Second biggest fear
I don't need to tell you that my biggest fear, with either Clinton or Obama as president, is that we will still be in Iraq four years from now. I think that's somewhat less likely with President Obama than with President "I wasn't wrong for voting for the war" Clinton - but it's still a measurable fear.
My second biggest fear (equally so for both candidates) is that the new president will feel the need to halt all the investigations, and that they will even pardon the culprits, all in the interest of harmony, bi-partisanship, kumbaya, or just for the sake of "moving on." Perhaps they will feel it's the right thing to do because, after all, the Congress let Bill Clinton get away with his sex crimes, which were far worse than war crimes.
I'm not being vindictive. You and I already know pretty much what has happened the past seven years. To us, these things are truths (much like evolution is "truth" even though it's called scientific theory). But to most of the American public, these things are still in the realm of just "partisan" charges. Even where true, they are just "the way things are always done in Washington."
Of course, they will be the way things are done in the future, if we do not have accountability for the past.
Whether Bush, Cheney, and the others go to jail for their crimes is not my real concern. I want the American public to know, face, and be apalled by the truth. I want Clinton, Obama, and all future politicians to know that this is not the way things are done in Washington.
My second biggest fear (equally so for both candidates) is that the new president will feel the need to halt all the investigations, and that they will even pardon the culprits, all in the interest of harmony, bi-partisanship, kumbaya, or just for the sake of "moving on." Perhaps they will feel it's the right thing to do because, after all, the Congress let Bill Clinton get away with his sex crimes, which were far worse than war crimes.
I'm not being vindictive. You and I already know pretty much what has happened the past seven years. To us, these things are truths (much like evolution is "truth" even though it's called scientific theory). But to most of the American public, these things are still in the realm of just "partisan" charges. Even where true, they are just "the way things are always done in Washington."
Of course, they will be the way things are done in the future, if we do not have accountability for the past.
Whether Bush, Cheney, and the others go to jail for their crimes is not my real concern. I want the American public to know, face, and be apalled by the truth. I want Clinton, Obama, and all future politicians to know that this is not the way things are done in Washington.
bob at 11:52 AM [Permalink]
[Trackbacks]
1 Comments:
I hear you on fear #2. Of course, for some bizarre reason, Washington seems to think that impeachment / trials are out of the question.
One interesting suggestion I've seen around is for the new pres to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a la South Africa after apartheid.
As I understand it, those testifying would be immune from prosecution from all crimes except perjury, which could attract a higher sentence than normal. In S. Africa, truth and reconciliation committees were held in cities, towns, and villages all across the country, where perpetrators of apartheid were forced to come face-to-face with the testimony of their victims. Some say the results were mixed, but it was a way of moving forward as a nation. And of course, Mandela was elected prime minister.
Could be something to think about.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home