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JackRiddler

(24,979 posts)
26. I wrote this on Jan 13, 2009:
Thu Jun 5, 2014, 03:05 PM
Jun 2014

Posted it on DU. What followed was completely predictable. Let's face it: it's a schtick that Clinton already pulled.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4822017

Obama's pragmatic choice: Prosecute the criminals or be Whitewatered!

Machiavelli says:

There are those who mistakenly believe that pragmatism means avoiding a treatment of the many crimes of state, war crimes and violations of the Constitution commited by the outgoing regime. They call themselves realists and moderates and say investigations, prosecutions or truth commissions will bog down the new administration in a focus on the past, when it's "time to move forward."

First of all, this is wrong. When justice and truth are secondary, no republic, no democracy will survive. When crime pays, criminals receive new incentive.

Second, it's unrealistic. Pragmatism should not be confused with a cowardly push to sweep it all under the rug and pretend it never happened.

Has anyone been paying attention the last 30 years? What do you think the right wing reaction will be to a "post-partisan" "moderate" "time to move on" program? Anyone remember 1993? Clinton was all about moving on, after succeeding to another famously criminal government.

What happened then provides the pattern for what will happen now:

They will dig up every minor piece of bull they can sling at members of the new administration. Sooner or later, something will stick; we live in a country where "real estate" and "financial sector" are synonyms for low-grade corruption. Or something else will catch the media's attention as a decent spectacle. And off we'll go: everything will revolve around some bullshit about someone's sexual affairs, or how they took a payoff when they were dogcatcher, or some insult.

The beast that brought you the recent disasters is still running free, people. If you want change, you need to deal with them.

The choice is not between "pragmatism" and prosecution. If the criminals are not rooted out now, they will return, and the right wing will play dirty. The choice is between prosecution and Whitewatering.


