-=> Quoting Robert Plett to Walter Luffman <=-
 RP> On 02-02-98, WALTER LUFFMAN declared to MATT MUNSON:
 
 WL>And, truth be told, pardoning Clinton would probably be in the
 WL>nation's best interest, as was the case when Ford pardoned Nixon.
 WL>We need to put this "long national nightmare" behind us, even if
 WL>it means letting Bill & Hill escape the judicial system.
 RP> I disagree.
 RP> The nation needs an object lesson in order to exorcise the notion that
 RP> character doesn't matter.  Those two are guilty of so many crimes,
 RP> it'd take 50 years or more to adjudicate them all.  I say jail 'em and
 RP> throw away the key, and if Gore, or whoever holds the office at the
 RP> time, pardons them, impeach him for obstruction of justice!
Being painted unflatteringly by history would be as painful
to Clinton as impeachment, trial and conviction on the
Lewinsky-related obstruction and perjury charges; he has
an all-consuming need to be loved by "the people", and
being forced to resign in disgrace would crush him.  (Unlike
Nixon, Clinton is personally involved with both the original
offenses and the coverup attempts.)
Sure, we could add to his disgrace with impeachment, but I
doubt he would really suffer any more.  In fact, he'd probably
be able to rationalize that "the people didn't do this, the
Republicans did."  But impeachment, trial by the Senate,
removal from office and the civil and criminal actions to
follow would continue to keep this entire matter (and the
debate over it) going for years to come.
The sweetest outcome I can envision would be for Bill to
resign, Hillary to divorce him, various prosecutors to take
_her_ to court until whatever money she has hidden away is
gone, and Chelsea to marry some nice Young Republican from
conservative Orange County, CA.  (Does Bob Dornan have any
unmarried sons...or grandsons...around her age?)
If Hillary winds up in jail, so much the better -- but being
broke and without her powerbase (Bill) would be punishment
enough to satisfy me.  As for Bill, I have a feeling that he
has little or no money stashed away *in his own name*; without
Hillary and/or Chelsea to get it for him, whatever he's
deposited offshore in their names will remain out of his reach.
 RP> It is way past high time that abuse of power be denied a free pass. 
 RP> Do the right thing with those two, and we'll be far less likely to see
 RP> a repeat - fail, and repetition is assured.
I don't disagree with this; but forcing a resignation is
quite possible, while actually securing an impeachment by the
House and conviction in a trial by the Senate is extremely
iffy.  A failed impeachment attempt _might_ leave Clinton
politically disgraced -- or it might merely make his supporters
that much more vocal and determined.  
 RP> That noose may just have tightened a bit too, now that the indicted
 RP> Charlie Trie is in custody.  |-)
The timing is rather suspicious -- L'affaire Lewinski stole
the spotlight from all previous Clinton scandals, and now
Trie's return is taking back the headlines after the public's
interest has cooled.  But if Trie can be tied to any of
Starr's loose threads (right now, only Reno has an
investigation going), *and* if he provides damaging testimony,
then I may change my mind about the success of an impeachment
attempt.
 RP> On a related note, I also think the execution of Carla Fay Tucker is
 RP> the right and proper thing to do.  The judgement is just, and
 RP> forgiveness is not the state's to give.  If her conversion is real,
 RP> then I rejoice for her sake, for she looks forward to the fulfillment
 RP> of the kind of promise Christ made to the repentant robber who hung
 RP> beside Him on a cross of his own - "Today shalt thou be with me in
 RP> paradise." (Luke 23:43).
Absolute total agreement here.
Oponents of capital punishment love to say, "killing SoandSo
won't bring back the victims."  That's true; but sparing
Ms. Tucker's life wouldn't have brought them back either.
OTOH, her execution does satisfy the law's requirement for
justice.  It might even make some other drugged-using teenager
think twice about committing a crime of violence, especially
since Karla Faye was still young enough that they could relate
to her.
Walter, Forked Deer River Ilks
wluffman@usit.net
... February 6, 1911 - Ronald Reagan's birthday
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