Of course, Sneed is a gossip columnist, this is a slow news time of year, Syria’s grown all diplomatic and boring and shit, and she’s reporting this as a rumor, but a cow-orker reported it as hard news (“Where’d ya hear it?” “Fox.” " :rolleyes: "), but it seems most popular in the Black Press (Chicago Defender, et al), all leading back to the Sun-Times. What’s your take on it?
It’s been close to 100F lately. It’s the fevered dream of a sunstruck Jackson supporter during a Silly Season extended by Global Warming.
It’s a trial balloon, and Obama has 3-1/2 years to make it happen or not, depending.
It’s an idiotic idea, but Obama’s dumb enough to show his hand way early.
Something else.
I’m leaning towards #1. Regarding #3, I hope we have a president who plays poker better than that. That’s more like what you’d get out of a craps shooter like McCain.
Of course he’ll pardon her. It will be before she goes to jail, and on ‘compassionate grounds’. She’s JJ’s daughter-in-law, and Obama owes too much to him. Wouldn’t be surprised if Jr. gets out for similar reasons. Obama, like Clinton (or Republican presidents for that matter-I can only recall Clinton at this moment) can do anything that he wants, in re Presidential pardons. There would be a loud outcry from opposite party, disappointment from the party faithful who want to be in the running for the next Presidential election, and it would be forgotten. A President cannot be impeached for doing something that the Constitution explicitly says that he can do, so, it would be a wash. He has the green light, so, why not do it?
I’d like to see a lot more pardons by every President. It’s part of the design of the system, a “safety-valve.” Not subverting “justice,” but part of it. Why not start with all marijuana growers, just for fun? The republic would not collapse and we’d save a ton of money.
To prevent travesties of Justice. It’s supposed to be a last-ditch for when someone has been wrongly convicted but has no legal appeals. Of course, that isn’t the only thing it’s used for, but it’s probably better to have that ability with some misuse than not have the ability with no misuse.
That’s just total bullshit. The president’s right to pardon people for federal criminal convictions is essentially unlimited, and an impeachmen vote wouldn’t even be close.
Given that the original was “Pardons all marijuana growers, gets impeached”, taking a bet over a particular woman, who is not a marijuana grower, is quite the non sequitor.
But as friedo points out, Congress can impeach for anything, and I have a strong suspicion that a blanket pardon like that would invite the impeachment proceedings toot suite
At this point in an administration, Obama, or any president for that matter, doesn’t give a hang about ‘extra ammo to attack him’ with. What can happen if he *is *attacked? He’s got his second term; he cannot be impeached for exercising a Constitutional function; no Congressman will refuse to vote for a law ‘because he pardoned etc…’. His only job now is to make as many deals as possible in order to get his ‘Ex-Presidential Foundation’ financed, and funding for the Barack H. Obama Presidential library.
