Letter: Those with wealth get absolution
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
I was thoroughly dismayed and outraged to learn that the Justice Department has decided not to pursue criminal charges against Goldman Sachs, a firm with a documented history of activity that led to the economic disaster that is destroying the lives of millions of Americans.
The lesson here? Someone who steals trillions of dollars and is wealthy and well-connected can do no wrong. But a hungry two-bit punk without a dime to his name who steals $20 goes to prison for years.
Whoever was responsible for this mockery of justice has proved what author Joseph Wambaugh said in one of his novels: "A rich man's prank is a poor man's felony."
We may as well drop the phrase "and justice for all" from the Pledge of Allegiance because it certainly is no longer true.
The irony here is that, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision in FEC vs. Citizens United, corporations like Goldman have more rights and protections than humans, but apparently the laws that humans are required to obey and the obligations humans are expected to fulfill are not applicable to these "corporate persons."
This is not the country I grew up in.
Kevin J. McElrath
Camas
