Friday, March 21, 2014

The Importance of Looking Back

Lawrence Walsh, Special Prosecutor for the Iran-Contra scandal (although "scandal" seems like an awfully tepid term for turning the Constitution into guinea pig bedding) died this week. Charlie Pierce has a column up about what what Walsh tried, and ultimately failed to accomplish.

The only thing I would add to his discussion of the scandal is the fact that we seem to be even more determined not to let the powers that be, in whatever realm, actually pay for their crimes and devastating mistakes. Scam homeowners with fraudulent mortgages? Here's a slap on the wrist and another bonus.  Crash the world economy? Have a bailout and feel free to take on even more risk. Lie us into war? No problem. Install a torture regime? Nothing to see here.  Why do we seem incapable as a people of holding our "leaders" to account?

Take it away Charlie . . .



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