So it turned out to be "Benghazi," the "IRS," all this bullshit you've seen. Do you think the politicians don't know how this works?
They don't dare pscot Jun 2014 #1
They're talking about it which is effective enough. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #2
"Effective enough" in what way? truebluegreen Jun 2014 #3
During the midterms ... Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #36
It gives me no pleasure to say this but you are correct tularetom Jun 2014 #56
Nope ... Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #57
... merrily Jun 2014 #60
Why go after the criminals? Unknown Beatle Jun 2014 #70
great analysis, great line heaven05 Jun 2014 #80
All of that is true--especially about the mandate in '08, truebluegreen Jun 2014 #129
I'm not so sure that the Senate at the time, and given charges that actually were serious, maddiemom Jun 2014 #113
You never know which way it would have cut. merrily Jun 2014 #118
The threshold is a 2/3 vote for conviction in the Senate. truebluegreen Jun 2014 #131
With CU and Gerrymandering and the lack of voter intelligence Exposethefrauds Jun 2014 #4
That is what some said about shutting down the government. TheKentuckian Jun 2014 #8
You have a point pscot Jun 2014 #9
And they only hold one half of one branch of government (well, two with the SC) ... Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #38
They won't actually do it. What they will try to do is make political hay from this totodeinhere Jun 2014 #14
Exactly, which is just as effective as if they actually impeached him. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #39
Yea, but the Democrats do not have to allow them the control of the message, they Jefferson23 Jun 2014 #49
ha ha Jefferson23 Jun 2014 #45
Impeach Away Suckers! RobinA Jun 2014 #125
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY yuiyoshida Jun 2014 #5
Well, Ollie North went to 'jail' to be honest... Wounded Bear Jun 2014 #6
Please explain. antiquie Jun 2014 #22
I guess I missed that... Wounded Bear Jun 2014 #25
I, too, want to hurl. antiquie Jun 2014 #40
We ALL Want to hurl when his hideous face disrupts our field of vision. calimary Jun 2014 #61
"They are never punished" G_j Jun 2014 #7
That is what you get when you give in to bullies. zeemike Jun 2014 #10
Yup. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #42
"And now I have to defend the conservative positions" zeemike Jun 2014 #44
And it sucks. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #48
On the better side of culture war issues and, in general, less crazy. merrily Jun 2014 #64
Any attempt to impeach or punish Bushco would have caused a lot of splashback merrily Jun 2014 #11
sadly, I absolutely agree. BlancheSplanchnik Jun 2014 #12
Thank you, Blanche. merrily Jun 2014 #15
Count me with Blanche, as well. maddiemom Jun 2014 #115
Thank you, too. merrily Jun 2014 #116
Yeah,,, If the Dems had gone ahead with War Crimes invstigations, bvar22 Jun 2014 #134
I hope someone who understands the processes better than I do BlancheSplanchnik Jun 2014 #135
"Splashback" should be the criteria for truth and justice. JackRiddler Jun 2014 #20
They say that politics makes strange bedfellows. merrily Jun 2014 #24
More excuses. JackRiddler Jun 2014 #27
It was an observation, not an excuse. If I were an excuser, I would not have posted Reply #11. merrily Jun 2014 #29
What could Clinton have investigated? Art_from_Ark Jun 2014 #76
The drug dealing, for a start. JackRiddler Jun 2014 #77
OK, I see your point. Art_from_Ark Jun 2014 #79
Oh, and who knows what might have lurked... JackRiddler Jun 2014 #83
Would you please say it to them one more time!! mstinamotorcity2 Jun 2014 #136
... merrily Jun 2014 #90
+1 a whole fucking bunch. Enthusiast Jun 2014 #103
Schtick and theater. Enthusiast Jun 2014 #102
Yep. The Democrats always fold and forgive. Meanwhile the Republicans maddiemom Jun 2014 #114
+ infinity CrawlingChaos Jun 2014 #66
They got the "splashback" anyway! Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #43
Not even close. They got D.C. kabuki politics as usual, is all. merrily Jun 2014 #58
You are correct quakerboy Jun 2014 #71
" I fail to see how that is significantly different than what has actually happened," merrily Jun 2014 #91
I disagree quakerboy Jun 2014 #137
If I understand what you're saying correctly rpannier Jun 2014 #73
MY argument is that politics trumps justice? Not at all. merrily Jun 2014 #89
It got really ugly anway Doctor_J Jun 2014 #78
As Stewart might, say, "You seem nice." Please see replies 29, 58, 60, 89 and 91. merrily Jun 2014 #92
As opposed to the years of bipartisan comity we've enjoyed? MannyGoldstein Jun 2014 #105
No, as opposed to mutally-assured, near total destruction. Please see Reply 92 merrily Jun 2014 #106
No, they were ugly. They tortured. They lied the country into a war. Not acting is complicity. grahamhgreen Jun 2014 #120
Please see Reply 92, where I felt I had to spell out my meaning more. merrily Jun 2014 #124
If Only tea and oranges Jun 2014 #13
They are not battered spouses. JackRiddler Jun 2014 #21
Not to be disagreeable tea and oranges Jun 2014 #28
IMO, both you and Jack have a point. ButI am replying because you all merrily Jun 2014 #31
