The Trump administration’s actions have been an unprecedented disaster for science, equality, justice, people’s health, animal rights, and our only planet. Phew. As a result, I am reminded of the words of I.F. Stone.
Investigative journalist I.F. Stone once famously said that “All Governments Lie.” If Mr. Stone were alive today, perhaps he would muse that “All governments lie, and then there is the Trump administration.”
How broken is our political system? There is speculation that Trump may try to pardon himself, or appoint Pence as president, and then have him perform the pardon.
This is the very reason why knowing a little bit about history is so important.
Glenn Greenwald convincingly argued that corruption in politics on a federal level rose to new heights when Gerald Ford pardoned President Richard Nixon in 1974. And years later, the flood gates fully opened when, despite his campaign promises, President Obama refused to investigate/prosecute George W. Bush and other administration officials, including VP Dick Cheney for war crimes (which according to estimates from Brown University resulted in, most likely, millions of innocent people dying). Bush II, and his own team of sycophants knew that they were lying too, yet eagerly proceeded with the invasion and occupation of Iraq with the full support of corporate media cheerleaders and fellow architects like Joe Biden. Should any of us be surprised then that so many officials from the current administration are defiant, and brazenly corrupt? Other than reasons of common decency, why wouldn’t they be? They know that they are above the law.
“If you don’t know history it is as if you were born yesterday. And if you were born yesterday, anybody up there in a position of power can tell you anything, and you have no way of checking up on it.” – Howard Zinn
