10 February 2013

HIGH CRIMES AND NOT MISDEMEANORS

HIGH CRIMES AND NOT MISDEMEANORS
by Andy Weddington
Sunday, 10 February 2013


"Be obscure clearly." E. B. White


After thinking about the recent testimony, before Congress, of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta; and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, U. S. Army; regarding the murders of four Americans, including an Ambassador, in Benghazi, Libya, on 11 September 2012, yesterday afternoon I sent a short comment to a retired Marine colonel for whom I once worked, respect, and hold in high regard. 

My comment...

"Colonel, it's bewildering why the President; Secretary of State; Secretary of Defense; and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; have not been shackled and charged with dereliction of duty, and depending on their respective position, anything from murder to negligent homicide. High crimes and not misdemeanors comes to mind. That there is no congressional (less a few) and public outrage and demand(s) for justice is sadly, and most assuredly, comical without an iota of humor."

And in reply...

"The media with the exception of FOX has not covered this much like Fast and Furious. The low informed electorate know almost nothing about it. Add to the fact that only one half of one percent are involved with the military and it is easy to ignore. I do not accept the talk that Americans are tired of war. They have not been effected by any of it."

Good points - especially the last two sentences.

Oh, and the president has yet to swear to his whereabouts and degree of engagement  that horrific evening last September - though we now know from Secretary Panetta the president was, in Marine parlance, UA (Unauthorized Absence).

No, not kidding. The president has some explaining to do. And we're waiting.

In the meantime, there's not enough time to address the ineptness of congress.
 
On the other hand, an ill-informed public is only because media is not doing its job.
 
The media is deliberately not reporting, starting at the top, comprehensive government incompetency and corruption. 
 
Media has, and not shamelessly, deferred their role of truthful reporting in favor of serving the president and his administration.
 
Consequently there is not only no accountability but a brazen posture of rule by whim not by law. A swagger of 'we'll do whatever we want' prevails. And "they" - the president, administration, and media - are getting away with it.
 
Dangerous.
 
And quite possibly fatal. 

There's so much to address and yet this Sunday morning no interest in doing so save a couple of closing thoughts.

One, there's been loose talk of maneuvering afoot for an Obama third term (and perhaps continued public service for the other three amigos mentioned). All for it! A superlative idea. But not White House occupancy. Rather, the big house - with Guantanamo Bay (aka: Gitmo) atop the short list. And stylish vertical pinstripes exchanged for chic horizontal prison stripes - for all of them. And there they can play war - the child's card game - with winner awarded the east facing seat.  
 
Two, what is it going to take to wake Americans up? To stir from this clueless, destructive, self-absorbed funk plaguing our country?

The remedy a simple one.

Every single person living in the country, no exceptions - none (less legitimately mentally and physically disabled), sometime between the ages of 16 - 24, must complete two years of full-time public service (military or whatever) with minimal compensation. And that service must be characterized by personal sacrifice, hardship, and the completion of an objective, only achievable by means of teamwork, that is for the betterment of America.

Only then will we, as a nation, have common ground, a framework, for intelligent discourse. Until then, our "education" system is a waste - of time and money.

Objectors are welcome, in fact are free, to relocate. And take your damn pets.

Post Script

George Carlin once quipped "dark" when making the weather forecast for that night. Dark! Sounds about right for America's forecast - for many nights, and days, to come.  

 

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