She led an immediate successful charge for $15/hr minimum wage. JackRiddler Jun 2014 #32
I still can't get over that she got elected. merrily Jun 2014 #34
The difference was the nature of the Socialist Alternative party eridani Jun 2014 #81
Thank you. Good info. merrily Jun 2014 #87
She's totally awesome. Phlem Jun 2014 #37
It might be nice if former Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders said few words on her behalf. merrily Jun 2014 #62
Hi merrily! Phlem Jun 2014 #67
Wow. One of the friendlier posts that has been addressed to me here. Thanks. merrily Jun 2014 #88
I wish I had your opportunity to vote for a socialist. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #46
She's an anomaly, and a good one. Phlem Jun 2014 #68
You're not disagreeable. JackRiddler Jun 2014 #84
Their hands were forced. obxhead Jun 2014 #16
Yup. I can't disagree. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #47
I prefer to think of them as The Regressive Party. nt griloco Jun 2014 #17
Because Democrats The Wizard Jun 2014 #18
Okay, I'll play along ... 1StrongBlackMan Jun 2014 #19
There is no statute of limitations on war crimes. JackRiddler Jun 2014 #23
Thankfully more and more of the rest of the world hold Cheney/Bush more to account than maddiemom Jun 2014 #117
Well, investigations could have been made. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #50
I wrote this on Jan 13, 2009: JackRiddler Jun 2014 #26
Well said! Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #52
What inquiries? Bickle Jun 2014 #30
Several posts on this thread make clear why that did not happen and will never happen. merrily Jun 2014 #93
Cowardice Bickle Jun 2014 #98
Did you read the thread? If so, who the fuck said there was an excuse? merrily Jun 2014 #99
There seem to be a sadly increasing amount of DUers who jump to conclusions maddiemom Jun 2014 #119
Disagreement does seem to be the default response. merrily Jun 2014 #132
Not a meme, a fact Bickle Jun 2014 #130
Again, have you read the thread? And, with all due respect, if you really believe it's a FACT that merrily Jun 2014 #133
"They lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want." JDPriestly Jun 2014 #33
And because, when it comes to their behavior, we really don't have an "opposition party" ... Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #53
And they effectively transformed the nation into a banana republic. Enthusiast Jun 2014 #104
I'm sure Nancy will take Obamas impeachment off the table. Autumn Jun 2014 #35
For that matter, so does he. merrily Jun 2014 #94
Generosity? whatchamacallit Jun 2014 #41
Me too. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #54
I think this is an opportunity for dems in 2014 midterms...no one wiggs Jun 2014 #51
Let them. It will backfire in a huge way on them lostincalifornia Jun 2014 #55
This is one thing I've NEVER forgiven Pelosi for, and have not had much use for her since. Ghost in the Machine Jun 2014 #59
It's the salt in the wound. n/t Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2014 #63
Like having the Dead Sea poured into a gaping wound! N/T Ghost in the Machine Jun 2014 #75
Very possible we'll be saying... JackRiddler Jun 2014 #82
Honestly, I think they were grooming JEB long before they were the shrub, but JEB blew it in Florida Ghost in the Machine Jun 2014 #86
This should make it firm that NEVER AGAIN will we "look forward" for a Republican official! cascadiance Jun 2014 #127
100% exactly jimlup Jun 2014 #65
No Good Deed goes Unpunished libodem Jun 2014 #69
Good deed? merrily Jun 2014 #95
Oliver "Convicted Felon" North as I like to call him psiman Jun 2014 #72
K&R.. butterfly77 Jun 2014 #74
Yup. bigwillq Jun 2014 #85
Well we're certainly not going to get any justice with another Clinton administration. Count on it. YOHABLO Jun 2014 #96
How do you impeach an ex-President and his goons? malaise Jun 2014 #97
I don't think the OP is suggesting attempting retroactive impeachment. As has been noted upthread, merrily Jun 2014 #110
Whether the President actually wanted to look forward as he did, or, alternatively, Enthusiast Jun 2014 #100
The Republican brand could have been destroyed ctsnowman Jun 2014 #101
It's also what happens when you don't learn from history... JHB Jun 2014 #107
Both parties have enough on each other and Clinton and Obama each followed in the footsteps merrily Jun 2014 #111
I remember how the GOP was on the proverbial ropes deutsey Jun 2014 #108
I have never seen a party as much in opposition as the republicans rock Jun 2014 #109
Impeachment was off the table because it was a fool's errand ... Richardo Jun 2014 #112
Criminal prosecution for crimes such as TORTURING INNOCENT PEOPLE, would have been an easy place to grahamhgreen Jun 2014 #121
I really don't have any evidence pointing me to believe that these same republicans wouldn't... LanternWaste Jun 2014 #122
how many times can I recommend this??? n/t Mira Jun 2014 #123
What would have been your plan for getting the 67 votes needed to convict in the Senate? bluestateguy Jun 2014 #126
I'll never forgive Pelosi for taking "impeachemtn off the table". vkkv Jun 2014 #128
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