So if Tom DeLay was to be found guilty of murder,

[Cyrano]

would the Rethug congress pass a law that congressional leaders cannot be found guilty of murder?

I know, it sounds crazy. But what's to stop them?

Oh yeah, I forgot. There's still the other two branches of government. The Bush administration and the Rehnquist court.

[sui generis]

1. if he was found guilty of murder he would be in jail

the party policy they passed was to allow Tom De Lay to continue to represent the Republican party as a typical Republican if he just happened to get indicted for a crime for which the punishment could be two years or more of jail time.

Nothing new there . . .

[Cyrano]

4. Still doesn't answer the question.

What's to stop them from passing any law they want to?

[sui generis]

5. actually I have never had a good answer to this question

from anybody on DU.

If our freedoms allow liberals and conservatives to coexist, what is to stop either side from legislating the other out of existence?

Well for us, it really is about scruples. But can we answer that question? What's to keep the rabid fundamental minority from manipulating politicians and the media into radically transforming the constitution?

Please feel free to speculate.

[Cyrano]

6. To the best of my knowledge, we've never had extremists

in charge of all three branches of government.

For many years, the Dems controlled all three branches, but they never went berserk with their power. FDR tried to pack the courts in the 30s and was stopped by his own party.

Added to radical Republican extremism is a media that is a wholly owned subsidiary of corporate America. They aren't about to report anything that would jeopardize their interests.

The only places you can still find out what's going on is the net, the foreign press and AAR. But the 50% or so who just voted for fascism don't pay any attention to them.

[madinmaryland]

2. Bush would pardon him.

so that he could go back to the house.

[gWbush is Mabus]

3. that speeding congressman did kill someone on the road

i think he got off lightly