Political Frenzy

In one day, two major events in the history of the United States happened seemingly at once, tied with an ironic inversion of qualities: one is a cause of celebration marred by future possibilities, the other a cause for mourning with the future holding a ray of hope.

In the first story, Lewis “Scooter” Libby was convicted on four of five charges and faces 25 years in prison, all stemming from his outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame aka Valerie E. Wilson. Although I share no love for the CIA and have written earlier about how I believe the CIA’s secrecy can be detrimental to America, the motives behind the outing were less than noble. According to the former CIA operative’s husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, it was punishment from the executive branch for his outspoken criticism of the current White House. This kind of Presidential (or in this case, Vice-Presidential, as Libby was an aide to Dick Cheney, and President George Bush has not been directly linked to the scandal) bullying cannot be allowed to happen, as it is step one to an invasive totalitarian government.

But the celebration of Libby’s first glimpse at old-fashioned American justice ground to a halt when the question of Presidential pardons came up. Will Bush pardon Scooter? It would undoubtedly be a screw-up of Gerald Ford proportions, but a lame-duck President has nothing to lose. It would be his constitutionally secured power to pardon Libby if he saw fit.

Why does the President retain the power to pardon anyone? Ask Alexander Hamilton, the one who came up with the Presidential pardon. He was also the genius who thought it might be a good idea to rest all power of the United States in the hands of an elected King. As a Federalist, Hamilton was also opposed to the Bill of Rights. His lasting legacy is proving a serious pain in the rear for freedom loving Americans, and a tool for those who would like to see the United States under the iron fist of a single man.

And clearly tragedy besets tragedy! Steve Rogers AKA Captain America, beloved Marvel comic book Superhero and extreme patriot, was shot dead in the latest issue of his serial. Statements made by Marvel President, Dave Buckley, imply that Steve Rogers will remain dead, despite Marvel’s tendency to resurrect its characters. Observers agree that Marvel has learned from the Death of Superman fiasco of rival comic publisher DC Comics, and that to kill a character and revive them quickly is a major marketing and plot mistake.

Instead, Buckley implied that Steve Rogers the man is dead, but Captain America’s red boots will be filled by another person who will pick up where Steve Rogers left off. In fact, several characters have been known to fill in for Captain America when Steve Rogers could not don the suit, but this will be a much more extreme shift. While comic fans such as myself will miss the character of Steve Rogers, I believe it will re-invigorate the Marvel Universe to re-imagine the man behind Captain America.

Indeed, both of these stories are more linked than one might think. Steve Rogers was from a different time; a time when being American meant giving your all to the government, a time when American culture had clear-cut rules and little variation across the country, a simpler and harder time. Scooter Libby comes from a different time; a time when government took advantage of its citizens, a time when all the country would just nod their collective head and agree, a simpler and harder time.

That time, like Steve Rogers, is dead. Now we must live in a world where our government refuses to represent us, we have little faith in those who govern us, and scandals have become synonymous with Washington D.C.

If ever we needed you, Captain America, now is the time.

United States, Republican Party, Dick Cheney, CIA, Crime, Marvel, Comics, Scooter Libby, Plame Incident, George W. Bush