Thought: Why Not Appoint A "Special Council" after every major election??

[GodisanAtheist]

What are this board's thoughts on the idea of having a special prosecutor assigned to root out corruption and report on elected officials (most notably the president) after every major election or as part of an ongoing internal affairs department.

Maybe such a thing actually exists like an auditor's office for less mundane things than administration, but I've always held that I think every elected official could do with someone of Muller's competence and character keeping an eye on things, Democrat or Republican.

Maybe roll some dice and if they come up 7's then congrats, you have a special council assigned to look into your campaign/activities and make sure you aren't doing any under the table stuff.

I'm sure there are a lot of ways something like this could go awry (who watches the watchmen) but it might also keep the kind of people we want away from power... Actually away from power.

 

[ivwshane]

It would simply be another politicized department with Republicans utilizing it to go after their political enemies in the same way they've used Congress to do countless investigations for the same reasons (as admitted by them).

I'll pass.

 

[Jaskalas]

New What are this board's thoughts on the idea of having a special prosecutor assigned to root out corruption and report on elected officials (most notably the president) after every major election or as part of an ongoing internal affairs department.

Holding the majority to account should be the official task of the minority party. With express permissions / powers / access to carry out their job.

 

[sandorski]

That's overkill.

 

[JSt0rm]

What are this board's thoughts on the idea of having a special prosecutor assigned to root out corruption and report on elected officials (most notably the president) after every major election or as part of an ongoing internal affairs department.

Maybe such a thing actually exists like an auditor's office for less mundane things than administration, but I've always held that I think every elected official could do with someone of Muller's competence and character keeping an eye on things, Democrat or Republican.

Maybe roll some dice and if they come up 7's then congrats, you have a special council assigned to look into your campaign/activities and make sure you aren't doing any under the table stuff.

I'm sure there are a lot of ways something like this could go awry (who watches the watchmen) but it might also keep the kind of people we want away from power... Actually away from power.

another random old account.

 

[Ken g6]

I think the fourth amendment (about unreasonable search) applies to elected officials just like everyone else.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

another random old account.

-Unless this is some serious meta level trolling, I'm not sure what I'm being accused of...

 

[UNCjigga]

Are you asking for some sort of unelected, a-political, “supreme” inspector general overseeing the executive branch??? I don’t the the executive can be a check unto itself.

Congress and the public should just do their jobs to hold elected officials accountable for the decisions they make.

 

[dainthomas]

How many people should be on the special council? How will it be different than a regular council?

 

[Viper1j]

What are this board's thoughts on the idea of having a special prosecutor assigned to root out corruption and report on elected officials (most notably the president) after every major election or as part of an ongoing internal affairs department.

Maybe such a thing actually exists like an auditor's office for less mundane things than administration, but I've always held that I think every elected official could do with someone of Muller's competence and character keeping an eye on things, Democrat or Republican.

Maybe roll some dice and if they come up 7's then congrats, you have a special council assigned to look into your campaign/activities and make sure you aren't doing any under the table stuff.

I'm sure there are a lot of ways something like this could go awry (who watches the watchmen) but it might also keep the kind of people we want away from power... Actually away from power.

Not every election had a Russian sleeper agent elected to office. So no special counsel is needed.

 

[Moonbeam]

Why not do something more fundamental like creating an American population full of decent educated human beings. Our politicians are mirrors of ourselves, not who we imagine we are but as we actually manifest.

 

[Viper1j]

Why not do something more fundamental like creating an American population full of decent educated human beings. Our politicians are mirrors of ourselves, not who we imagine we are but as we actually manifest.

You'd be better off wishing for unicorns.

 

[Moonbeam]

You'd be better off wishing for unicorns.

The problem with that is that the moment you make the assumption that the possible is less than it really is, you set your aims accordingly. How do you really know what heights humans as a species can reach.

 

[Viper1j]

The problem with that is that the moment you make the assumption that the possible is less than it really is, you set your aims accordingly. How do you really know what heights humans as a species can reach.

Study history.

 

[Moonbeam]

History

Study history.

When you tell me to study history you do so as a person who knows almost nothing, but imagines that tiny sliver of nothing is the whole thing. I’m sorry but you are talking to somebody who die in the prison created by thinking I knew what I didn’t. I should warn you that if you want to continue to tell me things about which you have no idea, it could lead you to the same abyss. Frankly I would recommend it.

 

[yllus]

Back in the early days of democracy, we saw Greek and Italian democracies often do something very similar to this. You'd see men ascend to the highest offices - definitely not through merely legal means - and know that without use of even more corruption and assassinations and nefarious actions that the moment they left office it'd be off to jail with them.

This is ultimately exactly the reason why Julius Caesar broke a long-standing tradition in Rome and crossed the Rubicon river with an army and effectively ended the Republic of Rome - he knew that he could not return to the life of a private citizen; his enemies in the Senate were going to string him up. Subverting democracy was his only option to stay alive, and he happened to control an army...

Don't get me wrong - lots needs to be cleaned up in politics and something needs to change - but criminalizing participation in politics is the direct road to a dictatorship. It's a really bad idea.

 

[interchange]

No.

 

[Jhhnn]

Trump created a conflict of interest for the DOJ when he admitted firing Comey over the Russian election interference investigation, compelling Rosenstein to appoint a Special counsel. Here's the statute-

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/600.1

Such a conflict of interest normally doesn't exist so we don't normally have a Special Counsel.

 

[Jaskalas]

Trump created a conflict of interest for the DOJ when he admitted firing Comey over the Russian election interference investigation, compelling Rosenstein to appoint a Special counsel. Here's the statute-

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/600.1

Such a conflict of interest normally doesn't exist so we don't normally have a Special Counsel.

A solid explanation for current events.

My prior suggestion would be based on something like the UK's opposition party, as a concept. Though maybe with a somewhat broader role for us. The minority to officially hold the majority to account, to ensure transparency, sounds like the sort of thing we could use. Now, they already get air time on committees and whatnot, but I think they should be able to share some of Congress's agenda. Including to, at least, forcing votes on some bills.