Truth, Justice and the American way

I'm confused (OK, I know it doesn't take much, especially when talking about our USA cousins, but .....)

Can anyone explain to me how a Democracy, a world leader of freedom and personal responsibility (certainly in their own eyes), a country based on the fact that all men are equal in the eyes of the state, where the leaders are the loudest denouncers of dictatorship or tyranny in any form, can anyone explain to me how the president of THIS country has the ability to completely ignore the rule of law and due process and can apparently just turn round to the entire judicial system and stick to fingers up at them?

HOW does the president have the power to commute Libby's sentance? It was arrived at following all the corrrect procedures, using all the correct channels and people and systems, yet after the fact, Bush can change it? What?!

One has to ask, does he have the power to do the opposite? When someone had been found innocent in court, could the president decide that actually they were guilty/deserved a prison sentance anyway? Surely it is the same power?

Surely that is something only dictators do?

Isn't that what we condemn China for doing? And others?

A civilised society?

I have never understood why the USA has such a general apoplexy whenever "socialized" medicine is mentioned. It seems that even many "liberal" Americans have a blind spot about this most basic human requirement and refuse to look at possibilities, probablities and facts. It seems to me that any country that does not have universal healthcare, can barely be called civilised, but on the few times I have tried to debate it with Americans they have been even more blind to the arguments than when I debate with fundy creationalists!

We may think that the NHS has problems, and is expensive, but compared the the US system we are a picture of perfection! I've highlighted some specific examples of fellow bloggers brush with injury & illness before, but when even the msm points out:

"most personal bankruptcies in the US are the result of illness.

The story of American healthcare is one of huge expenditure for little obvious benefit.

By head of population America spends twice the amount Britain does on health.

But life expectancy here is lower and infant mortality is higher, way higher in some ethnic groups. "

Those four statements seem pretty damning in themselves, but I still regularly hear Americans arguing that social medical care would bankrupt their country/cause immigrants to "use up" all the resources/encourage unecessary procedures (because the USA is well known for it's conservatism & reticence in using medical procedures for personal reaons!)/undermine their cultural values etc....

I am confused.

Ca anyone actually come up with a good reason for keeping the US system?