Of Hillary Clinton and broken windows

The news is abuzz about the fact that the FBI advised no criminal charges be brought against Hillary Clinton regarding the so-called Email Scandal.  That is the headline, and for Clinton supporters or Trump detractors, that will be just fine.   Those who are against Clinton will not stop and will pursue other angles.

So who is better off between those two approaches?  Well, it being our day and age, I give the nod to those defending Ms. Clinton.  After all, 60 years ago, if you threw a baseball through someone’s window, most good parents would recommend you pay for a new window.   By the time I cam along, some of my peers would be punished, but as often as not, their parents would step up and pay for the window.  Nowadays, if a kid breaks a window, the parents ask if he meant to do it, and if not it’s off to the ice cream shop!

Which more or less happened here.  In another age, it would be time to look to Bernie.  The whole secret meeting between Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch notwithstanding,  the sheer volume of mishaps and disastrously inept decisions that might have compromised our national security should result in something.  I’ve worked for companies that deal with confidential information.  In every case, we were told that to compromise someone’s confidential information could, and likely would, lead to termination.  At best.

And yet now, FBI director James Comey lets us know that there was negligence of an almost unbelievable nature.  This negligence is beyond what any sensible person should engage in.  This negligence could have allowed hostile nations to access our top secret intelligence.  And yet, no charges.  Nothing.  Well, wait a minute.  Actually Mr. Comey made it clear that someone else in a similar circumstance could face charges.  Charges just won’t happen in this case.

So even though there should be enough to unite Americans and send us into the streets demanding justice, or at least accountability, my money is on Ms. Clinton’s supporters.  In another time, in another age, we might say something has to happen.  But today?  Not so much.  Her supporters and Trump’s many detractors will seize upon the headlines, insist the entire investigation was some partisan waste of time, and move on.  After all, it’s how we raise out kids today.  We certainly shouldn’t expect more from our leaders.

Just remember, Mr. Comey made it clear.  If you or I do something similar to this, charges easily could result.  That’s when it would be time to pay for the window.  If we’re OK with this, then there’s nothing more to say.