So, we have been scandal ridden this past week. The never-ending story of Benghazi had just about run out of meat to gnaw off of the bone, when not one, but two more "scandals" emerged, upon which the GOP immediately began to re-feast.They are even proclaiming that this is worse than Watergate because nobody died in Watergate. Wow. Is that the best they can do when it comes to critical thinking? Nobody died in Watergate? Maybe so, but lots of people died in Iraq, chasing what we now know to be a complete lie -- weapons of mass destruction.
Well, let's look at these "scandals." The Benghazi madness had nearly subsided until the mainstream news, i.e., not Fox News, decided to report the content of emails that were not only inaccurate, but now appear to have been originated, and altered, by GOP sources. While I believe it is important to find the truth, enabling us to better protect our embassies in the future; it is a waste of time to conduct a full-blown witch-hunt, especially if you have to manufacture false evidence just to make President Obama and Secretary Clinton look bad. There is no there, there.
The Democrats in congress did not conduct witch-hunts into the Bush administration when they were in the majority, in spite of the fact that several American embassies had been attacked. Moreover, by the Bush second term, we knew all about the story created around weapons of mass destruction, as well as the fact that officials in the Bush administration had received, but failed to act upon, intelligence regarding an imminent attack upon US soil in the summer of 2001. All things considered, Democrats and Speaker Pelosi were rather gracious with the Bush administration, despite the fact that many on the left were calling for heads to roll.
But let's move on to the alleged IRS scandal. Yes, it is an outrage for a government agency to single out any person or organization based upon a political bent, i.e., the Tea Party, et al. We know this because Richard Nixon ordered exactly that, targeting left-wing organizations in the 1970s when he was President of the United States. We also know that during the Bush II administration, there were a number of civil servants fired from the justice department for not aggressively pursuing left-wing adversaries. The Republicans in Congress seem to have no memory of, or apology for, any of the scandals, real scandals mind you, that occurred under Republican administrations: Watergate, Iran-Contra, Valerie Plame, etc., etc., etc. Moreover, the person at the IRS under whose watch this mess occurred was a Bush appointee. But, the GOP is certain that it is all President Obama's fault, even though he expressed a genuine outrage, and fired several officials, including the acting commissioner. Can anyone explain this logic?
The real scandal is that any group, representing any viewpoint, gets tax-empt status at all. The confusing regulatory language inserted by the IRS in the 1950s should at least be clarified. Better yet, let's just scrap the whole 501(c)(4) idea. They are politicking, which is fine, but should not be tax-payer funded in this manner.
And finally, we come to the AP phone records scandal. Now this one actually has some issues of accountability that need to be sorted out, and I think will be. However, this story also involves the leaking of classified information, which complicates matters in regards to policy. From what I understand, the conduct of the Justice Department in this case was not unlawful. After 9/11, our willingness as Americans to surrender our privacy in the interest of safety was nearly at epidemic levels. Perhaps this story is one of the consequences of our previous capitulation to administrations that abused their power in order to stay in power.
Whatever you think of these "scandals," there is no evidence linking, or even suggesting a link between, the conduct of the individuals in question with orders given from the oval office. There is no evidence suggesting that President Obama even knew about what had transpired. If some authentic evidence is discovered to suggest otherwise, I will write about that too. Stuff happens and people make mistakes. I don't expect perfection, but I do demand accountability from my government; and that is what President Obama has delivered.
Unlike Republicans, we Democrats revel in our own common humanity, and we know that people make mistakes. Also unlike Republicans, we can own up to our mistakes and clean up the messes they create because we have a lot of practice cleaning up after Republican mistakes. President Obama has taken swift action to hold those accountable for their misconduct in these matters. President Bush let Scooter Libbey off the hook, not to mention got away with lie after lie, compounded by imcompetence and insensitivity to the American public.
And yet, the Republican sheep bleep on, as if the whole world is coming to an end because there is a dark-skinned, liberal, smart and competent man in the White House, who has actually earned his way there, every step of the way. In my humble opinion, this is the real problem for Republicans. For now America has witnessed first-hand, what most people of color already knew: Those of us who have lived and worked on the outside looking in, us affirmative-action types, have to be better, smarter and more resourceful, just to get to the same place as privileged whites. And we usually outperform them in spite of all of the additional obstacles thrown in our path by those who view our success as their own failing.
Impeach President Obama? Republicans have been calling for his impeachment since March 2009. At that time he had been in office seven weeks. Does anybody even remember what that impeachment fervor was even about?
In watching these "scandals" unfold, I am reminded of some words from the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus calls upon us to take out the plank in our own eyes, rather than be consumed with the speck in the eye of one our fellows. For when we have successfully removed the planks from our own eyes, then we can better see to help our brother with the speck in his eye. It's supposed to be a lesson on self-reflection before we attempt to assist others, in order to be of maximum service to those in need. Does that sound like the Republican party?
Perhaps Republicans should put down the magnifying glass with which they examine President Obama, and pick up a mirror.
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