This article from the Huffington Post is timely and important, particularly in the wake of the Aaron Swartz tragedy. It demonstrates a criminal justice system that has become completely void of justice. A system in which medical marijuana dispensaries and raw milk farms are raided by SWAT teams, but in which bankers that rob trillions with a pen face a slap on the wrist at worst and promotions to higher office at best. This kind of system, where federal prosecutors will target citizens just for publicity or because they know Washington D.C. doesn’t like the person is more reminiscent or Nazi, Soviet or East German justice than traditional American justice. It is another symptom of a nation in rapid societal decline. From the Huffington Post:
Prosecutors have enormous power. Even investigations that don’t result in any charges can ruin lives, ruin reputations, and drive their targets into bankruptcy. It has become an overtly political position — in general, but particularly at the federal level. If a prosecutor wants to ruin your life, he or she can. Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, there isn’t a whole lot you can do about it.
But by most estimates, there are at least 4,000 separate criminal laws at the federal level, with another 10,000 to 300,000 regulations that can be enforced criminally. Just this year 400 new federal laws took effect, as did 29,000 new state laws. The civil libertarian and defense attorney Harvey Silverglate has argued that most Americans now unknowingly now commit about three felonies per day.
Worse, while we citizens can go to prison for unwittingly breaking laws of which we weren’t aware, prosecutors and law enforcement officers who wrongly arrest, charge, and try citizens based on a misunderstanding of the law generally face no sanction or repercussions.
Prosecutors are protected by absolute immunity, which basically shields them from liability no matter how egregious their mistakes.
Once we have so many laws that it’s likely we’re all breaking at least one of them, the prosecutor’s job is no longer about enforcing the laws, but about choosing which laws to enforce. It’s then a short slide to the next step: Choosing what people need to be made into criminals, then simply picking the laws necessary to make that happen.
Take all of that with the massive total number of laws, and you get a system ripe for abuse. If a prosecutor has it out for you, he can probably find a law he can plausibly argue you’ve broken. Even if you’re acquitted — in fact, even if the charge is dropped, or if you’re investigated but never charged — you don’t get compensated for the time, stress, and expense the whole affair cost you. In federal cases you’re supposed to at least be reimbursed for you legal expenses, but that doesn’t appear to happen much, either.
At the state level, prosecutors are reelected, move on to higher office, or win prestigious jobs at high-powered law firms for racking up large numbers of convictions — and for getting high-profile convictions.
USA Today recently found that federal prosecutors who commit misconduct en route to wrongful convictions are rarely if ever sanctioned. Other studies have come to similar conclusions about state prosecutors.
Too often, criticism of prosecutorial excesses isn’t framed as this should never happen, but why isn’t this happening to the people I don’t like? Until that changes — until partisans are willing to condemn abuses even by their own, or committed against their political opponents or people they personally find unsavory — the problem is only going to get worse.
I’d suggest all of these factors (and probably a few I haven’t thought of) have increasingly made us a nation ruled not by laws, but by politics (and by aspiring politicians). And once criminality is influenced primarily by politics, we’re all just potential criminals.
Hopefully, Aaron’s death can serve as a catalyst for positive change.
Full article here.
In Liberty,
Mike
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You against the system, unless you just happen to have millions just sitting around in a bank account somewhere, which most ordinary people don’t, should you fall foul of the ‘Law’, which more and more ‘Ordinary’ people are, who previously wouldn’t have ever considered themselves in any way criminal, then you are going to jail, no ifs, buts or maybes.
And the privatisation of the prison system, means that the State authorities have to meet their obligations under the contracts they signed with the private prison authorities, and keep the private jails full in order to maintain their managing Corporations profits, ensuring that they in turn can pay their shareholders the dividends promised!
Not much chance to receive ‘Justice’ here, you are just a number to be processed, helping to keep the Corporations profits ticking over! So much for equality before the law, you are only as equal as the lawyer that you can afford to pay!
Take a look at Elliot Spitzer to see what can happen to someone who goes after crooks with money. And his ‘punishment’ was mild; only public humiliation and loss of his job. I’m quite sure others have ended up with cement boots. The trouble with trying to stop criminals who are millionaires or billionaires, or worst yet have connections with the CIA, is that you end up dead. Money buys protection and revenge quite handily. The Bush Crime Family is probably guilty of being involved with the assassinations of JFK, the ‘accidental’ death of JFK, Jr., Paul Wellstone, the shooting of Reagan, 9-11, not to mention stealing a couple elections. When are they going to be investigated? Never, obviously. This country has become an illusion and a nightmare. It’s a crime syndicate writ large, nothing more.
PS: Please don’t call me a ‘truther’ unless you’re willing to do the research yourself to become aware of these allegations. The opposite of ‘truther’ is liar. Until we as a nation and global population stop lying to ourselves, and stop allowing our representatives and leaders to lie to us, nothing will change.
You are definitely a Truther and telling the absolute freakin Truth. Writ large, as you say. Very depressing but one day the worm gonna turn and that cold dish of vengeance will get served to the bastards.
There’s a good video on Youtube about why you should never talk to the police, even if you know for a fact you are 100% innocent of even the most trival crimes. “I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY”. Or if they ask to search your house or car “YOU NEED A WARRANT.” Be polite and smile but be firm. Also remember to always use the 5th amendment. Remember, the America injustice system is now nearly as bad as the people’s court under Hitler. The court is not your friend, the lawyers are not your friends, the police are not your friends, the judge is not your friend, and the government is not your friend. None of them care about you, so just protect yourself. The country is going to hell anyway. Nothing we can do about it. So just watch out for ourself and try to avoid getting crushed.