MaryAnnKilledGinger
11-05-2008, 11:27 AM
So, now that there is only a little over two months left of W and Cheney's rein, it's time to give some serious thought toward how they intend to protect themselves against criminal liability. Once upon a time I would have believed they would simply assume no one would dare bring them up on charges for their war crimes and their acts against their sworn duties (upholding the Constitution of the United States). Now, however, even their inherent arrogance has to yield to the fact that the Democrats have the Congress, the Presidency, and, very likely, a center-left leaning Supreme Court.
I have long considered the following options would be employed:
1. W. pardons everyone he can think of and resigns his presidency with X minutes left in office. Dick Cheney becomes the 44th President of the United States and pardons Bush and Obama is sworn in as the 45th president.
2. Bush takes a risk and issues a blanket pardon to anyone acting on behalf of the administration during this period of "national crisis" ala the Jimmy Carter blanket pardon issued for all draft dodgers. This method is more risky as the legality of this type of pardon has never been challenged.
I do not put it past them to employ both methods in tandem.
While I am all for a spirit of reconciliation for the citizens of our nation, left and right together, I also believe that the crimes that have been committed at the highest level by our leaders on behalf of our citizenry cannot be pardoned or excused. In order to prove to the other nations of the world that we do not hold any of our citizens above the law, I think we owe it to ourselves and our neighbors in the world to hold those responsible accountable for their war crimes.
I also think that legally challenging these crimes is the only right way for America to move on from them. If they are found guilty, then justice will have been done. If they are found not guilty, then America will have to own these acts as ours, regardless of party affiliation.
What I don't know is if the Democrats have the stomach for it. I'd like to think this elections has given them some guts to do the ugly task, but I'm still skeptical.
What do you expect to happen?
I have long considered the following options would be employed:
1. W. pardons everyone he can think of and resigns his presidency with X minutes left in office. Dick Cheney becomes the 44th President of the United States and pardons Bush and Obama is sworn in as the 45th president.
2. Bush takes a risk and issues a blanket pardon to anyone acting on behalf of the administration during this period of "national crisis" ala the Jimmy Carter blanket pardon issued for all draft dodgers. This method is more risky as the legality of this type of pardon has never been challenged.
I do not put it past them to employ both methods in tandem.
While I am all for a spirit of reconciliation for the citizens of our nation, left and right together, I also believe that the crimes that have been committed at the highest level by our leaders on behalf of our citizenry cannot be pardoned or excused. In order to prove to the other nations of the world that we do not hold any of our citizens above the law, I think we owe it to ourselves and our neighbors in the world to hold those responsible accountable for their war crimes.
I also think that legally challenging these crimes is the only right way for America to move on from them. If they are found guilty, then justice will have been done. If they are found not guilty, then America will have to own these acts as ours, regardless of party affiliation.
What I don't know is if the Democrats have the stomach for it. I'd like to think this elections has given them some guts to do the ugly task, but I'm still skeptical.
What do you expect to happen?