"Mistakes Were Made"

[Solly Mack]

Crime: A violation of a local, state, or federal law

Mistake: An unintentional error or misunderstanding.

Criminal negligence: - law - recklessly acting without reasonable caution and putting another person at risk of injury or death (or failing to do something with the same consequences)




"Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me."

George W. Bush on Iraq


"For those who have forgotten their high school English, this is called "passive" voice. It places the emphasis on the object of the sentence, not the subject. There is no telling who did what — only that something somehow happened.

Saying Mistakes have been made is like saying the house caught fire. It's as though the house is somehow to blame for burning up. See? And the mistakes in Bush's Iraq policy are somehow at fault for having occurred.

Common sense would dictate that someone made those mistakes, but the person who did so is missing from the sentence. Obviously, then, that person is not to blame."



"Have mistakes been made? I'm certain that they have."

Condoleezza Rice on Iraq


"It's also important for the people of Iraq to know that in a democracy, everything is not perfect, that mistakes are made."

George W. Bush on Abu Ghraib/Torture


"Mistakes made in pre-war intelligence were honest mistakes"

Donald Rumsfeld on invading Iraq



"I acknowledge that mistakes were made here. I accept that responsibility"

Alberto Gonzales on DOJ firings


"Mr Snow told journalists at the White House that Mr Wolfowitz agreed "a lot of mistakes were made" in the process, but they were not a "firing offence".



"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government and to the extent the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility"

George W Bush on lack of Katrina response - but only with the context of how he defines government's obligation to help people in the event of natural (and not so natural) disasters.


In other words: "Where mistakes (if any) have been made, I take responsibility"








It was also a favorite with Reagan administration.

It's obvious that the execution of these policies was flawed, and mistakes were made. I know the stories of the past few weeks have been distressing. I am deeply disappointed this initiative has resulted in such a controversy, and I regret it's caused such concern and consternation.

Ronald Reagan,1986 State of the Union Address, Iran-Contra scandal



As long as government gets to label their crimes as "mistakes" - they will get away with them. Mistakes can be forgiven - they're understandable. Everyone makes mistakes. Making a mistake doesn't make you criminal or even a bad person.



Crimes.Took.Place

[SeattleGirl]

1. Every time I hear one of these asshats say that, I want to smack

them (and no, Agent Mike, I wouldn't really do that, so chill out). When in the fuck is anyone going to say, "I made a mistake"????

[magellan]

2. Ditto "misled"

And I'm sure the only "mistakes" they rue are the ones that lead to them being found out.

[SeattleGirl]

4. Exactly. As Rhett said to Scarlett, "You're like a theif who is not

sorry he stole. You're like a thief who is just sorry he got caught."

[Solly Mack]

9. I pretty much have the same reaction

but mistakes were made...their heads want to occupy my hand's space....so it's not my fault.

[SeattleGirl]

38. Same thing happened to me......

and it's not my fault. Mistakes were made.

[Swamp Rat]

3. Oops! I accidentally burned the U.S. Constitution.

:shrug:

[SeattleGirl]

5. Yes, I know it was just a mistake that was made by someone, somewhere,

who mislead you into thinking that the Constitution was just a piece of paper meant to help start the summer campfire.

There, there, Swamp Rat. No one's gonna blame you. It's those freakin' DemocRats.

[Swamp Rat]

6. Bill Clinton's penis works for Al-Qaeda.

It is seeking the cover of a dark Ozark cave where it will continue 'terrorizing' wanton Stepford housewives.



:D

[Solly Mack]

11. there's a joke there...

looking innocent

Swamp did it!

[Solly Mack]

10. The match did it!

Yes, that's what they're saying...all an accident....one big whoopsie

[tabasco]

33. I love your political art. n/t

[CrispyQ]

35. Very nice!!

I haven't seen this creation before. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


:hi:

[Kindigger]

7. Sounds like a child's excuse

"The vase was broken, but it shouldn't have been on that shelf where my brother and me decided to wrestle".

[Solly Mack]

12. Exactly!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

8. It's my homework's fault the dog ate it! n/t

[Solly Mack]

13. and since your teacher gave you homework in the first place -

it's your teacher's fault really

I couldn't break a law if the law didn't exist

[SalmonChantedEvening]

14. Then it's the lawmakerers doin'!!

Prolly them durned trial lawyers agin!!

