Originally Posted By Dabob2 I would recommend for anyone to read the Conyers report (not just the one-page op-ed). I would also remind people that sometimes things that are technically legal are still abuses of power. For instance, when the FBI wiretapped and infiltrated anti-war and civil rights groups, it was usually done legally but still constituted an abuse of power, as the FBI was supposed to be looking into criminals, not people who dissented from the government's ideas on the war, or on people trying to end Jim Crow. We investigated these abuses and instituted reforms to make them less likely to happen again. But they've resurfaced - what's happened under Bush has eerie echoes of the old COINTELPRO garbage. Here's just one example: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/09/washington/09inquire.html?_r=1" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08...tml?_r=1</a> In short, looking into what went on can bring abuses that may have been legal (but shouldn't be) to light, which is just as valuable as bringing potential illegal abuses to light. Another example was the firing of the US Attorneys. It was certainly abuse of power, whether it was illegal or not. And it's an open question as to the legality - it was hard to find out when the administration simply ignored subpoenas. (And why would they do that if there was nothing to hide?) Conyers' assessment of their attitude as "imperial" is just the right word.
Originally Posted By gadzuux >> You guys are a bunch of foamers << How is this more than just being callously dismissive of any viewpoint othe than your own? >> Just as there are many people who hate Bush, there are many people who hate Obama. << There are probably more bush haters than obama haters - the guy's not even in office yet. But more importantly, let's examine the motives. There's no end of valid reasons to be down on bush and his administration. The reasons for hating obama are much more suspect.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<>> You guys are a bunch of foamers << How is this more than just being callously dismissive of any viewpoint othe than your own?>> I'm not dismissing the point of view. But when I read a thread like this the image that comes to mind is a pack of rabid dogs going after Bush. Sorry, but that is the mental image I have.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Who let the dogs out, who who! I cannot wait until we are rid of the scoundrel and raise our heads with pride once again!
