So what?

The USA breathless pants that President Bush's disapproval rating is highest ever. But history is a far different judge.

What Is the Extent of the Speech and Debate Clause

That is a question being posed by the Bush Administration on an appeal of a decision related to the FBI raid on Rep. William Jefferson's Congressional office.

The cert petition asks:

“Whether the Speech or Debate Clause provides a non-disclosure privilege that bars Executive Branch agents from executing a judicially issued warrant in a Member’s office to search for non-legislative records of criminal activity.”

The cert petition is here and a good discussion of the case is here.

The Shirnking Budget Deficit

How's this for news, the budget deficit continues to shrink.

This despite efforts by both parties to spend more and more. Could it be that our prosperous economy responds to stupid spending by producing more?

Say What??

Human greed takes lion's share of solar energy

Via Drudge.

Words escape me.

Libby Commutation

Even as the words of the news announcer were echoing in my head and in my car, I knew that the looney left was going to go absolutly bananas over President Bush commuting the sentence of Scooter Libby. Here is what Nancy Pelosi wrote:

The President’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence does not serve justice, condones criminal conduct, and is a betrayal of trust of the American people.

The President said he would hold accountable anyone involved in the Valerie Plame leak case. By his action today, the President shows his word is not to be believed. He has abandoned all sense of fairness when it comes to justice, he has failed to uphold the rule of law, and he has failed to hold his Administration accountable.

Um, Scooter Libby is still a convicted felon! Whenever he seeks employment, he will have to answer the question of whether he is a felon in the affirmative. You can argue all you want about Libby's culpability in the matter or whether he is a fall guy for the administration, or the victim of a witch hunt by the left, he was still convicted and will remain a convicted felon.

Here is a question for the left. What is the functional difference between President Bush exercising his Constitutional authority to commute sentences or pardon people and the same authority exercised by President Clinton to pardon--PARDON--Marc Rich. The answer is at least President Bush didn't do it in a midnight move just before leaving office. President Bush has stood up, like a man, made his decision and will take the heat. President Clinton pardoned Rich in the last week in office, when very few people were watching and certainly the press was as vigilant as they are with President Bush.

Speaker Pelosi would do better to make sure her House is clean (read William Jefferson, John Murtha and others) before questioning the exercise of a Presidential perogative.

Bush Asserts Executive Privilege on Senate Subpeonas

Well it took him a while, but at least President Bush said no to Senate Judiciary committee subpoenas.

President Bush, moving toward a constitutional showdown with Congress, asserted executive privilege Thursday and rejected lawmakers' demands for documents that could shed light on the firings of federal prosecutors.

Bush's attorney told Congress the White House would not turn over subpoenaed documents for former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor. Congressional panels want the documents for their investigations of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' stewardship of the Justice Department, including complaints of undue political influence.

The Democratic chairmen of the two committees seeking the documents accused Bush of stonewalling and disdain for the law, and said they would press forward with enforcing the subpoenas.

"With respect, it is with much regret that we are forced down this unfortunate path which we sought to avoid by finding grounds for mutual accommodation," White House counsel Fred Fielding said in a letter to the chairmen of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees. "We had hoped this matter could conclude with your committees receiving information in lieu of having to invoke executive privilege. Instead, we are at this conclusion."

Of course, if the President has said the same thing at teh start of the whole district attorney firing mess, asserting executive privilege then, we wouldn't be where we are now either.