Above the Law?

By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News

06 July 16

“No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it.”

– Theodore Roosevelt

hen Bill Clinton walked across the runway and boarded the Attorney General’s plane, he was once again showing the world that he thinks the rules don’t apply to him. When Donald Trump defrauds students and leaves investors high and dry to make a profit, he too thinks that he is above the law. When Hillary Clinton decided to conduct State Department business from an email server in her basement, she was placing her privacy above that of all of her staff who had to comply with the Federal Records Act.

Let’s forget the laws violated for a minute. The arrogance of the elite in our country stems from their unchecked power. They violate laws and depend on their influence to escape prosecution. Occasionally one of them crosses a line and has to be abandoned by his powerful allies. They have to do something that embarrasses the establishment. As long as you don’t get caught doing something that is scandalous, the establishment will have your back.

Having sex with your interns and lying about it is just boys being boys. Have a same-sex affair and all bets are off. Get caught in an airport men’s room and not your office and nobody will come to your defense. Defraud poor people with a phony education and you can be the nominee of the Republican Party. Hide your email communications and you are fine. Expose the government’s spying on citizens and you are a traitor.

I don’t advocate violence and I believe we can use our collective power to stand up and take our country back. We need a Justice Department that prosecutes the rich and powerful and doesn’t look the other way when they violate the law. We will not get that as long as we continue to reward the rich and powerful every election.

Our rigged political system only gives us two choices for President. This year they are both candidates who don’t think the rule of law applies to them. They think they can buy their way out of anything. They are the establishment. Don’t for a minute think that Donald Trump is anti-establishment. He owns their country clubs and even owns their politicians. The establishment’s only fear with him is that he is an owner, and not their property. They own Bill and Hillary, so they are more comfortable with them. They would rather have “the Donald” than Bernie, since Donald shares their values.

The FBI is not recommending charges against Hillary Clinton. So we are stuck with the race to the bottom. The two most unpopular candidates for President. We know if it hadn’t been an establishment politician they would have found a reasonable justification to prosecute.

I understand the frustration of having to choose between the lesser of two evils again. That is why we have to stay engaged in the political revolution and stand up to the establishment. Organizing is the only way we can create a just political system. We can no longer complain about the establishment; we must become the establishment after bringing them to justice. Nobody should be above the law.

We must channel our frustration into the struggle for justice. We cannot seek vengeance. We must seek justice.

We disagree on tactics and process, but this time let’s remain united. This is a political revolution. It doesn’t end on Election Day. And it doesn’t end in exacting revenge. Victory comes when we show them how to lead.

Scott Galindez attended Syracuse University, where he first became politically active. The writings of El Salvador's slain archbishop Oscar Romero and the on-campus South Africa divestment movement converted him from a Reagan supporter to an activist for Peace and Justice. Over the years he has been influenced by the likes of Philip Berrigan, William Thomas, Mitch Snyder, Don White, Lisa Fithian, and Paul Wellstone. Scott met Marc Ash while organizing counterinaugural events after George W. Bush's first stolen election. Scott will be spending a year covering the presidential election from Iowa.

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