From: john@anasazi.com (John R. Moore)
Subject: Re: Greatest President Since Teddy Roosevelt
Reply-To: john@anasazi.com
Organization: Anasazi Inc, Phoenix AZ USA
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 16:31:28 GMT

Keywords: 

In article <f60f225@Unify.Com> ceb@dbrus.Unify.Com (Caroline E. Bryan) writes:
]3.  When Ross Perot quit the race, he commended the Democratic Party for
]    being "revitalized".  What, if anything, did he say about the Republican
]    party?

He said nothing.
]
]I resume the bickering by asking:
]    Is it true that more high government officials were indicted for criminal
]    behavior during Reagan's tenure than during the tenure of any other pre-
]    sident in U.S. history?  (And what does that say about Reagan, seeing as
]    he chose to surround himself with, and sought advice from, these people?)

I don't know if it is true or not, but it is hardly relevant. The 
criminalization of policy disputes started as part of the Watergate "reforms."
If you appoint a special prosecutor to look into every minute detail of
the behavior of an executive branch official, you are bound to find
some violation of law - there are too many laws, and too many actions,
for them to not conflict. Everyone else has to deal with prosecutors
who have to make choices of who to prosecute, and who cannot spend
$30,000,000 to look for technical violations.

Also, indictments shouldn't count - any prosecutor can get an indictment
on just about anyone. Convictions of substantive offenses should count.
Under Reagan, you have ZERO convictions that have been upheld. There are
a couple of guilty pleas that were essentially coerced (ie, if you had
to spend $1,000,000 to defend yourself from a minor charge, you might
plead guilty also).

The ultimate absurdity of this is the indictment of Cap Weinberger on
the very last day before the statute of limitations would have prevented
it. Cap Weinberger was adamantly opposed to Iran Contra, made his notes
available to the special prosecutor, and yet is being prosecuted for
a coverup.

Finally, under the Reagan administration, no high official has been
indicted for any offense other than those derived from violating
the Boland Amendments, and yet the Boland Amendments:
  -provided no penalty
  -are quite arguably unconstitutional
  -changed 6 times

These officials were persecuted for a (misguided) attempt to do what
is best for the country. Contrast that to most scandals, where the culprits
are guilty of feathering their own nest.

I think it says that Reagan appointed moral people who did their best for
their country. I think it also says that if we don't end the special
prosecutor law, it will become impossible to get decent people to serve
in the executive branch. The criminalization of policy disputes is
IMHO the greatest threat to our form of government since the civil war!

]BTW, when I mention the discussion on soc.history about Reagan being the best
]president since anyone to people around here (Sacramento, CA), they roll
]around on the floor laughing.  This has been a consistently bi-partisan
]response.

Frankly, I doubt it is bi-partisan.

-- 
John Moore NJ7E, 7525 Clearwater Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85253  (602-951-9326)
john@anasazi.com ncar!noao!asuvax!anasaz!john anasaz!john@asuvax.eas.asu.edu
 - - Saddam Hussein... he just keeps going... and going... and going - -
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