our common sense, ethics, morals, and sense of right and wrong alert us to the fact that these acts are just plain wrong. Many times these boundaries are crossed accidently, such as racist joke or violent threat. Just as often, these boundaries are crossed on a personal level, affecting very few people. However, sometimes boundaries are crossed at a level and magnitude that affects our society as a whole. Not only does an act like this hurt many, but it rocks the very stability of our nation.
There are few who have the power to cross a boundary that could have such a devastating impact. Essentially, the act is limited only to the leaders of nations around the world. Unfortunately, from my perspective, these boundaries are stepped over too often for the world’s own good. Recently, our president stepped over a boundary that I believe threatens the very foundation of our nation.
We have all heard of Scooter Libby. The man lied under oath about the source of the Valerie Plume leak. He was sentenced to prison after being convicted of perjury. Due to a pardon that came directly from President Bush, he will never spend a day in a cell. While a presidential pardon can potentially clear someone who needed to protect a secret that threatened national security, they are generally an abuse of power. If you think about the entire concept of a persidential pardon, you start to see just how flawed it truly is. We have a justice system that convicts based upon the judgement of our peers. These peers represent our society as a whole, albeit figuratively. This system was laid out under the constitution and is an integral part of our nation as both a social tool and a governmental tool. However, a presidential pardon circumvents the decision made by our peers. In other words, a presidential pardon circumvents the decision made by our society. This pardon allows the president to place himself above the laws of this country, above the justice system laid out in our constitution. In effect, our president becomes the law. While Scooter Libby is a trivial matter, it serves to remind us of the power that our leader has, and just how that power might be used. There are boundaries that should not be overstepped, and President Bush crossed the line when he cleared Libby of a crime he clearly committed. Sadly, speculation and commonsense tell us that lied to protect the very men who pardoned him. It’s easy to protect yourself when you face no consequences from the law.
The sad thing about the Libby incident is the lack of public outrage. It is almost as if society expected this course of action from Bush, and when it became reality, it was no surprise at all.
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