Edgewise

How Very Modest the Rule of Law Turns Out to Be

David Kolodney

"Lawmakers cannot reverse wrongdoing that has already occurred. But they can express outrage (in a resolution or on the floor) that the president saw fit to usurp Congress's power to set the ground rules for secret surveillance."
--From legal commentary by NYU law professor Noah Feldman in the NYT Magazine 2/5/06

DKo: Similarly, when a Mafia boss is found to be carrying out a program of murder and mayhem, the law "cannot reverse wrongdoing that has already occurred," it can, however, express outrage--exerting pressure to cease the murder and mayhem in the future.