Amnesty for Bushies?
I've already begun thinking about whether it might make sense for President Obama to issue a blanket amnesty for the detainee abuse, extraordinary rendition, secret prisons, illegal wiretapping, and other crap that has gone on during the Bush administration.
There is already speculation that Bush and his staff will continue to claim "executive privilege" after he leaves office, so it might take years of legal battles to even come close to indicting or convicting anyone near the top of the food chain. And convicting those who might have believed in good faith that they were following legal orders doesn't seem to be helpful or productive.
Meanwhile, a general amnesty might help move Congressional investigations forward because potential witnesses would have more to fear from perjury or obstruction of justice charges than from admitting what happened.
Sunshine is one of the best disinfectants. Getting the truth out in the open, exposing the slime of the Bushies, and working to make sure that it doesn't happen again should be more important than sending anyone to jail.
President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon in order to end the "long national nightmare." I expect to see similar actions from President Obama.
There is already speculation that Bush and his staff will continue to claim "executive privilege" after he leaves office, so it might take years of legal battles to even come close to indicting or convicting anyone near the top of the food chain. And convicting those who might have believed in good faith that they were following legal orders doesn't seem to be helpful or productive.
Meanwhile, a general amnesty might help move Congressional investigations forward because potential witnesses would have more to fear from perjury or obstruction of justice charges than from admitting what happened.
Sunshine is one of the best disinfectants. Getting the truth out in the open, exposing the slime of the Bushies, and working to make sure that it doesn't happen again should be more important than sending anyone to jail.
President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon in order to end the "long national nightmare." I expect to see similar actions from President Obama.
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What ought to be done is that whenever documents are found that are incriminating, they ought to be published on the web, where people can copy and print them immediately. Otherwise, they will get tangled up in court and obfuscated beyond recognition by attorneys. It's what they do.
Bush and the Republicans were tried in the court of public opinion and lost big time. Their trials should continue, if not in court, on the web.
November 13, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope and expect that we will see some prosecutions. Perhaps everything is on hold until after the current administration steps down...
November 13, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ford's action was a reprehensible one.
If Obama wants to ensure it will happen again, he should grant amnesty for all acts; then aspiring criminals in all parties can learn how one can be a law unto oneself and then get the nation behind them in a tearful 'catharsis,' just as Cheney and Rumsfeld did, once upon a time.
November 14, 2008 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ford's action was the ultimate act of political courage of the past half century. He willingly risked - and gave up - the Presidency to do something he knew would be unpopular, but felt was in the best interest of the country. Nixon, he felt, had been destroyed and humiliated.
In this case, the people who put an elected Governor in jail as a political prisoner have not suffered anything.
Once Bush Jr is outta town, it's time to bring Rove and Co before the bar of justice. But it must be done in the most responsible manner. Some folks should face charges. Others most certainly should be disbarred.
November 14, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink