Were the Nixon break-ins, burglaries and cover-ups "policy differences"?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

No, they were crimes. And we were adult enough to be able to investigate them and prosecute them and rid our government, even if only temporarily, of a den of criminals. No one argued that we wouldn't be able to continue the other vital roles of government and we did. We had a peaceful transition of the head executive and we all lived to tell the tale and become a better country for it, again, even if only temporarily.

[taterguy]

1. When was Nixon prosecuted?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. Not Nixon himself but many of his henchmen did do time in the Big House.

Gerald Ford did not gain re-election, many feel, due to the pardon. Of course you already know this.

[onenote]

3. not defending, but explaining: one way in which many will see them as different

Nixon's abuses were engaged in for his own political gain -- to get elected. The repub defenders of the bush gang will argue that the actions taken by that group were not for political gain but "to protect the country from really really bad people". Like it or not, that will be regarded by a lot of people as a significant distinction between the two situations.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. They both involve activities that are clearly delineated as crimes.

It goes back to whether we are a nation of laws or not.

The Republicans have used "9/11 changed everything" fear! fear! terror! terror! as their major tool in breaking down the Constitution, our statutes, our history of checks and balances, our civil rights, our adherence to international treaties and conventions, and our purported moral high ground to be Leader of the Free World.

This is the absolute seminal point we will be determing in these discussions.

(Plus, I thought Republicans HATED moral relativity.)

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. On the other hand - "I am the state".

Nixon did not do what he did for personal gain - he genuinely believed that HE was the salvation of the country. If HE was not re-elected, the Democrats would pull the country out of Vietnam precipitously and thus inflict incalculable harm on the nation. Everything he did, was for the good of the country.

from his POV.

His criminal acts were not, like Cheney's or his own VP Agnew's, for personal wealth and gain. He just totally bought into the 'one extraordinary man' thesis so common with authoritarians and believed HE was that one extraordinary man upon whom history hinged.

It didn't make them any less criminal, though.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

10. That is completely in line with the Bush's adminstration "Unitary Executive" theory

One MORE reason why they should be investigated/prosecuted.

Plus, it IS what George Bush himself wants, and who are we to deny him?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=5522977

[onenote]

11. I didn't say that Nixon acted for personal gain. He acted for political gain

He wanted to win and hold power at all costs. As for the notion that he saw himself as the salvation of the country and that was his motivation (as opposed to simply wanting to win for the sake of holding power), I'd love to see a link supporting that. Neither he nor his henchmen, to my knowledge, offered up a "ends justify the means" explanation. Rather, they simply argued that everyone did what they did -- which was a crock of shit of course.

[CanonRay]

5. The difference seem to be

that in the early 70's, many Republican representatives in Congress went against Nixon and their party to do what was right for America and defend the Constitution. Indeed, many in Nixon's own government (the DOJ massacre) resigned rather than take unethical actions in support of Nixon. Unfortunately, I don't see too many of that party stepping up now, in an even more obvious situation, which make me both saddened and fearful.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. True. We functioned as a complete government before the poisonous

and corrosive uses of excessive partisanship were introduced, I believe in the Reagan era and then furthur mastered by Newt and then taken to the penultimate by Bush/Rove/Cheney.

[riverdeep]

7. Nixon should been rotting in a prison cell not just for the lies,

but because he was a war criminal. Extending the war so that he could get re-elected? How many millions of people did take out? And Kissinger too.

As far as 'policy differences' vs outright illegality, it's obvious. They purposely distorted the law by hiring crooked lawyers and judges who would tell them what they wanted to hear, they purposely ignored those voices that said this was wrong. It's been a favorite tool of government from time immemorial. China has thousands of laws they normally don't enforce, until they want to take someone down. See, everything nice and legal-like.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

8. It's the Al Capone theory of going for the simple rather than the complex. nt

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

12. evening kick. nt