Are Politicians Above the Law?

[Nakosis]

The Above the Law, Double Standard of Politics
FYI, this link leads to a site to purchase a documentary.

Aren't many, lets call them high power politicians, above the law. Obviously a few get entangled by the law occasionally but if we give these folks the power to create the law does this not by de facto place them above it in a sense.

Perhaps most strikingly, Snyder reports that the net worth of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who grew up in Baltimore, increased by 62 percent to $35.2 million from 2009 to 2010. Democrats were not the only beneficiaries of wild good fortune, however, while the rest of us watched years' worth of savings evaporate.

Snyder, with whom I spoke on WBAL's "Ron Smith Show" last week, says that U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, saw his net worth grow by 37 percent from 2009 to 2010 and that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's wealth grew 29 percent in the same time period.

Reading "12 Facts" was a great primer for the piece on the CBS newsmagazine "60 Minutes" Sunday, which outlined the incredible good fortune so many members of Congress achieve while in office.

One of the main reasons they do so well is that insider trading is not illegal for members of Congress -- unlike everyone else. Raj Rajaratnam, a former hedge fund manager, was just sentenced to 11 years in prison for activity deemed perfectly legal for those who represent us.
Politicians above the law » Research » Maryland Public Policy Institute

It seems many laws that applies to everyone else, politician exempt themselves from.

Folks give lip service to this idea that no one is above the law. To me, this seems far from true.

 

[Sunstone]

I think it's beyond reasonable dispute that some high level politicians are in every which way but perhaps technically above the law. It would be so easy to dismiss the fact as solely or ultimately the consequences of a lazy or indifferent electorate, but I see that serious and sustained efforts to intentionally misinform that electorate have had a impact too -- even despite some earnest efforts made on their part, or made on their behalf, to become better and more widely informed.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Some politicians are de facto above the law, and many others are enablers of them.

Incidentally, I consider that a violation of the social contract, meaning that there is no civic duty to obey the law. There are still good reasons to obey the law, but they relate to consequences of violating the law, such as a speeding ticket or a fatal car accident - base reasons. The nobler reason - because we are all in this together and it is the right thing to do - flies out the window under these circumstances. If politicians feel free to break the law, why shouldn't everybody?

 

[Phantasman]

Most think that they can circumvent the law, finding loopholes. Since most are attorneys, they think they have the ability to bend the law to their favor. That's what attorneys do, congressional or not.

They definitely don't leave a million dollar a year firm for public office paying $200,000 a year. Without term limits the gates are open. And with that, a constant continuing separation from the American common man.

 

[Shushersbedamned]

No.

 

[Milton Platt]

The Above the Law, Double Standard of Politics
FYI, this link leads to a site to purchase a documentary.

Aren't many, lets call them high power politicians, above the law. Obviously a few get entangled by the law occasionally but if we give these folks the power to create the law does this not by de facto place them above it in a sense.

Perhaps most strikingly, Snyder reports that the net worth of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who grew up in Baltimore, increased by 62 percent to $35.2 million from 2009 to 2010. Democrats were not the only beneficiaries of wild good fortune, however, while the rest of us watched years' worth of savings evaporate.

Snyder, with whom I spoke on WBAL's "Ron Smith Show" last week, says that U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, saw his net worth grow by 37 percent from 2009 to 2010 and that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's wealth grew 29 percent in the same time period.

Reading "12 Facts" was a great primer for the piece on the CBS newsmagazine "60 Minutes" Sunday, which outlined the incredible good fortune so many members of Congress achieve while in office.

One of the main reasons they do so well is that insider trading is not illegal for members of Congress -- unlike everyone else. Raj Rajaratnam, a former hedge fund manager, was just sentenced to 11 years in prison for activity deemed perfectly legal for those who represent us.
Politicians above the law » Research » Maryland Public Policy Institute

It seems many laws that applies to everyone else, politician exempt themselves from.

Folks give lip service to this idea that no one is above the law. To me, this seems far from true.

Your claim that insider trading is not illegal for members of congress is FALSE.
Changes to the Stock Act ended plans to post papers online that are filed by members of congress and staffers. The papers are still available in public records, you just have to go to Washington to see them. Congress did not exempt itself from insider trading laws.
How Congress Quietly Overhauled Its Insider-Trading Law

 

[Nakosis]

Your claim that insider trading is not illegal for members of congress is FALSE.
Changes to the Stock Act ended plans to post papers online that are filed by members of congress and staffers. The papers are still available in public records, you just have to go to Washington to see them. Congress did not exempt itself from insider trading laws.
How Congress Quietly Overhauled Its Insider-Trading Law

Ok, I'll wait for these folks to be indicted then.

