Today marks another sad day in our democracy.
As I write this, it appears a test-vote of no confidence for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will not be going anywhere, as most Senate Republicans—even those that directly told Gonzales during testimony that he should resign—will not vote expressing their lack of confidence.
I need not belabor Gonzales’ wrongful actions here. The recent and blatant politicization of the Department of Justice, a department with a long-established tradition of political appointees acting nobly apolitical after hire, is (yet another) black mark on our country’s honor. The Hatch Act was enacted to prevent such nonsense, but to the current group in power truly nothing is sacred.
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa), a fierce critic of Gonzales, said today
"If you ask Arlen Specter, do I have confidence in Attorney General Gonzales, the answer is a resounding no. I'm going to vote that I have no confidence in Attorney General Gonzales." Specter has had concerns about the no confidence vote and its affect on his party, but it appears he may take the high road. Bully for him if he does.
The President, true to form, has backed Gonzales. In this administration loyalty to one’s stooges far out-weighs competence, but of course in this case the “decider” doesn’t overwhelm in the competency department himself, so it’s almost understandable. The President has called the vote “pure political theater” by the Democrats, despite the harsh criticism several important Republicans have heaped on Gonzales these past few months. Perhaps the vote of no confidence should be directed somewhat higher up; that may be the only way historians, given 20 years or so of objectivity, can conclude that Americans back in 2007 had any sanity left.
