Feature > Opinion > THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION AND THE PARADOX OF PARDONS BY DAVID RAHNI
How the incoming administration is already undermined on its foreign policy.
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Soon after his inauguration of January 20th President-Elect Obama is anticipated to charge his seemingly competent and diverse cabinet to tackle the lingering economic and security issues of national and international significance. The investigative journalism, that has by and large remained complacent in the past nearly eight years when the abuse of power led to some of the most tumultuous civil, economic and foreign policy quagmires, is now focusing, rightly so, on the incoming administration; this is typified by the current Illinois Governor’s allegation of “selling to the highest bidder” the vacant senatorial seat that has, in turn, inextricably put a damper on Obama’s momentum. Meanwhile, the possibility of Bush’s presidential pardons and clemency, extended to a few hundred ideologues in his close-knit circle, sends shivers down the backbone of our democratic principles and quiver the pillars of our nation. Outgoing presidential pardons, as stipulated in the Constitution and practiced prudently by the ethically lawful presidents of the past, was meant more as a symbolic goodwill gesture to serve justice to a few ordinary citizens whose rights had not been duly served through the general judiciary proceedings. Such a noble idea has, however, been deteriorated under political expediency and partisan reciprocity in recent decades when a president, as typified by Clinton of 2000, and now Bush, abuses his executive power when he, right before leaving Office, superficially immunes from, and/or hastily exonerates most of his cronies and political lackeys who have, or may be otherwise convicted for the crimes and violation of the statues and laws as ordinary citizens. Nonetheless, Congress has the jurisdiction to proactively enact laws so as to preemptively circumvent this last quagmire of the Bush administration for its excessive abuse of executive power. The Office of Attorney General must instead be demanded to fully prosecute the culprits, i.e., wolves and foxes in the sheep clothing both in government and in Wall Street, especially those who have inflicted the current economic terrorism and military calamities upon our nation. If we are genuinely committed to regaining the full trust, cooperation and empowerment of our broad citizenry, in order to move the country forward and beyond its tumultuous juncture, the establishment of a Presidential Pardon Commission under the auspices of the Supreme Court, charged to make recommendations to the subsequent president for pardon, is in order.
Davood N. Rahni
Somers, New York
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