Why Bush isn’t pardoning anybody else

As part of commuting the sentences of trigger-happy Border Patrol agents Jose A. Compean and Ignacio Ramos, President Bush said that was it from his pardon and clemency drawer.

Upon which, we get a variety of MSLB speculation. At Washington Monthly, Hilzoy links to Atrios, who says it’s because people pardoned could be compelled to testify against him. Possible, but only a lesser matter; and lack of a pardon does not block civil actions from going forward, whether against Bush himself or an unpardoned minion.

Hilzoy herself who says it would be a tacit recognition these people need pardons. Again, possible, but on the esoteric side for Bush.

So, let’s stop reaching for esoteric explanations.

With the possible reasoning he’s not pardoning Scooter as some sort of payback to Uncle Fester, the answer is otherwise simple.

George W. Bush is a USER. Always has been. He’s just not using alcohol and cocaine now.

Every President, ’tis true, uses people in some way or another. Nobody's done it as blatantly or crudely as Shrub has, though.

Or, if you don't like esoteric, maybe something more conspiratorial will fit your bill, if my explanation doesn't. At Hilzoy’s post linked above, in comments, MG says:

My guess is, if Bush and Obama don’t have a deal in place already, he’s taking a calculated risk on Obama’s aversion to conflict I will also guess that it’s one of the few calculated risks Bush has taken in his entire life that will pan out.

I don’t know if that theory is true, either.

But, BUT, I think MG is spot-on with the “Obama’s aversion to conflict” observation. Sounds like a Democratic president from Arkansas, raised part of his life in a one-parent household?