John Poindexter. The most shameful Bush appointee.

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: magomago
Boooo. How can any SANE person agree with what Bush did!?! I'm amazed that we let someone like him back into the government

I think you underestimate how some people view the government. It's not just a righty vs lefty thing, it's more than that. While many of us view the government as a helpful group that we still need to keep an eye on, others view it as their parent, who's actions cannot be questioned and who always know what's right. The totally uncritical way some people view the government means that WHATEVER is going on is ok, because the folks in charge did it.

 

[kage69]

Dignity and honor folks...


Yet another example of Bush's idiocy through cronyism. It's almost as surprising to see zentroll still acting like his opinion holds any weight around here whatsoever.

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: zendari
*shrug* I thought liberals were all for giving convicted criminals who have paid their time full rights and integration into society.

AND YOU.. what are YOUR Republican thoughts on this?

 

[ntdz]

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: zendari
*shrug* I thought liberals were all for giving convicted criminals who have paid their time full rights and integration into society.

AND YOU.. what are YOUR Republican thoughts on this?

The same as yours?

 

[Rommels]

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: zendari
*shrug* I thought liberals were all for giving convicted criminals who have paid their time full rights and integration into society.

< sigh > That doesn't mean letting down your guard and assigning those who have proven they can't be trusted to positions requiring the higest levels of trust and integrity.

John Poindexter was a central figure in the Iran-Contra scandal in which, contrary to explicit U.S. laws, the Reagan administration attempted to trade arms for hostages held by Iran, charged inflated prices for the arms and diverted the cash to make illegal purchases of arms which, again contrary to explicit U.S. law, they shipped them to the Contras in Nicaragua. There are further suggestions that are more difficult to confirm that, rather than deadhead back in empty cargo planes, they loaded them up with cocaine to sell in the U.S. to further their illegal schemes.

Poindexter and Ollie North were convicted of conspiracy, making false statements to Congress and obstructing congressional inquiries. The conviction was overturned on a technicality on appeal when he court held that the government had improperly used immunized congressional testimony against them, but the underlying facts of their illegal actions were never challenged.

And selling arms at a great profit to a country that is gonna use them against another country which we supplied arm's to and then use those profits to kill commies is a bad thing? ;p

Nobody went to jail and Ollie North is a great American.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Originally posted by: Rommels
And selling arms at a great profit to a country that is gonna use them against another country which we supplied arm's to and then use those profits to kill commies is a bad thing?

Why worry about the law if you can get the results you want? After all, doesn't the end always justify the means?

Originally posted by: Rommels
Nobody went to jail and Ollie North is a great American.

Ollie North and John Poindexter legitimately evaded jail with the technicality engineered by their friends in Congress. Anyone who says different must be some kind of America-hating Communist. :laugh:

 

[techs]

Lets see. If you believe the executive branch can break the law when they feel justified that puts you in the political classification of....fascist.
And since you don't believe in the U.S. Constitution it also means you don't like America.
So I guess you North/Poindexter supporting guys are America hating fascists.
Just wish you would own up to it.

 

[marincounty]

I still remember Poindexter testifying, and repeatedly saying that he couldn't recall something.
This is from a guy that almost everyone said was brilliant, with a near photographic memory.
Typical republican liar.

 

[CaptnKirk]

"I don't recall" is the GOP version of the 5th Amendment.

 

[mylok]

of course he has the right to be appointed but common sense would say that would not be the right thing to do. Party first, right Zen? then defend ,defend, defend.

 

[shira]

Originally posted by: zendari
*shrug* I thought liberals were all for giving convicted criminals who have paid their time full rights and integration into society.

Actually, the fact that Poindexter was a known lawbreaker made him eminently qualified to serve in the Bush Administration.

 

[cumhail]

Actually, we discussed this a couple of years ago, shortly after Reagan died. Here's what I had posted in that thread:

As you note, Poindexter, like other Iran-Contra figures, ended up in this current Bush administration... for a while, at least. Having been pardoned of his crimes by the elder Bush, GWB's administration brought him back to public life as the head of the "Office of Information Awareness" shortly after GWB took office. But then he came up with the wonderful idea of creating a "futures market," based on the stock market's model, wherein you could bet on future terrorist attacks and cash in if you were right. Needless to say, most sane people were appalled, and Poindexter resigned shortly afterwards. Where he went from there, I'm not sure... but I'll bet real money he's not too far from the administration.

Poindexter, of course, was not alone among former Iran-Contra folks to find a new home in the Bush administration. Elliot Abrams, who pled guilty to withholding information from Congress in order to avoid more serious charges and jail term for his actions as an Assistant Secretary of State in the Reagan administration (a moot point, of course, since the elder Bush pardoned him along with others who fell on their swords over Iran-Contra), is also back in action thanks to the current Bush administration as the National Security Council's staff chief for Democracy, Human Rights, and International Operations... ironic, really. Knowing that the senate wouldn't confirm any appointment Abrams might get, he was put into one that doesn't require senate confirmation. But that issue didn't get in the one way of Otto Reich's appointment.

To get around the problem of the Senate blocking Otto Reich's appointment as an Assistant Secretary of State, the GWB administration just waited until congress went into recess. His office ran illegal covert efforts to overthrow Nicaragua's government; but damn it, he's the best man for the job and a silly thing like checks and balances shouldn't get in the way of his being put back into power, right? Richard Armitage, John Negroponte, Mitch Daniels, all players in the Iran-Contra scandals, also found a home in the current presidential administration. In the time immediately after 9/11, of course, Bush could have appointed just about anyone without anyone saying so much as a word. So it's hardly surprising that shadowy figures with favor-debts to be repaid should find their ways back again.

cumhail