Originally Posted by dc_dux

Tully...IMO, there are two separate and distinct endeavors.

I strongly believe that Obama should proceed on a legal track with regard to Bush's expansive claim of executive privilege (claiming that it applies NOT only to conversations or documents between the president and a suboordinate, but to conversations/documents between two suborinates w/o the direct involvement of the president.

I also believe we need further review (either judicicial or congressional) over potential violations of US international treaty obligations (particularly regarding treatment of non-combatants)

These both has serious implications beyond Bush.

I think it is also important to separate Congressional oversight hearings from possbile crimininal investigations by the incoming DoJ.

Oversight hearings serve a diferent purpose...not to determine criminal violations, but to determine a need for new/additional legislation as a result of potential (non-criminal) abuses by the outgoing admin.

IMO, this applies to several "open government" issues, government contracting issues, issues of interference by political apppointees in the scientific studies of government agencies, etc.

The most important "change" that Obama can implement, IMO, is to assure the American people that it will not be "business as usual". The government will be more transparent, open and accountable and the concept of checks and balances and separation of powers will be honored (that means no "signing statements" that change the intent of law, no unilateral interepretation of "executive powers," no expansive claims of executive privilege, no attempts to block any valid FOIA requests, no politicizing of govt scientific studies, etc.....)