What Difference Does it Make?

Those were Secretary Hillary Clinton's words yesterday to a Senate committee investigating the Benghazi debacle where four Americans lost their lives, including the American ambassador, in answering questions about who was responsible. Well, Madame Secretary, it makes a lot of difference. Here are just some of the ways it matters:

1. Families of the Dead Americans. They care what happened and they want the guilty to be held accountable.

2. American Policy. The responsible parties for this debacle should never be allowed again to make decisions affecting the United States because they are incompetent.

3. Integrity of the U.S. Senate.  It matters to the Senate which asked the question. The Executive Branch does not run the country unilaterally but the Senate has its own Constitutional role. In a courtroom a judge would have instructed you to answer the question.

4. Perjury/Misrepresentation.  It is entirely possible that facts were misrepresented to Congress and/or the public during this whole sordid mess. That is why witnesses are sworn, as you were yesterday. The public is entitled to the whole truth from its top officials; you avoided it. 

5. The American Public.  Above all, the public is entitled to know what its elected and appointed officials are doing in terms of carrying out the duties entrusted to them. We do not live in a dictatorship and the understanding that government officials are public servants is something that is rapidly receding - especially in the eyes of government officials. 

Your answer, Madame Secretary, was arrogant and dismissive of the democratic process, which is why you are not suited to be a Presidential candidate in 2016. You were able to bluff the Senate with your bluster. I hope that the same is not true of the electorate if you do run in four years.