"either we are a nation of laws or we aren't"
It's very hard to argue that we are anymore. The main reason is Repub protection, both politocal and propaganda-wise, for their party's criminals. They're delighted to welcome felons back to gub'mint, the felony is a badge of honor to them. Scooter will proclaim his perjury conviction as virtue.
The president has admitted that he authorized waterboarding, torture under all Geneva Convention Countries understanding, and that he engaged in warrantless surveilance of domestic telephone calls. Both are felonies, and he has admitted to engagaing in both of them. Plus we know that he suborned massive illegal telecommunications dragnets by the telecoms, for which he is desperately seeking "immunity".
A "nation of laws" would quickly impeach him and have the senate try him. Yet the Congress does nothing because of unified, blatant Repub defense of presidential lawbreaking. At a bare mimimum, he must be indicted and tried after he leaves office and forced to present his absurd "defenses" to a judge and jury.
Let's see what Attorney General Edwards does.
And the idea that the US now posseses the slightest moral authority on human rights issues is comic.
Posted by euzoius at May 29, 2008 12:44 PMif edwards becomes ag, i hope he will be allowed to fully investigate every possible crime by government officials. it's the only way we take even the first step back towards the concepts of democracy.
Posted by Turkana at May 29, 2008 12:52 PM"It is imperative that the next Democratic president and the next Democratic Congress establish the principle that no one is above the law."
The latest Esquire has a piece by Charles Pierce titled, "The Cynic and Senator Obama" that pivots on this thought. As a whole, the essay nails why I'll be an Eventual Nominee supporter and not necessarily an Obama supporter.
As Pierce writes:
"[Obama] was offering absolution without confession, without penance. In 2007, when asked about the possibility -- just the possibility -- of impeaching George W. Bush and/or Dick Cheney, Obama scoffed at the idea, not entirely because it was constitutionally unsound but also because it was impolite and a nuisance and might make many people angry at one another, and he was, after all, running to help save us from ourselves.
“We would, once again, rather than attending to the people’s business, be engaged in a tit-for-tat, back-and-forth, nonstop circus.”
He was offering a guilty country a nolo plea. Himself. Absolution without confession.
There were not enough people in handcuffs yet."
It's a great piece of writing. Will an Obama administration work to correct the damaged foundations of this country, or take the easy way out and just slap on a fresh coat of paint?
Again, Pierce:
"He is the country’s walking absolution. That’s his reason, the cynic thinks, but it’s not mine. There has to be confession. There has to be penance. Being Barack Obama is not enough. Not damn close to enough."
Posted by grimc at May 29, 2008 12:58 PMObama has lectured in Con. Law at the Univ. of Chicago. In " The Audacity of Hope" he has a lot to say about the constitution and it's brilliance.
I feel that and I deeply hope he gets what damage has been done to it and will understand that the only way to set it right is to hold some of those at the top accountable and that means charges and trials.
Eric in Austin
Posted by ericl at May 29, 2008 02:15 PMWell the laws were never applied equally and fairly to everyone. The natives can tell you a whole lot more about that.
Posted by tenacitus at May 29, 2008 09:03 PMeuzoius: A "nation of laws" would quickly impeach him and have the senate try him. Yet the Congress does nothing because of unified, blatant Repub defense of presidential lawbreaking.
Congressional Democrats could have done a LOT in the past year to rein in King George. They didn't. Why? Because they are complicit. The 2 parties are 2 sides of the same coin: the party of WAR
Is Obama (or even Clinton) better than McCain? Yeah. But don't expect much to change. America will retain corporate authoritarianism at home and empire abroad.
Posted by Gay Veteran at May 30, 2008 10:10 AM