In a video compilation of testimony given before the Justice Department Oversight Committee, a couple of critical points are discussed. First, on the subject of limits of prosecutorial discretion, Professor Jonathan Turley offers a rather sobering comment: Later, speaking about the problem of unequal justice, we hear Representative Trey Gowdy state the following: Are these issues -- the forcibly diminished role of Congress, and the double standard within the justice system -- important? If not, why not? If so, how should we go about addressing them?
Yes, that issue of double standards for justice is extremely important. But let's not forget how many responsibilities Congress has abdicated to be rendered essentially irrelevant. It has gone along with the Neocon notion of Unitary Executive by not demanding the Executive defend its behavior in the War On Terror. It has not even enforced its own role in the War Powers Act from 1973. It offered up the sophistry of the AUMF which pretends to ignore what the Constitution says. Congress, coerced by staged anthrax attacks, has utterly caved in to the Executive branch. Russ Feingold was the ONLY MAN in the Senate to vote against the Unpatriot Act, and that act effectively neuters the 4th Amendment. Congress happily votes in favor of the nullification of Habeas Corpus, demonstrating again that the Domestic Enemies of the US Constitution are far more dangerous than any foreign enemy. Congress deserves to be seen as irrelevant and dangerous, because its actions have demonstrated contempt for the rule of law and the democratic process. All 3 branches of government are rotten to the core.
It appears we are in agreement that the issues in the original post are indeed serious. So what should we do about it? I disagree with your last statement, but I do agree that we've somehow managed to veer off track a bit; I hope we can get thing straightened out...
The only thing "we the people" can do is vote corruption out and good people in. I believe the problem is that as a majority people in the US are politically idiots. People will need to wake up, take the blinders off and think for themselves if votes are going to fix this issue. Barring this it's a slow decline until we "the US" slid into a state of tyranny or collapse. That's my opinion.
If left unaddressed, I fear you may be right. I'm just not sure how we make people start to pay closer attention and care a little bit more about what's going on within our government. That's the core of the question being asked...
Congress only has itself to blame. There are some good people there, but I've watched far too many people sit down in front of congress and spend hours flipping them off one after the other, and they do nothing about it. The absolute last straw was the Loretta Lynch testimony. How that.... "person" was allowed to go home afterwards instead of being thrown directly into a prison cell on obstruction of proceedings is simply beyond me.
I don't really feel there is a possible/likely fix. I believe we (the US) are like that junky that thinks he can handle it until he hits bottom...HARD...and then realizes he can't handle it and gets help. Just not sure if there will be help when we hit. I hope and pray I'm wrong, but until everyone coming up removes the earbuds from their ears or their toys go away I don't feel like I am.
The majority of the American public - on both sides of the aisle - do not take the time to educate themselves on the ground truth of our country's actual condition at any given moment. Most people are too busy managing their lives and occupying themselves with other - often quite frivolous - interests to concern themselves with things over which they feel they have little or no control. Have you ever seen any of the interviews with everyday people on the street where they are asked basic questions about our government, society, and economy? Basic things like "How many Senators are in the U.S. Senate?", "What form of government do we have in the U.S.?", and "Who is the Vice-President?" I'm not talking about intricate details of the Constitution or theoretical things -- I mean BASIC things every American should know! The vast majority fail to answer even half of the questions asked....many don't answer ANY correctly! Americans are ignorant and woefully uninformed. I have lived in seven different states and five foreign countries. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Americans are simply flat-out idiots...north to south and coast to coast...when it comes to actually knowing anything about their own country! Naturalized citizens know FAR MORE about the U.S. than the overwhelming majority of our natural-born citizens! I would bet my life on that! How can I be so certain? Because naturalized citizens have to take a civics test in which they must score at least 60% in order to become a citizen (correctly answer 6 of 10 random questions asked). https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship...alization-test Most Americans would flunk this test miserably unless they were told in advance they had to take it and were handed study materials on a silver platter! Even then - I doubt the results would be anything to write home about. That is an absolute shame...and it shouldn't be that way. I believe it would be a great idea to require voters to pass that same citizenship test in order to vote in the General Election. I'm sure I'll be labeled a racist somehow for stating that - but I couldn't care less about that. I am a "realist". Of that, I am certain...regardless of what anyone else thinks.
I'd actually like to see a two term limit placed on Senators and Congressmen/women. So two terms, no matter what federal office is held. The idea that we somehow need Senators who have been in office for half a century? That's too much. As to the Loretta Lynch testimony, I completely agree. The Obama Justice Department was insanely compromised. Anyone with an ounce of integrity can recognize that Lynch and company were not interested in seeing to it that justice was done, they were interested in supporting the Democratic party line and badgering the GOP whenever possible. Really sad...
I agree with your term limits suggestion - but I think it should be specifically 12 years. Senate & House terms are different, so a blanket 12 years would account for the difference and level it off.
Yeah, I realize the difference. The House is supposed to be closer to the people, so I wouldn't mind seeing a constant flow of new blood in that chamber. But on thinking about it, four years may be too low; perhaps it would be better at 8 years House and 12 years Senate. The main point is to get rid of those who would like to be career politicians, because they become entrenched and end up constantly working to get re-elected and not doing the people's business.
Absolutely correct. Our Nation was not founded upon the principles of having career politicians steer our course. Money and power nearly always corrupt. We need to get back to those founding principles that made us great.
You may disagree, but I still see that all 3 branches are corrupt. I admit to being cynical as hell, but being cynical does not necessarily make one wrong. Congress has passed illegitimate legislation for decades at least, the executive has signed off on that illegitimate legislation, and the judiciary has allowed it to stand or even blessed it. NDAA, Patriot Act, and Obamacare are 3 examples out of many. I don't see it being corrected, but I hope I am wrong. The ballot box is a joke, as this most recent election has demonstrated again. The jury box offers potential relief and solutions, but the average American is utterly ignorant of his powers and duties as a juror. So please pardon my cynicism and pessimism, but I don't see it changing. Empires rise, and empires MUST fall.
