Monday, August 27, 2007

Albie In The Mud And Other Stupidities

Albie was "dragged through the mud for political reasons," quoth the "Decider." Well, yes, a big part of it was politics, the difference of opinion would be whose politics it was. George would have us believe that Congressional politics was in play - this from the all politics all the time President. Albie's problem was politics, no doubt, the playing at politics in DOJ where it had no place making politics policy at DOJ.

People expect the President to be political, but they also expect him to suborn politics to the good of the nation and they definitely expect justice to be applied apolitically. One of the basics that separates us from the third world dung holes is the rule of law. That rule of law creates transparency in government, it means that you know what is legal and not - every time. Not depending on whether you belong to the "X" Party or "Z" religion, each and every time. You know that the government will come after you for a violation not for an affiliation and that is important. Albie, amongst others (dragged through the mud others) ignored that.

Another person that seems to have little clue about law is Michael Vick. Today he apologized, saying he was ashamed. Wait a whole doggone minute. As far as I can tell, dog fighting has been illegal for quite some time and in the opinion of most Americans, cruel and degenerate. Michael just now figured this out? He just figured out that it was wrong? What exactly is he ashamed of, getting caught? Losing a boatload of money? Oh hell, we pay people who are of no use to the nation beyond entertainment buckets of money after coddling them through their youth, to play a game.

Vick pleaded out after his co-conspirators testified against him, Albie quit when there was no public heat - what was waiting in the wings for him?

10 comments:

Zakariah Johnson said...

Love your label on this post. Couldn't agree more, except to stupidity I'd add evil. That's a loaded term few genuinely use and fewer deserve but I'd say Alberto "Abu Ghraib" Gonzales earned that title.

The trail from the 100+ prisoners who've died while in U.S. military custody the past couple years to Abu Ghraib and the accompanying loss of the hearts and minds campaign in the middle east, not to mention the destruction our America's moral standing in the world under W's administration, leads right back to the outgoing Attorney General (with help from Rumsfeld and Cheney, to be sure, but still it goes to A.G.)

This is the man who called the Geneva Conventions "quaint" and urged the president to disregard them. Which he did, to the discredit of us all. If Americans ever come to our collective senses about what we have lost in our stampede to punish, then history will remember Gonzales and W. in the same breath as Joseph McCarthy, Armstrong Custer, and Benedict Arnold.

The Geneva Conventions are no more quaint than the 8th Amendment. They are vital, guiding symbols to people with principles, which we once were certain we were, but now have serious cause to question. And Alberto Gonzales is, pure and simple, a complete bastard.

Chuck Butcher said...

I know Zak, but I've spent a lot of time lately foaming at the mouth so I thought I'd take a little more restrained approach. Evil is the appropriate word.

Anonymous said...

Let's talk illegal immigration again. George and Gonzales labeled those volunters who went to the borders to do a job the administration wouldn't do "vigilantes" while doing nothing to secure the borders. An open invasion went on during the Bush administration's watch. Incompetence or treason?

Anonymous said...

Oh Boy...Chuck, you got one right(or left if you prefer) Vick is slime....if this country folds as it will, he will be back in the NFL.

Tolerence again from the left, it will be an ACLU deal too, the "BLACK EXPERIANCE", he was just mis-understood.

Hey I know, send him to my halfway house I mentioned..THEY GET 90 MINUTES OF "UNSUPERVISED" WALKS from the house...THEN LET THE OVERLY CRAZED DOG LOVERS HERE KNOW HE IS LOOSE. NUFF SAID ON THAT ONE.

Anonymous said...

Now too "THE ZAKKER!"

Please sir(hoping I got the gender/or transgender right, can't be too careful..MUST NOT OFFEND),

Please don't be like Chuck and play the "I'M NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE!" and give me a spin answer.

For sake of discussion...IF YOUR'RE THE PRESIDENT...and you know OBL, has set in motion 10-10 megaton nukes to go off in 7 cities...AND YOU HAD 2 hours to find and disarm them...DO YOU CALL HIS RELIGOUS LEADER TO ASK HIM TO TELL US WHERE THEY ARE, OR DO YOU WATER BOARD HIM?

I can't wait for this one!!!!

Zakariah Johnson said...

Hi Anon,
The problems with torture is that is gets you the answer you want. It's not effective, so I don't advocate it.

But at the end of the day, people torture because the like it and because they can, not because there is anything to be gained from it. If you look at the long game, the loss of good will and moral standing is not worth short term gains. In the war on terror, torturing people has been used as a short-cut to planning, funding, and executing a competently planned effort to eradicate our enemies; and like most short-cuts it has left us stranded in a field, out of gas and no idea to get back to the road we meant to follow.

Anonymous said...

Hi Anon,
The problems with torture is that is gets you the answer you want. It's not effective, so I don't advocate it.

WOW..Somehow I knew you'd be the guy you are... I BET OBL, "Who said, "WE LOVE DEATH", you are afraid of it!" knew your answer as well.

GOOD WILL???... OBL, IS GOING TO DIE LAUGHING ON THAT ONE.

The world now is different there "flower child!" YOU WON'T SING YOUR WAY OUT OF WHAT IS A CLEAR AS YOUR COLOR(YELLOW).

You,Chuck, (no matter what he say's(and he has a gun) haven't the gonards to fight an once to protect yourselfs...not withstanding the rest of us.

Zakariah Johnson said...

You call me yellow, but you're the one without the courage to stand for principles. Funny that, don't you think?

And of course, you didn't address the issue of whether torture is effective or not--which supports my belief that those who torture mostly do it because they like to and not out of any compelling need. Those aren't the sorts of people we need running our government IMHO.

By your statements, I assume you agree with Alberto that the 8th Amendment is out dated. Do you feel that way about the whole Constitution? If so, just what is it you feel your attitude is protecting and securing? Just wondering.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Chuck Butcher said...

Dat,
fix your attitude, if you want to go on extended and repeated rants - start your own blog. I'm serious this one's gone and if you don't fix it, I'll just blanket ashcan you.

I've told you, I don't mind disagreement, but you keep making things up and repeating the same thing.