Even before that. Iran-Contra, for example. Before that - Nixon. Being allowed to resign and then pardoned is NOT accountability
Politicians make speeches, peppering their narrative with phrases like "rule of law" and "no one is above the law", stroking the people's need to see the righting of wrongs, allowing them to feel that, finally, something will be done about criminal elected officials - and they know this because some person making a speech used the words of the good guys, where the principles of justice and fairness are more than just catch phrases - all the while using catch phrases and feel-good words to express themselves.
In the novel "1984", we find the cathartic release of the two minutes of hate - and it was cathartic because it allowed the people to vent their real despair and real pain onto a politically chosen common enemy. So that even if they didn't buy into the whole Emmanuel Goldstein is the enemy of the state narrative, they could still release the raw emotions they were feeling about the world they were living in. They could feel their anger openly. Thus offering up some release. Even if they didn't make the connection between how they actually felt and their outpourings of hate to the enemy chosen for them by the state. Redirected anger. Targeted anger.
Same applies to two-minutes of happiness. Where a speaker draws you in with ideals you believe in and words spoken that make you feel good again. Only those words are meaningless if no action is taken to further the ideals. But no matter, you get caught up in phrases like "no one is above the law", each turn and twist of righteous validation hitting all the right spots. You've been thirsting so long and now there is water. You cheer. You cry. You have release.
You forget that war criminals got away with their crimes - with all your energies focused on the most recent of criminal politicians and all the bad they did. You ask the exact same questions now that you did 20 years ago. "How did this happen?", "How was this allowed?", "How far have we've fallen?", "How?", "Why?". You demand justice. You claim "This is not America". Completely disregarding the history of America.
And this pattern will continue to repeat itself as long as it works to control the demands of the people. As long as it offers up an outlet. And make no mistake, it is a form of manipulation. As long as it creates enough room so people can forget once again... until the next outrage comes along.
We keep demanding justice and accountability and we keep getting told "no one is above the law" by those in power.
Only, it's obvious that quite a few people are above the law and no amount of feel-good speeches will change that.
We keep being told all the reasons why demands for justice are unreasonable.
Justice - unreasonable.
And people wonder why Trump ever came to power. Just like they'll wonder how the next wannabe tyrant gained power.
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