Comments on: Will Goodling be the Bush Administration’s Scapegoat?

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:41:28 +0000

jwest- I'm not getting your definition of 'ethical behavior'. Unless you support a near-theocracy that believes in rewriting our laws in pursuit of their own narrow goals—basically gaming the system. Goodling admitted she broke the law in front of Congress, and seemingly had no regrets. The DOJ was packed with Christian far- right ideologues, who often lacked the experience of other applicants. There are a lot of adjectives I would use to describe this administration— but ethical would not be one of them.

By: pacatrue

pacatrue — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:31:02 +0000

jwest, do you think Goodling broke a law or no? If yes, is your position that she should not be convicted because (in your view) other people in the administration acted legally and ethically, kind of like innocence being spread through osmosis to her?

By: runasim

runasim — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:50:39 +0000

Rudi makes the most important point. The political corruption wasn't confined to the DOJ, it has permeated all of government, the DOD being one example.
Party and political patronage has been around forever, but this would be an excellent place to stay stop. 'Heck of a job, Brownie' should be an alarm bell for all administrations.

The thing about the DOJ, as so much about the Bush administration, that is most worrisome if the slew of precedents it put into indelible place. There is something seductive about even the worst of ideas, and the supply of people who think they can do it without getting caught never seems to run dry.

How to stop it when laws and rules don't work?
It seems to me, the riddle has to be unraveled by an initial attack on the shroud of secrecy Bush has wrapped around his administration. That just can't be allowed to be, ever again.

By: Rudi

Rudi — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:25:51 +0000

Monica Goodling is the "love child of Kate O'Beirne and Jim O'Beirne.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0918/dailyUpdate....

To pass muster with O'Beirne, a political appointee who screens prospective political appointees for Defense Department posts, applicants didn't need to be experts in the Middle East or in post-conflict reconstruction. What seemed most important was loyalty to the Bush administration.

O'Beirne's staff posed blunt questions to some candidates about domestic politics: Did you vote for George W. Bush in 2000? Do you support the way the president is fighting the war on terror? Two people who sought jobs with the US occupation authority said they were even asked their views on Roe v. Wade.

By: DLS

DLS — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:00:57 +0000

It would have been too ridiculous to have Dana Perino substitute for her.

By: ChrisWWW

ChrisWWW — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:47:14 +0000

The Bush Admin. is so ethical that the British police state doesn't even trust our claims about torture: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7515517.stm

Not only that, but we're now on Canada's torture watch list: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7195276.stm

By: jwest

jwest — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:25:46 +0000

Let’s say since Eisenhower, just to make it easy on your Googling skills.

By: ChrisWWW

ChrisWWW — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:11:33 +0000

jwest,
I'm guessing you define recent history as the last 8 years.

By: jwest

jwest — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:51:23 +0000

It would be a shame if Goodling is convicted of some crime.

This would be a black mark on what has been, by any standard, the most ethical administration in recent history.

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:21:55 +0000

Agree with the analysis. Goodling was picked because she was willing to go to any lengths to promote the Bush administration's agenda, and ensure that DOJ appointees passed the litmus test.

Bush administration is silent now because they know she was only a foot soldier in their ideological war. And they know we know.

By: Will Goodling be the Bush Administration’s Scapegoat?

Will Goodling be the Bush Administration’s Scapegoat? — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:06:45 +0000

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