As a Pennsylvanian, I see the Sandusky case as being analogous to Watergate and here's why:
You have a series of crimes, in this more recent case a heinous, perverted, disgusting, horrifying, overwhelmingly-overarching-ly repulsive violent offender and in the previous case, you have a planned burglary of a headquarters of a political party by a combination of criminals who represented various segments of the powers that be in order to possibly achieve goals which have never been widely discussed by the MSM and probably never will be.
In both cases, very very powerful people knew of the commission of the crimes a priori and allowed them to proceed for a variety of personal, political, and professional reasons. The sacrifice at the altar of the Judiciary/Congress of the burglars, of White House personnel, and ultimately the President was made in order to keep the real status quo of the Plan. The implementation of the Plan has been very successful as we have all witnessed over the past 32 years, and its continued success is all but guaranteed in my very humble opinion. Similarly, it is evident here in Pennsylvania that the Sandusky conviction is being played as 'closure', as 'justice', and as how 'the system works'. There have even been articles which allude to the fact that poor Joe Paterno was sent to an early grave by this convicted pedophile. The fact of the matter, and I don't doubt this for an instant, is that everyone involved in athletics, in local State College politics, and Statewide politics has known about this for decades. I know they have, I can judge by how measured their responses were when the story first broke and their incredible nervousness as each horrible detail came to light in the media.
This has been quietly whispered for years in and around State College, and those of you who don't live here may not fully comprehend the incredibly complex weave of the tentacles involving the University within every aspect of the Commonwealth. My father of blessed memory held an honorary position involving one of the published products of the University and he told me three things only about Penn State: first, he told me that Joe Paterno and his brother owned enormous amounts of real estate and other holdings including a goodly portion of the broadcast of the games, AND that my father was livid when Paterno spoke at a Republican Convention because he and Paterno were both employees of the Commonwealth and that was strictly forbidden, AND that Paterno was the Emperor of the entire State and held more power than anyone, ANYONE who lived here. He only had to pick up a telephone and you were history. Every politician of every stripe curried favor and woe betide anyone who got on his nerves. I really couldn't care less that he donated to President Obama's campaign: my point is that there was nothing he didn't know, and nothing was ever going to occur which would derail his Empire, until this creep, this slimy sonofabitch did what he did and was finally revealed to the world.
Now you observe: they are going to say, "Thank God this Chapter is finally closed and we can move on." Well, they may close the book, but I'm telling you, if that happens, there are going to be a whole lot of people breathing a big sigh of relief. And a whole lot of important people are in that group. If you believe that the resignation of Nixon answered all the questions from Watergate, then you'll be satisfied here. I certainly shall not be.
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Paterno riding herd over the entire state is so laughable that it could only come from the fevered imaginations in the Philly suburbs. Good luck with that.
Last edited Fri Jun 27, 2014, 06:57 PM - Edit history (11)
Paterno was the Emperor of the entire State and held more power than anyone, ANYONE who lived here...(T)here was nothing he didn't know, and nothing was ever going to occur which would derail his Empire, until this creep, this slimy sonofabitch did what he did and was finally revealed to the world.For decades, Paterno had the luxury of not being very concerned with Sandusky's "activities" because of the strong defensive line he'd built around his empire -- a line that, as you say, also encompassed Pennsylvania's political structure. That's why Paterno wasn't criticized, never mind wasn't punished, for speaking at the 1988 GOP convention (as a state employee, it was illegal), and why every previous punishment of Sandusky resulted only in wrist taps and gentle demotions.
And remember the judge who gave Sandusky no-money-down bail and freedom to travel? When I learned that Sandusky's youth foundation had sponsored a fundraiser for her, I gave her the benefit of the doubt: as one of Sandusky's demotions, he ended direct involvement in the foundation in 2008. There was only one logical explanation for the judge not even considering recusing herself -- the fundraiser must have taken place AFTER 2008. But noooo, it turned out that it took place in 2007!
Who knew (or should have known) what about Sandusky, when did they know it, and why didn't they at least try to stop him sooner? Damned good questions -- and they need to be asked all the way up to the Pennsylvania's governor's office.
rocktivity
The questions DO need to be asked all the way up to the Pennsylvania governor's office. I hope that truly happens, because there were enablers every step of the way.
Tom Corbett is looking a little ragged these days...he must have a lot on his mind. 
