The Rule of Law

It is very hard to read this article describing the criminal wrongdoing by the executives of our six major investment banks
and wonder - in amazement and horror - why no one has been indicted and subsequently imprisoned? Try it and see for yourself.

I don't mention this to make you angry - although it should. I mention this because the de facto immunity that Obama's Justice Department extended to Bush Administration officials - for felonious torture and illegal spying - has been extended to greedy banking executives whose crimes nearly destroyed the world's economy.

In short, the political and financial elites of our country are exempting themselves from legal accountability. And they're immunizing themselves with the apparent blessing of the rest of the citzenry.

There are things I like about President Obama - chiefly that he's a far more responsible and thoughtful leader than almost all of his Republican counterparts. There are other things I don't like about him, which I've mentioned at length in previous posts. But Barack Obama is the chief facilitator for the creation of the impunity state. His administration is violating the law by refusing to investigate and prosecute Bush administration officials for their publicly admitted authorization of torture. Whatever good he may accomplish as President will be VASTLY overshadowed by the inevitable effects of immunizing political and financial elites from criminal responsibility.

Happy New Year.

Joe H.