Patrick Leahy launches W. truth commission

[Mister Sinister]

To try to get Bush accountable for his crimes. And Obama kind of supports it.

 

[Bathead]

Well, I agree this stuff should at least be looked into, and if any evidence of illegalities are found, they should be prosecuted. I don't know if this would ever lead to trials, but it should at least be given the once-over. We have to be careful though that it be a sincere and thoughtful investigation and not a witch-hunt.

 

[Matt]

This is pretty much just Leahy grandstanding. If there were anything Bush could be charged with, it would've been done ages ago. I'm not saying Bush acted legally or ethically...I'm just saying it is going to be very very difficult to prove wrong doing beyond all reasonable doubt. Hell, I doubt you could even get Bush indicted by the Grand Jury.

 

[Paradyme]

What a waste of time and money.

 

[redfirebird2008]

What a waste of time and money.

Agreed. This is stupid. Like Matt said, it's just Leahy grandstanding.

 

[Malice]

Agreed....

 

[Excel]

Obama needs to stop this; who cares. Seriously. W is gone, why is he still being brought up?

 

[Matt]

Obama has no power to stop a Congressional investigation

But still Excel, I'm sure in your eyes he'll find a way right after he parts the Red Sea and turns bread into fish and water into wine to feed the poor (he'll follow that up by turning chimps into pro-bono doctors and in doing so, solve the health care crisis)

 

[Excel]

Obama has no power to stop a Congressional investigation

Obama can pardon Bush if this comes to anything. The country needs to move on, and Bush isn't a bad guy as much as a incompetant President.

But still Excel, I'm sure in your eyes he'll find a way right after he parts the Red Sea and turns bread into fish and water into wine to feed the poor (he'll follow that up by turning chimps into pro-bono doctors and in doing so, solve the health care crisis)

Something like that

 

[Matt]

Obama can pardon Bush if this comes to anything. The country needs to move on, and Bush isn't a bad guy as much as a incompetant President.

No he can't. Bush needs to be convicted of a crime to receive a pardon and if Bush is convicted of a crime, why would he deserve a pardon?

Something like that

At least you're honest about your man crush

 

[Excel]

No he can't. Bush needs to be convicted of a crime to receive a pardon and if Bush is convicted of a crime, why would he deserve a pardon?

We need to move and leave him in the past. The motives behind his actions were themost part justifiable and would be impossible to find a jury that would convict beyond a reasonable doubt. It'd make the US Political system look like a joke.

At least you're honest about your man crush

Nothing wrong with bias for or against something as long as it's admitted

 

[Matt]

We need to move and leave him in the past. The motives behind his actions were themost part justifiable and would be impossible to find a jury that would convict beyond a reasonable doubt. It'd make the US Political system look like a joke.

I agree in principle, my point is Obama has no power over any of it. If Leahy wants to conduct a Congressional Investigation, it is perfectly within his rights and Obama cannot tell him, "stop." Nor at any point prior to conviction could Obama pardon Dubaya and if he were convicted, I am asking you, why should he be pardoned?

Nothing wrong with bias for or against something as long as it's admitted

Agreed.

 

[Raiden]

I think Bush had commited acts as president that would qualified as wrongdoings, but I doubt they are prosecutable due to all those secrecy that surrounded the Bush Administration. Even if Bush got away scots-free, I'd like the truth to come out someday re: Bush and his 8 years in office.

 

[Excel]

The investigation is fine; I was referring to any actual charges. He should be pardoned quite simply because we need to move on. I know it would never get that far but all the same, seeing an ex Pres. go to prison would be an all time for low for our country.

 

[Matt]

The investigation is fine; I was referring to any actual charges. He should be pardoned quite simply because we need to move on. I know it would never get that far but all the same, seeing an ex Pres. go to prison would be an all time for low for our country.

So speaking rhetorically, in a world where a prosecutor did have the evidence to convict, and succeeded in conviction, you'd still want Bush pardoned simply to "move on?" Even if he were actually guilty?

 

[Sebastos]

Seriously, I haven't seen Bush on my tv screen for days. So I couldn't be happier.

 

[Excel]

Well technically I would say yes I would, though it would obviously depend on whatever he was found guilty of.

 

[bunk]

Well there's no point in bringing up charges on anyone regarding Gitmo or anything else if you aren't willing to go all the way up the chain of command with it. As it happens, prosecuting crimes isn't really something that's meant to be optional. But whatever. I'd prefer congress just focus on what's important right now.

 

[Matt]

I think Bush had commited acts as president that would qualified as wrongdoings, but I doubt they are prosecutable due to all those secrecy that surrounded the Bush Administration. Even if Bush got away scots-free, I'd like the truth to come out someday re: Bush and his 8 years in office.

You know, I really dislike the Bush administration, but just to play Devil's advocate here, did he really do anything worse than Lincoln? Lincoln suspended habeus corpus, had political opponents arrested and incarcerated, and basically trampled the Constitution with the Civil War, and like Bush, started an illegal war. Plus despite freeing the slaves, the man was a notorious racist who freed the slaves simply so they could be used as soldiers and his greatest hope was to deport all black people to Panama or Haiti after the war. Yet he is remembered as one of the greatest presidents. I'd say Bush's crimes may be overexaggerated due to the emergence of the internet and blogosphere, because when push comes to shove, past presidents did a lot worse things.

 

[redfirebird2008]

The investigation is fine; I was referring to any actual charges. He should be pardoned quite simply because we need to move on. I know it would never get that far but all the same, seeing an ex Pres. go to prison would be an all time for low for our country.

No, seeing Richard Nixon pardoned by his buddy Gerald Ford was an all-time low for this country.

 

[Matt]

Well there's no point in bringing up charges on anyone regarding Gitmo or anything else if you aren't willing to go all the way up the chain of command with it. As it happens, prosecuting crimes isn't really something that's meant to be optional. But whatever. I'd prefer congress just focus on what's important right now.

Umm...yes it is. Prosecution has always been at the discretion of the prosecutor who will not waste a court's time or tax payer dollars if they are aware a crime cannot be proven in court.

 

[Excel]

No, seeing Richard Nixon pardoned by his buddy Gerald Ford was an all-time low for this country.

Probably. But there's a difference here in their motives. Nixon would have been found at fault without a reasonable explanation, Bush has one. I dont think he would ever be found guilty anyway.

 

[bunk]

Umm...yes it is. Prosecution has always been at the discretion of the prosecutor who will not waste a court's time or tax payer dollars if they are aware a crime cannot be proven in court.

I'm saying once you've started the process. If you're going to prosecute lower level people you sort of have to take the investigation as far as it goes. Otherwise it's not much of an investigation.

 

[Matt]

I'm saying once you've started the process. If you're going to prosecute lower level people you sort of have to take the investigation as far as it goes. Otherwise it's not much of an investigation.

No you don't. Police can conduct a full prosecution, compile evidence, and recommend prosecution and the prosecutor can then say, "No. We don't have the evidence to win," and end it right there, despite month long investigations.

 

[Excel]

He's saying theres no point in investigating the people who committed the crimes if you wont do it to the people who ordered them