President Bush did the right thing today when he commuted the sentences of the two Border Patrol agents who were found guilty of violating the civil rights of an illegal alien who was attempting to smuggle drugs. The Republican Party of Texas found the event important enough to send out a news release over Tina Benkiser’s signature. The commutation is NOT a pardon, and the agents should not have been pardoned. They did not report the shooting, which amounted to a cover-up. They should have been prosecuted. They were guilty. The problem here is that the federal sentencing guidelines are too inflexible, and the trial judge sentenced the two agents to eleven and twelve years. This punishment was far too harsh. A commutation of the sentence, to take effect on March 20, is the proper remedy. Bush got this one right. It’s been a long time since I have written that.