During the Bill Clinton scandal(s), Democrats poo-pooed the significance of perjury. So what if the man charged with upholding the nation’s laws tried to get someone to lie for him under oath? No biggie.

What kind of message was that?

Now sprinter Marion Jones will do six months in prison for lying under oath about taking steroids, to send a different message.

Judge Karas said he gave Jones six months for lying to a federal agent in November, 2003, about her use of steroids and a cheque fraud scam. He cited “the need for general deterrence and the need to promote respect for the law.” He called her perjury “serious” and “not just a momentary lack of judgment. … No one is above telling the truth.”

In theory, yes.