Using the Power of Office to Avoid Jail

Paul Krugman's column today ends like this:

"Our current political leaders would suffer greatly if either house of Congress changed hands in 2006, or if the presidency changed hands in 2008. The lids would come off all the simmering scandals, from the selling of the Iraq war to profiteering by politically connected companies. The Republicans will be strongly tempted to make sure that they win those elections by any means necessary. And everything we've seen suggests that they will give in to that temptation. "

Not only do I heartily agree with this, which is why I believe that Cheney will run in '08 to keep the lid on himself and all his cronies, but I believe the same situation keeps both Chirac and Berlusconi working hard to maintain their power in their cases specifically to avoid prosecution for offenses they have committed before the ascension to the highest posts in their country. Berlesconi in Italy not only stays in power to maintain immunity, but he appoints his personal lawyers to positions of power specifically so they can rewrite laws to keep his businesses legal.

I don't think that we're yet in a highly advanced stage of governance in this world. Someday perhaps we will be described as 'premodern.'