The Flip-Floppers Of The "Right"

Speaking of unprincipled, flip-flopping Republicans, I have been meaning to write about Kay Bailey Hutchison and her talking out of both sides of her mouth on the crime of perjury. As it happens, however, another blogger beat me to it.

Hat tip to the Fight The Reich Wing blog for this one:

11/23/2005 about Valerie Plame case:

"I certainly hope that if there is going to be an indictment ... that it is an indictment on a crime, and not some perjury technicality where they couldn't indict on the crime, and so they go to something just to show their two years of investigation was not a waste of time and taxpayer dollars."

2/13/1999 about Bill Clinton case:

"The principle of the rule of law--equality under the law and a clear standard for perjury and obstruction of justice--was the overriding issue in this impeachment."

2/12/1999 about Bill Clinton case:

"The edifice of American jurisprudence rests on the foundation of the due process of law. The mortar in that foundation is the oath. Those who seek to obstruct justice weaken that foundation, and those who violate the oath would tear the whole structure down. Every day, thousands of citizens in thousands of courtrooms across America are sworn in as jurors, as grand jurors, as witnesses, as defendants. On those oaths rest the due process of law upon which all of our other rights are based. The oath is how we defend ourselves against those who would subvert our system by breaking our laws. There are Americans in jail today because they violated that oath. Others have prevailed at the bar of justice because of that oath. What would we be telling Americans--and those worldwide who see in America what they can only hope for in their own countries--if the Senate of the United States were to conclude: The President lied under oath as an element of a scheme to obstruct the due process of law, but we chose to look the other way? I cannot make that choice. I cannot look away. I vote "Guilty" on Article I, Perjury. I vote "Guilty" on Article II, Obstruction of Justice."

Since when is perjury a "technicality" instead of a crime?

The lies the government and media tell are

amplifications of the lies we tell ourselves.

To stop being conned, stop conning yourself.

James Wolcott