Revenge of the Nerds?

Well friends, today might finally be the day. We’ve sat (relatively) quietly waiting to see if the Democrats would ever show enough fortitude to go at BushCo head-on and been continually disappointed, but today Patrick Leahy is asking the Senate Judiciary Committee for permission to seek subpoenas to deliver to Karl Rove, Harriet Meyers and other luminaries in order to investigate the Justice Department firings of eight federal prosecutors.

Still, as Mr. Bush says, the Dems have a relatively weak position from which to go after Rove. There is no doubt that the man is one of the sleeziest, most manipulative figures to appear in politics since Machiavelli himself, but trying to pin this one on him does look more like a fishing expedition than a well targeted investigation, and if he is found culpable probably won’t get more than a slap on the wrist and a relocated office.

Leahy has every right and reason to go after the perpetrators of the political firings from the Justice Department, but Rove and Cheney are both more culpable for their involvement with the Office of Special Plans in the run-up to the Iraq war and now, again behind the scenes in the run-up to engaging with Iran than for anything else. The OSP was primarily the handiwork of Rumsfeld and Cheney, but it is hard to imagine that Rove’s fine hand wasn’t in there somewhere. His specialty is sliming opponents like Ann Richards in political races, but there is no doubt that he acts as hatchet man in all sorts of behind the scenes plots to further the neo-conservative agenda.

My hope was always that the first subpoenas would go after Cheney and Rumsfeld for the OSP intelligence manipulation that supposedly duped Bush and the Congress into believing the WMD fabrications that led up to the invasion of Iraq, but it was not to be. Perhaps that story lies too close to the Democratic vulnerabilities to be explored in depth by the powers that be. The fact is that most Democrats as well as all Republicans in the House and the Senate voted to give Bush the power to go off the terrorist hunting track and attack Iraq for political reasons. The kind of money that corporate allies of both parties have pulled down from their contracts for services in Iraq, development and production of arms and armaments, etc. has been too good for our pols to quash without compelling reason. But digging for good reason could uncover a lot of information that might upset enough citizens to really stir things up. Better, from a politician’s point of view, to stir the pot just enough to be able to point sharpened fingers during campaigns than to uncover the whole can of worms and risk having the entire apple cart overturned.

At any rate, it is gratifying to see Mr. Bush with his back against the wall baring his teeth and snarling at Congress. There is little of subtlety about the man and his immediate refusal to accept the idea of subpoenas will force a face to face confrontation that ultimately will not help his image with anybody.

You just can’t be as arrogant as this bunch has been and not expect a come-uppance. It’s high time, and hopefully some low times are in the offing for this administration. If anybody ever deserved a come-uppance it is this bunch. Finally - regime change begins at home.

Be the change you want to see in the world. – M.K. Gandhi