POLITICO found that 28 House members and six senators each traded more than 100 stocks in the past two years, placing them in the potential cross hairs of a conflict of interest on a regular basis. And a handful of lawmakers, some of them frequent traders and some not, disproportionately trade in companies that also have an interest in their work on Capitol Hill.
Reckless stock trading leaves Congress rife with conflicts

 

[Milton Platt]

Ok, I'll wait for these folks to be indicted then.

POLITICO found that 28 House members and six senators each traded more than 100 stocks in the past two years, placing them in the potential cross hairs of a conflict of interest on a regular basis. And a handful of lawmakers, some of them frequent traders and some not, disproportionately trade in companies that also have an interest in their work on Capitol Hill.
Reckless stock trading leaves Congress rife with conflicts

Do you have evidence of insider trading by Congressmen? You should contact the authorities.

 

[Nakosis]

Do you have evidence of insider trading by Congressmen? You should contact the authorities.

If you read the link you posted, you'll see what congress did was to make it much harder for anyone to get such evidence.

 

[Milton Platt]

If you read the link you posted, you'll see what congress did was to make it much harder for anyone to get such evidence.

I did read the link, that is why I posted it. The OP stated that Congress exempted itself from the law. The article states that it did not. Neither the OP nor I entertained the question of if discovery had been made more difficult.

 

[Nakosis]

I did read the link, that is why I posted it. The OP stated that Congress exempted itself from the law.

Sorry, this is not true.

The article states that it did not. Neither the OP nor I entertained the question of if discovery had been made more difficult.

Ok, the article states something that wasn't claimed.

 

[metis]

In Sweden, they're more apt to "throw the book" after a corrupt politician because they believe that they're in a position to cause more harm than most. Therefore, they tend to get even longer sentences if convicted.

 

[Milton Platt]

Sorry, this is not true.



Ok, the article states something that wasn't claimed.

Sorry, this is not true.



Ok, the article states something that wasn't claimed.

I was only attempting to point out that the original poster stated this: "One of the main reasons they do so well is that insider trading is not illegal for members of Congress "

The article states that it is NOT legal for Congressmen to participate in insider trading.

 

[Curious George]

The Above the Law, Double Standard of Politics
FYI, this link leads to a site to purchase a documentary.

Aren't many, lets call them high power politicians, above the law. Obviously a few get entangled by the law occasionally but if we give these folks the power to create the law does this not by de facto place them above it in a sense.

Perhaps most strikingly, Snyder reports that the net worth of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who grew up in Baltimore, increased by 62 percent to $35.2 million from 2009 to 2010. Democrats were not the only beneficiaries of wild good fortune, however, while the rest of us watched years' worth of savings evaporate.

Snyder, with whom I spoke on WBAL's "Ron Smith Show" last week, says that U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, saw his net worth grow by 37 percent from 2009 to 2010 and that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's wealth grew 29 percent in the same time period.

Reading "12 Facts" was a great primer for the piece on the CBS newsmagazine "60 Minutes" Sunday, which outlined the incredible good fortune so many members of Congress achieve while in office.

One of the main reasons they do so well is that insider trading is not illegal for members of Congress -- unlike everyone else. Raj Rajaratnam, a former hedge fund manager, was just sentenced to 11 years in prison for activity deemed perfectly legal for those who represent us.
Politicians above the law » Research » Maryland Public Policy Institute

It seems many laws that applies to everyone else, politician exempt themselves from.

Folks give lip service to this idea that no one is above the law. To me, this seems far from true.

On a related sidenote, I can't begin to explain how much qualified immunity "grinds my gears."

 

[Shushersbedamned]

In Sweden, they're more apt to "throw the book" after a corrupt politician because they believe that they're in a position to cause more harm than most. Therefore, they tend to get even longer sentences if convicted.

Source?

 

[metis]

Source?

A book I have on Sweden, but that's at my place downstate. I think it's from the "Lonely Planet" series of travel guides.

 

[Shushersbedamned]

A book I have on Sweden, but that's at my place downstate. I think it's from the "Lonely Planet" series of travel guides.

I don't buy it. Just cuz it's in a book doesn't mean it's true.