Is ignorance like the new insanity plea?

Question

I just heard Alberto Gonzales wasn't going to be prosecuted for illegally handling secret government documents because of ignorance. See if he knew the proper procedures and disobeyed them knowingly then he would guilty of breaking the law... very convenient. This after the congress grilled him about the problems at the DoJ which he claimed he knew nothing about. Listening to the hearings he sounded... uhh... unbelievably inept. Luck those under him got immunity then concurred his story... very convenient again. This all is very similar to what happened with Cheney / Plame, Rumsfeld / Abu ghraib, and Bush / Iraqi WMDS.

It seems our politicians just need plausible deniability and ignorance to shield themselves for prosecution. How is this any different of the mob boss who has know idea why his own goons murdered his enemies? If a CEO used this tactic in the corporate world wouldn't they be fired right away? Gonzales and Rumsfeld eventually resigned but how do know these illegal activities weren't directed by someone above them?

Anycase we need to stop the ignorance plea from becoming the new insanity plea.

Answer 1

go finish your manifesto

Answer 2

Nope, business as usual for the bush administration.

Answer 3

Its a principle of law that ignorance of the law is not an excuse.

It is a principle of our society that those in power and their friends

get special consideration.

Someday we might hold those in power to a higher standard,

as we ought to. Not a lower one.    

Someday.

Answer 4

Stupidity not ignorance, ignorance can be cured with proper use of logic and information. but stupidity however no such cure.