General Discussion

at least in theory.

For example, if somebody's only child was killed, that would pretty much ruin their life, wouldn't it? Some people do things like that on purpose, some in anger and some by accident.

We generally pay the government and count on police, DA's and prisons to ruin THEIR life if they do so. We want the government to ruin the lives - of criminals.

Now you might say that - the government can do so LEGALLY whereas a private citizen can only do so illegally (or accidentally). But is that true? To some degree the government is under more compunction to obey the law than private citizens are.

For example, private citizens are often free to speed while they drive and run red lights. Many people do both every day. Myself, I run a dozen stops signs a day on my bicycle.

Now, the government could, hypothetically, decide I was a threat somehow. Maybe Obama does not like all the times I called him out on his lies (this would require a fantasy land where people were actually listening to me and taking my complaints seriously). In this fantasyland, they could start dogging me, catching me every time my car went to fast, writing me a couple of stop sign violations every day (and some on DU would be cheering if this happened).

I would consider THAT type of politically-motivated selective prosecution to be an abuse of power. However, if that happens, we should be hearing from some of the victims of this kind of abuse. Until there are actual victims, then I do not believe a crime, by the government, has been committed.

Show me some victims, if you expect me to care.