Smooth transfer of power in Washington.

Many people continue to comment on the smooth transfer of power from the outgoing Republican administration to the new Democratic administration. Too many Americans take this for granted in this country. In many countries, such transitions lead to coups and riots in the streets.

Americans should be more aware of the great importance of such peaceful transfers of power in our country and how unusual it is in the world. They also must consider why political figures willingly surrender power and quietly return to private life, not simply the president, but all of his appointees. They must also ask what might end such peaceful transitions.

Two changes in American political life could threaten this continued peaceful transfer of power. First, the succeeding administration begins to investigate and prosecute members of the outgoing administration. Second, access to political power provides greater opportunities for income than ordinary business ventures.

To this point outgoing administrations have not been prosecuted for their good faith conduct while in office. If the Obama administration violates this tradition and prosecutes President Bush and various individuals for "torture" or "war crimes" undertaken in the good faith effort to protect this country, it will destroy the comity between the parties.

Republicans undoubtedly would take similar action upon retaking power. Such criminalization of policy differences would make transfers of power an invitation to unending criminal prosecution. This would lead to broad grants of presidential immunity from prosecution that would likely be attacked by the new administrations.

While political connections have always helped many businesses in this country, American free enterprise has provided the overwhelming source of economic opportunity. This maintains an important balance of power in the society as most Americans receive their livelihood from businesses acting independently of government.

As greater portions of the American economy grow more dependent on Washington's largess, maintenance of control of power in Washington becomes ever more important. This would increase the need to retain that power. It would also reduce the ability of independent business to balance the power of government. More Americans would become dependent on government for their income.