Shorter Abu Gonzales: Throw Libby in Jail for at Least 30 Months

I’ve been meaning to point out a little hypocrisy among the Republican faithful. You see, the Republicans are celebrating Alberto Gonzales’ recent call to crack down on federal convicts. They want to reverse the SCOTUS decision that allows judges to treat sentencing guidelines as a suggestion, and return to the era of required minimum sentencing. And they think this is a good campaign issue.

The Bush administration is trying to roll back a Supreme Court decisionby pushing legislation that would require prison time for nearly allcriminals.

[snip]

In a speech June 1 to announce the bill, Attorney General AlbertoGonzales urged Congress to reimpose mandatory minimum prison sentencesagainst federal convicts — and not let judges consider such penalties"merely a suggestion."

Such an overhaul, in part, "willstrengthen our hand in fighting criminals who threaten the safety andsecurity of all Americans," Gonzales said in the speech, deliveredthree days before the FBI announced a slight national uptick in violentcrime during 2006.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this Republican party talking about making this a campaign issue … it’s the same Republican party led by people threatening retribution because Scooter Libby, federal convict, might have to go to jail, right? And the same Republican party that thinks Steven Griles, also a federal convict, should get to do community service–for non-profits he set up–rather than jail time?

Call me crazy, but I suspect there are going to be more Republicans begging for those "merely a suggestion" guidelines between now and November 2008. With the leaders of the party solidly behind them.