WHO GETS WHAT ICE WHEN?

Bat Masterson (1853-1921), was a famous old west gunfighter and lawman who became a well known columnist for a New York City newspaper. One of his most quoted lines is this: “I’ve observed that we all get the same amount of ice. The rich get it in the summertime, and the poor get it in the winter.”

I’ve thought about what Bat Masterson said a lot in recent years as I’ve watched how justice seems to play out for politicians, celebs and other “connected” people as opposed to how it plays out for the rest of us. Probably, there has never been, in American history, more “politically connected” people accused of serious crimes, with evidence of guilt stacked up against them which should send them to prison, than there are now. But they don’t seem worried. If history teaches us anything, they have little reason to worry.

The people at the Department of Justice are all parroting different versions of basically the same thing. Below are three of the most common. Accompanying each of these three familiar press statements and promises to the public is a question screaming for an answer from the DOJ.

STATEMENT: “We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” ANSWER: But, after you’ve gotten “to the bottom of this.”—Then what???

STATEMENT:  “These people need to be held accountable.” ANSWER:  We know. But will they be? And, if and when they are will they get the same justice, sentence, etc. any ordinary American would get for committing the same crimes? 

STATEMENT:  “No one is above the law.” ANSWER “Prove it!

In my opinion, until the American public sees “politically connected” people, whatever their position is or has been, actually being punished for their crimes at the same rate and to the same degree as the rank and file of Americans are, there is little hope that this country can be turned around from the disastrous path it has been put on, regardless of who is running the government or whatever else seems to be happening of a positive nature.