Quote:
Originally Posted by Adder
I agree with you, but there is going to be a lot of pressure, backed by "see what happened when we didn't prosecute the Bush war criminals and the bankers??"
It's going to be a very tough call. I think prosecuting people for their official and/or political acts sets a very dangerous precedent that someone like 45 would gleefully abuse.
And yet, someday there will be a full accounting of all of the gov't money he put in his and his friends' pockets and whatever else he's done to abuse his office. It all needs to come out. But what then?
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I don't think the bankers and Bush Admin people are of the same lot. The people who lied us into Iraq killed 200,000 Iraqis and 4000 Americans needlessly. Insanely. The bankers were a mix of greedy shitballs and incompetents. I'm comfortable with prosecuting the former where clear lying could be proven, but not the latter. I think the culpable bankers should simply lose their jobs and be barred from their industry.
Trump should be excoriated by the House and Senate for any attempt at retribution. I think censuring him, as Manchin has suggested, is a good idea. That way, he cannot claim exoneration and play the victim, which he'd need to do in order to start criminal investigations of his enemies in the impeachment. I can't stand Adam Schiff and would love to see him disappear forever, but the man should not be prosecuted for pursuing a valid investigation and impeachment, even if, as is clear, he did it as much for political reasons as he did out of a sense of duty of his office. Even if what Schiff did was nakedly and entirely political, that's how politics works. Trump cannot seek to jail a political opponent for practicing politics. That's banana republic behavior. Trump is a politician, a divisive one, and a controversial one. His brand is battling, and dirty politics, and so everyone has the right to use politics against him.
Caveat emptor.
I'm not freaked out about Trump profiting from his office unless he's making govt decisions aimed at personal profit. He should not be allowed to hold govt events at Mar A Lago, and he should be policed to ensure he doesn't give favors to foreign nations in exchange for business advantage in those nations. But all this shit about how the Trump Hotel in DC is a knowing and intentional emoluments violation? Fuck that shit. Those dollars are rounding errors, and it's a waste of time and energy to try to prove intent there. If his businesses make a few hundred million because of his enhanced stature, I don't care. Good for him. Enjoy the gravy, like the Clintons, Obamas, and Bushes have enjoyed huge paydays post-office.
But as I said, if Trump trades anything or steers govt dollars to his businesses, he should be censured and barred from doing so. (I also don't think the Secret Service's leasing space in Trump Tower is a big deal. It's where the guy lived. What was he supposed to do? Move? I think it is, however, quite tacky and cheap to make them pay... He should give them the space for free.)
