Der Parson's rant

Can President Bush pardon people who haven't even been charged with a crime? - By Jacob Leibenluft - Slate Magazine: "Pre-emptive Presidential PardonsCan you be pardoned for a crime before you're ever charged?
By Jacob Leibenluft
Posted Monday, July 21, 2008, at 6:36 PM ET

With six months to go before President Bush leaves office, the White House is receiving a flurry of pardon applications. The New York Times reported that 'several members of the conservative legal community' are pushing for the White House to grant pre-emptive pardons for officials involved in counterterrorism programs. Wait—can a president really pardon someone who hasn't even been charged with a crime?"

Yep. In 1866, the Supreme Court ruled in Ex parte Garland that the pardon power "extends to every offence known to the law, and may be exercised at any time after its commission, either before legal proceedings are taken, or during their pendency, or after conviction and judgment." (In that case, a former Confederate senator successfully petitioned the court to uphold a pardon that prevented him from being disbarred.) Generally speaking, once an act has been committed, the president can issue a pardon at any time—regardless of whether charges have even been filed.

Why doesn't this surprise me? Conservatives that claim to be all "tough on crime" are wanting to be pardoned for crimes they aren't even charged with. In all honesty with people like Pelosi running congress, they don't have to worry much about being charge with any type of crimes.

Movie Giant Charlton Heston Dies

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Charlton Heston did not do small.

Heston, the Oscar-winning actor who, as the biggest male star of Hollywood's outsize epic era of the 1950s and 1960s, parted the Red Sea, raced chariots and battled gorilla tyranny, died Saturday at his Beverly Hills home.

He was 84, his family said. He had been battling Alzheimer's disease for years.

Heston left cinematic, political mark

Better known in recent years as a fierce gun-rights advocate who headed the National Rifle Association, Heston played legendary leaders and ordinary men hurled into heroic struggles.

"In taking on epic and commanding roles, he showed himself to be one of our nation's most gifted actors, and his legacy will forever be a part of our cinema," Republican presidential candidate McCain said in a statement that also noted Heston's involvement in the civil-rights movement and his stand against gun control.

Heston's jutting jaw, regal bearing and booming voice served him well as Marc Antony in "Julius Caesar" and "Antony and Cleopatra," Michelangelo in "The Agony and the Ecstasy," John the Baptist in "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and an astronaut on a topsy-turvy world where simians rule in "Planet of the Apes."

"Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life," Heston's family said in a statement. "We knew him as an adoring husband, a kind and devoted father, and a gentle grandfather with an infectious sense of humor. He served these far greater roles with tremendous faith, courage and dignity."

The actor died at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife, Lydia, at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said. He declined to comment on the cause of death or provide further details Sunday.

One of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s, '60s and '70s, Heston's work dwindled largely to small parts and narration and other voice roles from the 1980s on, including an uncredited cameo as an ape in Tim Burton's 2001 remake of "Planet of the Apes."

I don't exactly agree with his politics but I dont' think anyone could argue that
Mr. Heston made some of the greatest movies we have ever seen. I doubt anyone will ever forget the line "get you hands off me you damn dirty ape".

Romney suspends presidential campaign - CNN.com

CNN) -- Mitt Romney suspended his bid for the Republican presidential nomination Thursday, saying if he continued it would "forestall the launch of a national campaign and be making it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win."

"In this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror. This is not an easy decision. I hate to lose," the former Massachusetts governor said.

"If this were only about me, I'd go on. But it's never been only about me. I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, in this time of war I feel I have to now stand aside for our party and for our country."

It's a sad day in America when such a great American gives up his bid for the Whitehouse. (I just threw up a little in mouth just from typing that load of crap) Actually I'm giggling like a school girl. This is almost as good as Rotten Rudy giving up. I'm sure his "I love America" speech will help when McCain looks for a running mate, someone that will offset how much the Republicans hate McCain. I don't understand how he keeps winning if he is so awful, of course that might explain George W. I guess that is how the minds of the American sheep work, "let's see who is the worst possible person to be President and let's vote for them".

I got this from a local bar last night. We don't want this guy to stay on city council. No telling what he will want to ban next to "proctect us".

"I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman."
-- Mitt Romney, declining to participate in the next CNN/YouTube debate

Once again proving that the Republicans have no sense of humor or imagination.

I watched the Democrats debate on CNN. I thought they YouTube videos were pretty cool for the most part. Some were kind of dumb, but the snowman video was kind of cute. We could have done without the hillbilly holding his "baby" (some machine gun he needs for personal protection). I kind of liked Obama's answers for most of the questions. A few things Hillary said kind of scared me. I wish I would have wrote this earlier so I could give specific examples. I would like to see Republicans answer questions from ordinary people, but of course they won't do it because they know it will scare us normal people further away from the Republican party come election time.

Watching Bill Maher tonight, actor Ben Affleck really hit the nail on the head about democrats and how they whimped on the Iraq funding bills. (I hope I can find a video on Youtube later). Democrats are so affraid of being called pussies and being critized they caved in. Instead of standing up to Bush they caved in and gave him a bill he would sign. I'm amazed that after most of Ben Affleck's movie perfomances (Daredevil comes to mind) he's actually pretty smart.

I'm not going to become a Republican by any means, but Democrats are really letting me down.

Bill has Ron Paul(R. Texas) on now, he's saying some pretty good stuff. One good point if we would gain some respect, we wouldn't get attacked. Haven't the fucking republicans ever hear the phrase "keep your friends close but your enemies closer"?

Bill made a great point, you don't get to be the worst President ever without some help from the other side. Guess who the "other side" is Democrats?