Are you ready to celebrate the 231st year of independence of the United States of America? Our nation’s birthday is tomorrow, but if you ask us, she doesn’t look a day over 100. We’re forgiving that way. We’ll obviously be taking the day off, but before we go, how about a few Quick Hits?

» Dave Berns, host of the "State of Nevada" program on KNPR-FM 89.5 had U.S. Reps. Jon Porter and Shelley Berkley on the program today, mostly to talk about their joint sponsorship of the local ONE campaign. But talk turned to President George W. Bush’s decision to commute the prison sentence for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby that we told you about yesterday.

Porter said he disagreed with the president’s decision, which was good to hear. But he added that he also disagreed with former President Bill Clinton’s decision to pardon certain people, including "terrorists." We think he must be referring to the 1999 pardons of 16 members of the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberation Nacional (FALN), a group that fights for independence for Puerto Rico and that set off bombs in New York City.

Just one little thing, however: None of the 16 FALN members pardoned by Clinton had ever been convicted of a bombing, or any crime that hurt or killed a person. Instead, they were convicted of conspiracy to make bombs, commit robberies and sedition.

It doesn’t mean they didn’t help commit mayhem, or that they didn’t deserve to be in jail. But when Porter — and other members of the GOP — use the word "terrorists," we think of Osama bin Laden and planes flying into the World Trade Center, not members of a group who, even authorities have to admit, never actually hurt anybody. And we figure that’s the point, right: Who cares about a white-collar criminal like Libby when Clinton is out pardoning terrorists?

Now, had it been up to us, we wouldn’t have let the FALN guys out, and we wouldn’t let Libby off the hook, either. We’re harsh that way. But let’s not justify one wrong with a backdated slam at another, especially when stretching the definition of "terrorist" just a little bit.

Berkley, of course, was in fine dander about the pardons, saying they show a total disrespect for the rule of law and a betrayal of Bush’s general promise to clean up Washington. We couldn’t agree more. But even in this, we must say that Bush has been totally consistent, aggressively disrespecting the rule of law during the entire time he’s been in office. You can listen to the conversation yourself, here, as soon as the audio file is posted.

» Hey, Sen. John Ensign: Check out how things should work when somebody lies to a United States senator. It seems that Larry Martines, Gov. Jim Gibbons‘ homeland security director, came to Washington, and told both Ensign and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid that law enforcement agencies in Nevada supported a "fusion hub" for intelligence gathering and distribution in Carson City.

The only problem? Law enforcement agencies actually oppose a Carson City hub, preferring that Las Vegas and Reno host the state’s two main intelligence centers. Once the senators discovered that, federal funding dried up, and Gibbons was unable to persuade the Legislature to immediately fund a Carson City hub, either. (Gibbons, who desperately wants his own version of the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, is still said to be interested in the idea.)

Well, the Las Vegas Sun reports today that Martines is resigning, undoubtedly due to the blow his credibility took after the tussle with state law enforcement and the fib to Reid.

See? That’s how it’s done! You lie, you’re out! So how can Ensign possibly go on supporting Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who not only sent an emissary to Ensign who lied about the real reason for the firing of U.S. attorney Dan Bogden, but who himself has told wildly conflicting stories about the firings? How can anybody who respects themselves, their office or the truth put up with Gonzales another day?

Oh, yeah. This is John Ensign we’re discussing. He’s already said he’d lie if the occasion were right, so he must be morally flexible about the idea when it comes to other people, too.

» And finally today, we were a little hurt that the Las Vegas Sun didn’t find room in its profile of "Ask a Mexican" columnist Gustavo Arellano to mention that, in fact, that column appears weekly in CityLife! It’s especially hurtful since we at Various Things & Stuff stood up for the Sun two weeks ago when the Review-Journal refused to give the Sun credit for a long-running investigation a of Community College of Southern Nevada official.

So check it out: Today, we penned a very short, very nice letter noting the omission and sent it to the letters-to-the-editor section of the Sun. We’re so excited! It’s our very first letter to the editor. We sure hope it gets published!

(Full disclosure: We at Various Things & Stuff worked for the Sun from 1993 to 1997. This blog, as well as CityLife, are owned by Stephens Media LLC, which also owns the Review-Journal.)