Matt Welch takes on Bush's continued appointment of Republicans with criminal histories.

"If [Winona] Ryder lived in Florida instead of California, she would join the 31% of the black voting-age population there in being barred from enjoying the most basic of democratic rights. (Conversely, if Florida had Maine's more liberal voting laws, Al Gore would be president.)"

"Regardless of what you think about a system that disenfranchises more than four million Americans, the rationale is clear enough: For citizens wishing to have a say in public life, some crimes are beyond the pale of acceptable behaviour. The rule of law, and perhaps even the imperative of national self- defence, demands no less."

"Unless, that is, the criminal is a Republican politician."

First up for Welch is Elliott Abrams: "In October, 1991, Abrams pleaded guilty to two counts of a misdemeanor far graver than anything Winona Ryder has inflicted upon society: "Withholding information" from the United States Congress."

"Abrams lied to the representatives of the American people about his team subverting the law, in order to manipulate Congress to enact legislation that it probably wouldn't if it knew the truth. He violated his oath, broke the law and abused power."

Now Abrams is "Condoleezza Rice's right-hand man in the Middle East."

Welch says "Abrams is worth mentioning at length not because his case is extraordinary, but because the opposite is true: Bush has been making a habit of appointing known liars and once-convicted Republican officials to key government positions."

As to Poindexter, architect of the invasive yet-to-be-implemented Total Information Awareness program, Welch says: "Poindexter, Reagan's national security advisor, was convicted in 1990 of five felony counts of lying to Congress, obstructing Iran-Contra investigators, destroying evidence and so on. An appeals court overturned the conviction on the grounds that it had relied partially on testimony Poindexter gave under immunity. He was appointed this February to run the Pentagon's much-maligned Total Information Awareness program."

There's more, go on over and read the whole thing.