Obama Going Easy on Bush? Say It Ain't So

• Bill Clinton lies about having an affair. Result: he's brought to trial and nearly kicked out of office.
• Richard Nixon conspires to cover up a break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters. Result: he's forced to resign just before he would have been booted from the presidency.
• George W. Bush invades a sovereign country while lying to the American people and the United Nations. He breaks the Geneva Conventions, illegally wiretaps American citizens, and commits treason by allowing or encouraging the outing of a CIA agent (among other extra curricular activities). Result: nothing more than shitty approval ratings.

However, if Bush had invaded a female (with her consent) instead of a country, he would've at least lost his job. Right, Gov. Spitzer? If Bush had stolen a $1 candy bar from a convenience store rather than extorting Iraq out of billions of dollars of oil, he might have been sentenced to 16 years in jail as Kenneth Payne was in Texas. Let that be a lesson to Mr. Payne: if you want to avoid serving hard time, shoot for the billions in oil, not the Butterfinger.

• After having a few drinks, Dick Cheney shoots a man, Harry Whittington, in the face nearly killing him. Result: the victim gives a press conference on the steps of the hospital apologizing for causing his would-be killer so much grief. Cheney will live out the rest of his life in a mansion in an undisclosed location swimming through a pool of gold coins.


• Plaxico Burress shoots himself in the leg. Result: he is charged with criminal possession of a firearm. He will likely spend time in jail.

The difference between these two incidents seems to be that unlike Harry Whittington, Plaxico Burress was shot by a black man.

• George W. Bush is an accomplice to the murder of hundreds of thousands of innocent people (at least). In fact, he gave the order that started the killing. Result (if Barack Obama stops any prosecution of Bush): the former president will live out his days on a ranch in the middle of Texas where he will hopefully finally finish reading the U.S. Constitution. He has told friends that he found the first half very intriguing.


• In Texas a man named Kenneth Foster drives a car with his friend. His friend gets out the car, gets in a fight, and kills a man. Result: as an accomplice to murder, Foster is scheduled to be put to death. The governor commutes his death sentence just hours before, and Foster will instead spend the rest of his life behind bars

The lesson here is if you're going to be an accomplice to a crime, better it be international war crimes. Perpetrators of war crimes are generally rewarded rather than punished.

• Martha Stewart is convicted for lying to federal prosecutors about insider trading and stock sales. Result: she spends five months in prison.


• During the 2000 presidential election Dick Cheney retires from Halliburton with a severance package worth $36 million and declares he will cut financial ties with his former company. Between then and 2004 he receives about $200,000 from them every year. Over the course of the occupation in Iraq, Halliburton receives many no-bid contracts worth billions of dollars. Result: Cheney's stock options in Halliburton increase by around 3,000%.


• Without any weapons or threats, Ricky Kiser of Virginia goes to a pharmacy and hands the clerk a note demanding methadone, to which he is addicted. Result: a judge sentences him to 120 years in prison.

If only Ricky Kiser had been helplessly addicted to money like Vice President Cheney, he might be a free man right now.

• The Bush administration permits the use of dogs in interrogation and torture of suspected terrorists. This is a violation of the Geneva Conventions. Result: none except that Bush's Scottish terrier Barney occasionally gives him the stink eye.


• Michael Vick gets convicted of helping to run a dog fighting ring. Result: he's sentenced to 23 months in federal prison.

So if you use dogs to harm dogs, you're sentenced to jail time. If you use dogs to harm humans, you receive no repercussions except a moderate grilling on Meet The Press.

Comments

[JulieSA]

"The difference between these two incidents seems to be that unlike Harry Whittington, Plaxico Burress was shot by a black man."

No, the difference is that Plaxico actually broke the law by carrying his gun where it's against the law to do so. Cheney was hunting on private land--he was engaged in lawful activity when he had his accident.

Both incidents were accidents, but the only man who broke any law was Plaxico.

[timetorevolt]

We don't know if Cheney broke the law because it wasn't investigated and didn't talk to local officals until the next day.. So, how in the hell do you know Cheney's accident was legal but Plaxico's is illegal?

[schatsie]

It is ttruly sick that in this country we have 2 million people in jail each and every year...and how many on parole....Probably another 5 million of 7 million people which is 1 in 50 people.....

And the executions in Texas.... So why can the rich buy their way out every single time...I am betting that Kenny Lay is skiing in Switzerland and has spent at least 100 grand on plastic surgery...

[mukTech]

When Bush first went to war, all americans were behind him. They all wanted to rid the world of evil. His approval rating was the highest of any first-term president. Some of us who opposed the war, were banded "unpatriotic". If you did not support Bush or the Iraq war, people looked at you like you were crazy at work, at church, at the playground, on a date, etc...

Today, now that we have lost billions of dollars, and when body bags started coming back, suddenly the same Bush who was a genius, is now looked at as "satan"!!!!

Even in congress, all the people who authorized the war for political gains back home, changed their positions except for one man. And that man is BO...

[1003]

The Democrats and Republicans are guilty for following Bush to Hell. So, what can the Democrats do? Nothing! They all have blood on their hands and that is the reason why Bush will never pay for his crimes.

[nosmokes]

If the Democrats had done their job and rustled up enough public support to force enough republicans to do the right thing by showing some spine and standing up to him, impeaching him when it became undeniable he headed a corrupt admin guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors.

[mukTech]

Amen to that

[ConnecticutEG]

A review of recent history reveals a sequence of events that are tagged as suspicious behavior, aka, premeditated war mongering. The first US military offensive against Irag in 1991 by Bush Senor was proclaimed to be a victory but he ony went as far as the Irag border. Bush junor comes along and the 10 year war monger plan against Iraq is implemented across the border. Cheney is a common factor for both military operations. Artificial manipulation of intelligence to suit personal agendas is also a common factor.

