What To Think of a Pardon?

News a buzz that Scooter Libby will be pardoned by W. in order to keep Dick Cheney from testifying to a grand jury about the illegal political smear game against Joe Wilson four years ago. Some say that Bush will wait until he's on his way out, others say sooner before later. What would the implications of a pardon be on the current political drama? How would voters react to that come November? Would that be the straw that breaks the camel's back to revolt againt the GOP? Would this action by Mr. Uniter and Decider kill all chances of a GOP '08 victory? What about the polls showing that Zarqawi's assassination haven't changed Americans' minds about the Iraq quagmire? This all may seem great for the left but there are a few problems:

What exactly would happen if the U.S. military just up and left Iraq? What would that do to Shi'ia strongmen wanting to ally with Iran?
What message would that send to the president of Iran who's loonier than a shit house rat as is?
What viable alternative choices have the Democrats truly presented for the American electorate? "We're not them" just doesn't cut it when it comes to, you know, (ironic AGAINST a Bush) "the vision thing". Where are Democrats on international team building? What do the Democrats stand for on protecting the environment and reversing half a decade's pillaging of standards by the Bush administration? Just what do the Democrats have to offer in education, jobs, fixing the current tax and health systems? We can't have another administration (regardless of party) just push these issues to the next administration and ultimately to the future to deal with. Why should my and my son's generations pay for the disastrous policies of today? Sorry, Mr. Cheney, but deficits DO matter; they may not to you as you'll avoid paying the AMT as well as any sort of real income tax based on the rapidly increasing value of your stocks that KBR are fattening. The country's in terrible fiscal shape and eventally, those lenders are gonna come a'collecting. Just what do we voters have to choose from, both in November and in two years? I'd like to know.

If I haven't already mentioned, my father is running for mayor of our small but growing suburban Bay Area city. This may not seem like much out of a town of 45,000 but we truly represent the "future" of state politics - an increasingly educated middle to upper-middle class community where most people spend over two hours a day commuting because transportation sucks who are tired of large faceless conglomerates gobbling up locally-owned businesses and bringing in terrible-paying low-end jobs. Water and property rights and suburban sprawl and the protection of the environment all the while embracing growth - what to do? My dad's been in local politics since 1992; I think he's got a good track record, a good relationship with many business, school and municipal officials and his family's history in the community are in good stead. I think he's got a strong chance of winning. Weird to think that I'll gladly help with his campaign, as he's a died-in-the-wool Republican. He and I clash on just about every major national issue there is and yet we see eye to eye on so many local topics. More to follow on this...

Bumper sticker I must have: I Never Thought I'd Miss Nixon