There is an apparent unwritten tradition in American politics that when a new administration takes over, it turns the page on the misdeeds of the previous administration and lets bygones by bygones.
My biggest concern in 2008 is making sure that this does not happen again.
I understand all the arguments in favor of the "sweep it under the rug" approach. Keeping the stakes of each election relatively low - and making sure that everyone on the losing side doesn't think that they're on their way to jail if they honor the results - smoothes over the transfer of power and stabilizes the system. But I think that over time a "moral hazard" has been built up which we can no longer ignore. More after the fold.
It is quite clear at this point that the Bush administration is counting on being granted collective get out of jail free cards after the election. Their approach to every investigation, lawsuit, subpoena, federal court ruling, etc. has been to stall and try to run out the clock. They are employing this strategy precisely because the experience of history tells them that it will work. It must not be allowed to work this time, or oversight of the executive will be a thing of the past, and we can expect every administration from here on out - no matter what party - to act in exactly the same way.
We need a candidate who is not going to turn the page. We need a candidate who will not let bygones be bygones. We let a candidate who will not shrug their shoulders at water under the bridge. We need a candidate who will make a reckoning of the past seven years, and whose administration will pursue evidence of wrongdoing regardless of the vintage of that wrongdoing.
If we could somehow make Javert from Les Miserables President, that would be my first choice. But since that's not possible, who's the best choice among the candidates we've actually got?
I want a candidate who will audit every expenditure from the Iraq war, and throw everyone in prison if there's a stapler or box of post-it's missing.
I want a candidate who will seek out evidence of torture and prisoner abuse no matter how deeply the CIA hides it.
I want a candidate who will undo the use of the "state secrets" privilege that has blocked civil actions against contractors in Iraq, and who will supply every bit of information available to assist private litigants in crucifying Blackwater and the other merc trash that Bush has protected.
I want a candidate who won't just fight telecom immunity, but who will expose every aspect of the FISA program and who will prosecute and destroy any NSA or telecom figure who broke the law.
I want a candidate who will pursue the investigation of the use of government departments to assist in election campaigns to the bitter end, and prosecute everyone guilty to the full extent of the law.
I could go on, but you know the stories as well as I do. I want a candidate who will pursue justice until the heavens fall - and my problem is:
I don't know what candidate that is.
I have a strong impression that it's not Hillary, but I don't know who it is.
Can someone please tell me who it is?
Thanks.