tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145603139776141256.post1187885534332706815..comments2023-08-27T21:32:52.742-07:00Comments on Outside The Interzone: No Spoon Full of Sugar For This MedicineLockwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05960762797349483760noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145603139776141256.post-58061689351899833722009-01-18T16:33:00.000-08:002009-01-18T16:33:00.000-08:00I'm no expert, so I'll say at the outset that I'm ...I'm no expert, so I'll say at the outset that I'm speculating. But Ford would not have pardoned Nixon if there was no possible way for Nixon to be prosecuted. I think that impeachment only applies to sitting officials- that is, Bush will not be "impeachable" after noon Tuesday. But that does not put criminal prosecution out of reach. Many have been specualting that Bush will issue blanket pardons/immunity to himself and his crew. The question of self-pardon has been debated; I think the only way it will be settled is when someone tries it. My suspicion here is that Bush is so arrogant and self-satisfied that he will see no reason to do this. He's so confident that he and his henchmen have done no wrong that it will seem pointless to issue pardons for wrong doings that, in his mind, never happened. And even if he does, those will mean nothing to international law. In other words, if it is found that war crimes were committed, the Hague won't care about(and won't be limited by) the fact that Bush pardoned himself.<BR/><BR/>And I didn't make it real clear in the above piece: I'm not nearly so concerned with prosecution specifically. I want to know what happened. Krugman points out the possibility of a similar model to South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation hearings. IF it is determined that serious crimes were committed, then we can talk about where to go from there.<BR/><BR/>This really is a terribly tangled can of worms. I really want to see some committment from ALL of out leaders to start sorting the mess out and bringing some transparency back to government. As I state in the above post, I don't believe that the form of government we are so proud to have can survive this fiasco simply being swept under the rug, in order to commit to a "forward-looking" attitude.Lockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05960762797349483760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4145603139776141256.post-70483930760187431722009-01-18T16:15:00.000-08:002009-01-18T16:15:00.000-08:00This is a question I've brought up before. Can a p...This is a question I've brought up before. Can a president be convicted of crimes when he leaves office? I believe he tried to give himself immunity when he passed the last FISA bill.Demeurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01935263659097273535noreply@blogger.com