Comment "Legalistic"? (Score 5, Insightful) 118
No, "law-abiding". Don't use a pejorative term for what should be regarded as the norm. All administrations should strive to be law-abiding. Not saying that they will always achieve it, but it should be the default.
You've got into the habit of not making any effort to obey any rules, whether your own or international (Guantanamo for example). If you regard following such rules as "legalistic" (ie excessive), then you really are doomed.