:D

Hiya Solly :hi: :pals:

[Solly Mack]

15. Hiya SalmonChantedEvening!!

:hi:


It's amazing - it really is

they're not responsible for anything

[SalmonChantedEvening]

16. That would involve admitting you were wrong.

Can't go doing anything like that now can they? :eyes:

[Solly Mack]

19. and it chaps my fanny when they are allowed to get away with it

(their crimes) - and every time they aren't challenged on their "mistakes were made" crap, they get away with it.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

23. And somehow they were always made by an 'overzealous staffer'

Who is then re-assigned to do more 'overzealous staffing'

This is my brain ---> :nuke:

Need a lie down already and it's just 10AM EEEE yeee

[Solly Mack]

26. Yes!

Sorry....go rest your nerves :)

[spanone]

17. mis-spoke = LIE

[Solly Mack]

20. Exactly!!! And they get away with it by using a "kinder/gentler" word

to hide their lies and their crimes behind

[seemslikeadream]

18. and we will continue to make them

with a little help from our friends

[Solly Mack]

21. Oh yeah - and that chaps my fanny as well

[Karenina]

22. K&R!!!

:loveya:

[Solly Mack]

29. Hey Karenina!

I want these criminals held accountable and they hide behind language that minimizes their crimes - and they are allowed to get away with it!!!!

You know that already.

Just ranting. :)

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. If they admit mistakes were made, then they should be open to an investigation

so we can understand who made that mistake and how do we prevent it from happening again.

[Solly Mack]

27. Precisely - and people go along with the game

not all people...but too many

and they would be subject to accountability and consequences...

Because they aren't making mistakes - they are committing crimes

[The Backlash Cometh]

30. Who is going to hold them accountable?

These people know they're not black men in white courts. They ARE the white courts. All across this nation they do things that others would be incarcerated for and they know who to call to protect their bacon. And if they do get caught, they know how to appease their white communities. Just donate to the local mega-church and tell a priest you've sinned and want forgiveness. Suddenly, the Sunday sermon is all about how forgiving sinners is OUR responsibility.

[Solly Mack]

31. YES! Yes! Yes! Speak it!

It gets turned around just that way and it further exposes just how corrupt justice is in this country.

Beautifully said!

Suddenly we don't want what's best for the country since we want accountability - we need to move on - we need to allow the nation to heal by forgiving crimes like torture and abuse of office. Cause gee, they're good people really, and didn't mean to make those "mistakes"

[The Backlash Cometh]

32. I have to navigate through this hypocrisy everyday.

My community can do heinous things that have lasting effects to innocent future homeowners, and nobody holds them accountable because everybody who should help is wittingly part of the silence. I am not in the least bit surprised to see it played out on a national level. Just surprised that nobody seems to understand that the roots of this behavior are in our local communities.

[Cerridwen]

25. I hate that phrase.

For a people who supposedly holds personal responsibility in such high esteem, "they" sure do have a tough time taking personal responsibility.

[Solly Mack]

28. Yes they do! Tough on crime - except when they're the criminals

How do you "mistakingly" torture someone?

Opps! I accidentally water-boarded you!

[Cerridwen]

34. Well, at least they take personal responsibility for *other* people

who don't take personal responsibility.

Double standards! Double standards! Gettcher double standards right here!

Hell, Solly, I can't figure how you "mistakenly" do half the things people "mistakenly" do. But then, I "mistakenly" thought our Constitution and the ideals on which it was based were damned near sacrosanct. Silly me.

[Zhade]

39. I hate even MORE that some Dems use it.

Invading Iraq was a premeditated crime, not a fucking "mistake"!

[Solly Mack]

42. I don't like anyone using it

It only serves to cover up crimes

[eppur_se_muova]

36. The "Party of Personal Responsibility ... in the Passive Voice"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_passive_voice

[puebloknot]

37. Or, like Monica Goodling: "I probably did cross a line...

...but I didn't mean to"! (Jesus made her do it.)

[Solly Mack]

40. Exactly. They hide their crimes behind language

Imagine..a lawyer claiming ignorance of the law as their excuse

[chill_wind]

41. "Shit happens, see."

It's their very favorite device.