this post was submitted on 02 Dec 2024
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The decision by President Joe Biden to pardon his son, Hunter, despite previously suggesting he would not do so, has reopened debate over the use of the presidential pardon.

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[–] ceenote@lemmy.world 98 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (3 children)

Trump: Filling his cabinet with conflicted individuals and loyalists, many of whom have had legal troubles and been pardoned by him.

Biden: Pardons a family member who has never held government office for a drug-related offence.

And which story dominates the news cycle? The media is more than complicit in the resurgence of fascism in this country.

[–] thefartographer@lemm.ee 18 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

Maybe I'm being inflammatory, but I think this move might have saved his son's life. I wouldn't be surprised if the next administration was planning to make an example of Hunter to show off their newly radicalized DOJ

[–] Bahnd@lemmy.world 6 points 17 minutes ago* (last edited 17 minutes ago)

Agree, due to the politization of the case, its no longer about legality or justice. Its a safety issue now, I dont feel like this is an ethical pardon, but the country voted against ethics, so im not going to be mad at this.

If Harris had won then it would have been a very different matter, but the upcoming DOJ apointees will likely be 47s attack dogs and the biden family cant afford have any lingering cases for them to exploit.

[–] BrokenGlepnir@lemmy.world 2 points 31 minutes ago

Could have gotten epstiened I guess.

[–] BMTea@lemmy.world -1 points 1 hour ago

Thing that's been dominating the news cycle for weeks is momentarily less dominant than thing that happened just yesterday.

Must be because people are so unfair to that troubled youth who just needed help, Hunter Biden. Has nothing to do with Joe Biden promising to use presidential powers to pardon the indigent, disproportionately-black group of people who went to jail for possessing weed and instead using the powers specifically for his 54 year old millionaire son.

[–] DoomHorizons@lemm.ee 61 points 3 hours ago (4 children)

The time to worry about the limits of presidential power was during the supreme court decision on immunity

Now that cats out of the bag, there's no sense in Biden trying to adhere to standards that no longer exist

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 13 points 3 hours ago

True. Ain't nobody "reopening" debate except corporate news holes.

[–] Xanis@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago

Yup. Let him go crazy with those powers. As sour as it tastes, he was given authority to do so by the Federal Supreme Court. If MAGA doesn't like it they can kiss our collective asses and roll that shit back.

They won't, of course, for a couple reasons:

  1. It IS another form of power
  2. They know the left will have plenty of people complaining whenever someone on their side decides to use it, while everyone on the Far Right will rejoice.

I suggest those of you whining about this take a step back and look at the bigger issues. One of which happens to be rather rotund, orange, and requires us to stop bickering.

[–] BMTea@lemmy.world -2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

You argument is quite literally "the president should just go ahead and misuse power right now because it was abused before." It's astonishing what you people will let Dems get away with and how little you consider the damage it does to the party's image, chances, conduct and culture.

[–] DoomHorizons@lemm.ee 1 points 41 minutes ago* (last edited 36 minutes ago)

The damage is already done, why worry about image, chances conduct and culture in a country that's got no future either way

He might as well do what he can while he can, none of it is going to matter for long

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 33 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

Fucking good. The pardon power is bullshit and we ought to pull it the fuck out of the constitution. I'm glad Brandon pardoned his son, though, I hope republicans go apoplectic. Those cunts ushered in this era of lawlessness, why the fuck should we play ball? Sort out your twice-impeached rapist felon traitor president, cunts. Don't step to me with this Hunter Biden bullshit. Fuck off and die.

[–] KoboldCoterie@pawb.social 24 points 3 hours ago (2 children)

Honestly, Biden should just go completely off the rails, and do all the shit Trump is threatening to do, including jailing political rivals. Including the red members of the SCOTUS. Give them plenty of warning, and plenty of time to reverse their prior ruling, but start following through if they decline to. Make them respond.

[–] Xanis@lemmy.world 7 points 2 hours ago

I said months ago that Biden and the larger Democratic party needed to come out swinging. I doubled down after Biden's lackluster debate. When Harris hit the ground sprinting I was actually happy. Then some traditional democratic strategic asshat convinced her to simmer down and take a risky route that would only have worked 25 years ago.

Step up, Dems. We've gone from cushy NFL offsides to NFL Blitz and you're waaay behind.

[–] Asafum@feddit.nl 16 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Too bad the Democrats official motto is "when they go low, we sit here and do absofucukinglutly nothing but cry about it and let them tread all over us."

[–] KoboldCoterie@pawb.social 6 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

I find their continued requests for donations while they do absolutely nothing to be particularly infuriating.

[–] Asafum@feddit.nl 4 points 3 hours ago

Donate to us, we gave Oprah too much!

[–] treefrog@lemm.ee 25 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Trump is going to pardon much worse criminals than Hunter. And the GOP won't say shit.

Hypocrites are going to do what they want. So what debate?

[–] QuincyPeck@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago

Is going to and already has pardoned worse.

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 16 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

I know this is a questionable move, but with a gang of fascist crooks about to take over the USA it's a bit depressing to read headlines that are still stuck at "renews ethical debate". Fascists don't debate ethics or anything else, and particularly fascist autocrats and their enablers don't debate the ethical limits of presidential power. They have other ways of resolving matters, and people need to focus on preparing effective ways to defend themselves.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 15 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Oh my god, Biden did something vaguely questionable, clutch my fucking pearls.

[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 3 points 2 hours ago

vague questionable on a case that was questionable. I still think of how clintons impeachment was due to a lie about a relationship with lewinski in the watergate investigation which they were cleared for but they still impeached due to the lie about the questionable personal relationship and then not having even that for biden they went after his son who at most used his name to make money. But trump was impeached because of withholding money to a foreign leader until they managed to pressure their press to give him a line of attack on his opponent. And the dems never impeached bush or reagan. sad.

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 hours ago

There is no "ethical debate" anymore. You're system is broken to the core and I don't blame Biden at all for saying "fuck it".

Hell, if I were him I'd use my so-called "Presidential Immunity" to do whatever he can to fuck up the MAGA agenda before he leaves.

"I'm putting 6 new judges on the supreme court, all democract. Why? Because fuck you, that's why."

"I'm giving two of our nukes because fuck Putin"

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 4 points 3 hours ago

I'm hoping that this is just a start and won't be a single action. I can unfortunately see the side of everyone's opinion on this, good and bad, which is why it needs to be today's headline only because Trump hasn't put some other loyalist in a position today yet.