The Normalization of Treason

It's well worth stopping by Americablog today and reading, "The Normalization of Treason, the Republicans' Gift to America" by John in DC. (I wonder if he's related to Bill or if "in DC" is just a really common surname in the District of Columbia?)

If a senior aide to the president had intentionally outed an American undercover agent during World War II, an agent whose work was central to our mission of defeating the Germans, that aide would very likely be put to death. While no one is yet arguing that Karl Rove be executed, it is the height of hypocrisy and hubris for the Republican party to attempt to minimize a crime that not only puts our troops at risk, but risks the lives of every American man, woman and child.

I particularly like John's portayal of how the right wing punditocracy is spinning the Plamegate situation regarding Rove.

- It's the criminalization of politics

- Is this 'minor' leak really worth all this?

- Political payback is common and should not be criminalized

- Mis-speaking or mis-remembering is not a crime

Yes, the Republicans are now making light of an intentional effort to expose an undercover CIA agent, working on weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, no less, while we are at war in the Middle East on that very issue.

The GOP has become the party of treason.

Take a look at John's essay. I really don't have much to add to it, except to say that this isn't really all that unusual. Nothing is ever really "all that bad" when the GOP does it, but it becomes a matter of apocalyptic proportions if the Democrats do something similar. Remember... lying about receiving oral sex from an intern is an impeachable offense. Lying about sending thousands of American troops to their deaths in a far off land over non-existent weapons of mass destruction makes you "the bestest preznit evah!"