PRESIDUNCE FORD SET A PRECEDENT BY PARDONING SOMEONE BEFORE THEY WERE EVER TRIED AND CONVICTED.  THE PUBLIC WAS SEVERELY ANGERED ABOUT THIS AND IT COST HIM THE ELECTION.
218319
You have to consider though that Nixon resigned from the presidency.  His resignation and Ford's pardon where both intended to save the country from a lengthy and bitter impeachment and possible criminal trial that would have further divided the nation at a time when it was already in turmoil.\n\nBush would never have that kind of class.\n\nPlus, you can not have a pardon as a legal precident.  A prescident is set as a manner of enforcing the law consistantly.  Pardoning somebody is not a method of enforcing the law.\n\nBesides, it's highly unlikely that you will see Bush get impeached.  With the Republicans controlling the House and Senate until January 2007, and possibly longer, Bush is safe from the reaches of the law.  His own party will never admit that he is a crackhead.\n\nEven if the Democrats get control of Congress next year, they won't impeach him either.  If they do, and they are successful, then Cheney is president (ugh) and could run as an incumbant in 2008.  The Democrats will not want to hand him that advantage.\n\nThe best thing to do is let the Republicans tear themselves apart.  Remember how they seemed invincible after the '04 election?  Now only a year and a half later, some are predicting that they will lose control of Congress.  Imagine what two and a half more years would do.
277363
When you truly feel the way you voted was fair, and within the Law. Most people don't realize that as a juror you really do have to go by the Laws and Penal Codes that are already set as to what the judgment might turn out to be. When a person is sentenced, it has to be "beyond a reasonable doubt", hands down, and I don't think that happens all the time.....
556056
You've got to remember, prosecutors are lawyers.  They spent their three years in law school.  They know how to be major league jerks.  They know all about the system, and they usually don't like to give breaks, even to the "small" people charged with speeding, etc...  Maybe they'll reduce a fine a little, but they nearly always get their guilty plea/conviction.  If they can sock it to somebody, they probably will.\n\nIn some places, prosecutors are elected.  If not prosecutors, the district attorney or attorney general may be elected.  You should investigate if this is the case, and if so you can campaign against the current officeholder.
583412
no the people the citizens elect are. people change so its not the citizens fault for not knowing if someone elected would go coorrupt or not be able to handel the job
338999
There as many reasons as there are incumbents who lose. Your reason is 1 of them. Sometimes, voters feel like he has done a poor job, ex Ford & Carter. Sometimes people like the other candidate, other times people want t change of direction.
449192
Nope, murder sanctioned by the government and police always goes unpunished... unless it's to boost political support, in which case they get made into sacrifices for public approval.
382484
I don't know if there would be countless questions on answers. I think the fact that another politician has swindled the public is just par for the course, be they Democrat or Republican. They all have their hands in the till in one way or other. Since I live in Ohio I have been following this story for months. The guy deserves to spend 18 years in prison. Frankly, I thought 18 years was too short a sentence.
607761
If he took the 5th Amendment everyone would have assumed he was guilty. By opening the floodgates, he let the people decide knowing that most would forgive his indiscretions and that's essentially what happened. Even Monica Lewinksy received a multi-million dollar deal from a weight-loss company.
153818
It's impossible to know without knowing the crime or the defendant. Perhaps the defendant was similar to yourself. Prosecutors like to avoid having jurors who can identify with the defendants. Makes for acquittals and hung juries.
424052
You don't say who made this request to the Coucil and in what circumstances.  It sounds as though the Council is being gently prodded to think things through and perhaps withdraw an action to recover what is owed on the grounds that the person is somewhat deranged or mentally handicapped.  Those hearing the case can't say such a thing outright, but they can drop loud hints to the effect that if a person isn't in a fit mental state to deal with his financial affairs, it is perhaps not a good thing to bring him to court, especially if he is arguing with deep conviction that he doesn't understand why he is being prosecuted and doesn't feel he owes anything.  Maybe now that we are not allowed to use Latin in court, "moral culpability" is the new "mens rea".
340719
yes, but it's not really punishment, it's more guilt. why? because they feel guilty about their own wealth and the fact that there are people in this country that don't have it (wealth). and don't have the opportunity to have it. are they willing to make changes in society that will change the dynamic? no. because they need the impoverished vote. what baffles me is that these people, these poor people who have nothing who keep voting in these democrats who do nothing to improve the situation of their voters have not learned yet that they are being tricked.
98828
He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident ---- the popular belief at the time was that he and his friend, Mary Jo, were drunk and driving home together - he lost his way and plunged into the water ---he was able to swim to safety - Mary Jo could not-  The scandal lingered because (1) he left the scene and did not appear in public until the next day (when any alcohol, if any, would have been gone from his system); and (2) he was a US Senator and married, and he was coming home late with a co-worker, a single female, presumably from a party.  I think only the Senator knows what truly happened that night - it was a tragic accident - whether or not there was addtitional wrongdoing (e.g. driving under the influence and involuntary manslaughter) will be taken to the grave by the Senator --- The accident certainly took a toll on his family life and certainly his presidential ambitions. Given the many many years of faithful and extremely productive service he has given this country, I believe the scales of history will tip in his favor when history looks at him. Remember to err is human ..to forgive ....certainly not Republican.
182628
He was appointed to the first term in a questionable election, and flat stole the second election. I think at least of the people of America, the democrats, are dumb for letting him get away with it and the other half for not carring how they got him elected, with the bottom line he is president are also dumb for supporting him. Oh yeah. Those are the ripuglicans.
488090
both and he had balls the size of watermelons. he was lucky to pull off what he did. our system needs more like him. its unfortunate that most police and government officials are above the law.
638565
The question is who granted the govenrment the right to waste millions of my and your tax dollars in senseless appeal process and keeping convicted murderers alive for decades? I feel sorry for myself for the that Scott Peterson is kept alive with my money -he deserves death penalty.\n\nThe logic is that once the crime is proven beyond reasonable doubt, the offender should suffer just as much as the victim. You get what you give to others.\n\nThe problem is that the American court system is not interested in finding out the truth -just going through motions.
545124
Shame on you Fire God!  Condemning a man for hypocrisy and wrongdoing based on innuendo.  What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?  Stepping down from his position is NOT an admission of guilt -- it's an acknowledgment that he realizes he won't be an effective leader until this matter is properly investigated.\n\nTo answer the question:  It has absolutely nothing to do with this election.  The liberals are grasping at every straw they can get their hands on to make conservatives look bad.
473854
I agree. Party affiliation aside, I believe that anyone who wants to waste our time and money deserves ejection from office. It's insulting to the people who elected the official to be petty and frivolous.