I am not a military person, myself, but spend personal time reviewing military history, including from the modern and ancient world. I saw a quote from Confucious in one of the blog posts. I misplaced my copy of the Wen Zu which is an interesting study of ancient battle strategies. Yet it seems to me that military tacticians who claim they want to finish an operation that they started should consider that the job in Iraq should have been completed and finished in the early 1990's with Bush senor. It was left undone at that time. Poor war strategy and planning. Irag revisited in the 2002- present has been and is a serious problem,

[mukTech]

Huh??

[rshrink]

Here is a story about 3 of the Reagan appointees who were involved heavily in the Iran-Contra scandal and were later appointed once again by Bush II.

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1076

[MarkVA71]

Thank you!

[rshrink]

When I was in graduate school in the early 80's, we learned about the two socio-economic worlds in America. There is the one for the rich and the one for the rest of us. The criminal justice system for the wealthy? Well, if they are forced to imprison someone, it will be some version of the country club. Nixon and Libby were pardoned before even that happened. Gordon Liddy and his co-conspirators in the Iran-Contra scheme had short term country club prison. Wall street gets bailed out with billions of taxpayer money. Unions are being persecuted. (Even the good ones and yes, there are good ones) Welfare for the disabled is extremely difficult to get and can be revoked for no apparent reason. Welfare for the rich is never questioned and never revoked. Lee Camp's essay reminds me of what I learned 25 years ago. We can only hope more Americans catch on to the schemes which drive this dual economy and start voting smarter on a consistent basis.

[rshrink]

Actually Liddy was convicted for the Watergate fiasco. Eleven Reagan appointees were convicted in the Iran-Contra fiasco and all 11 were pardoned by the first President Bush.

[rshrink]

Oliver North, allegedly, ran an operation out of the basement of the White House, selling missiles to Iran, to get money which congress wouldn't approve, to send an army to fight the contras in Central America. North shredded evidence of his activities, but was still caught. He never served any time for his crimes. He later campaigned to become a U S Senator. Fortunately, he was not elected.

[schatsie]

and that proves the point about pardons being political.. Thank you for bringing this up now...

Risk without Responsibility is nothing, it is Communism for the RICH which is what happened in Russia...Socialism means we share the risk progressively with higher taxes for the rich and less risk for the poor...

The poor in the socialized countries have healthcare, pensions, mass transportation...Here in the US, we spend 6 grand per person and a gross number are not covered at all, then the auto costs 6 grand per year and really works to the benefits of the inmigrants as they do not hesitate to car pool.. and PENSIONS here are a joke and cost another 10 grand a year minimum and then Wall Street grabs this money and WASTES IT ON 500 GRAND for PAULSON...

[DofG]

"America, the beautiful", has always been America the duplicitous! Has anyone forgot that slavery was at full trottle (1607-1865), while the ink was still drying on the constitution? It's just that now, mainstream America is starting to see what the real game is about, and that they have been "played" via the illusion of patriotism, and entitlement, at the expense of those who seem "different"!

The difference between now, and the past, is that the Bushmen really didn't operate by the contraints of pretension. They declared that they had total autonomy (the unitary executive) and proceeded to do whatever they wanted; while the congress showed up to a "gunfight" with "water pistols"! They didn't care what anyone else thought, including the whole world! But again, WE GAVE THESE PATHOGENS THE POWER because of our own set of predispositions, and illusions. And if you don't think that was the case: behold, I give you Sarah Palin!

[gonbald]

I give you Sarah Palin!

THANKS BUT NO THANKS.

[coloneblog]

Lee, It's become increasingly clear to me that any prosecution of Cheney/bush will have to be inspired by the American people. I don't have allot of money, but I'd pledge a couple of hundred bucks to any activist organization that agrees to take-up the challenge to assemble and lead a class action suit towards their prosecution. Perhaps it's the ACLU, Common Cause, Peace Action or some other activist group. Those 2 criminals, rather than attending Obama's inauguration, should be in shackles heading for jail.

[Watersisland]

Agree with you and "No smokes". If the criminals aren't prosecuted we have no-one to blame but ourselves. I'll give some money. In fact, I don't think I'll be donating any more monies to DNC,DSCC,and all the other Democrat organizations.(That would be lilke supporting your enemy's supporter). While I'm not a high dollar doner,I do donate a few hundred a year to various democratic organizations and individuals. For what? Now if others would stop their support untill the party decides to have some balls it might make a difference. The congressman from the district just south of me-Dave Wexler-will still be receiving my support-as will Russ Feingold up in Wisconson. Those that fought in the American Revolution did not win our freedom for us for eternity. Unless we fight for our freedom,justice, and the American way every day -----it will wither away. Sure has been an awful lot of withering in the past eight years. It's time to " WAKE UP AND WATER the ROSES".

[FreetoBme]

Now is the time for the United States to sign onto the World Court.
These guys are probably itching to get their hands on our war criminals.

[alainv]

Truer words have never been spoken .

[jatoner]

Thank you Lee Camp - you are brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! I cried as I read all of your examples of the injustices in our country just as I cried out as they were being perpetrated. Will there be justice? Your piece gives me hope for the new year.

[mtrue]

Thank you Lee Camp!! Your blog is biting and accurate. The team of Bush and Cheney need to be held to account for their behavior. It is true that is very difficult in law to find public officials guilty for policy decisions, but if ever there were a case worthy of prosecution it is the case against Mssrs. Bush and Cheney for failing to defend the constitution and the Geneva accords.