The Boston Globe printed an interesting article lamenting the fact that since the Willie Horton brouhaha there hasn't been a great deal of enthusiasm among Massachusetts governors for pardons, commutations, or a fulough program for murderers. "In Massachusetts," Michael Blanding writes, "there hasn't been a single commutation approved by a governor since 1997 -- and there were only seven in the previous 10 years (four for murderers). Over the past 22 years, more than 650 petitions have been denied. In that same period, Delaware has approved hundreds, 12 for convicted murderers. Michigan's Democratic governor has approved 23 in the past five years; in the prior 12 years, her Republican predecessor approved 34. And from 2003 to 2007, Maryland’s Republican governor granted 15 commutations, including five for life sentences for murder." That should be a boasting point for recent Massachusetts' governors, but to the Globe it's a mark of shame. Accuse liberal politicians of being too liberal in their treatment of criminals if you must, but don't forget that liberal politicians are generally more politician than liberal. The operative acronym here is CYA. Consider this gem: "Ever since what Willie Horton did to Mike Dukakis, governors are going to think not twice but 10 times before they ever commute anyone,” notes a retired judicial hack in the Globe piece. Get it? It's not what Willie Horton did to that poor woman he kidnapped and raped in Maryland, it's what he did to Michael Dukakis!