Is it too early to guess who Pres Obama will pardon?

[rhett o rick]

Some think that President Obama should pardon the Bush/Cheney war criminals but not all agree.

One side thinks we should do so we can climb back into our denial bubbles and pretend that America is still Exceptional.

The other side thinks the President should pardon them to at least show the world that we acknowledge their crimes.

Where do you stand on this issue? And do you think that if Obama also pardons Governor Steigelman it will soften the blow for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party? Or will he let Gov Steigelman rot in prison?

1 vote, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	He should pardon them all.
	0 (0%)
	He should continue ignoring the war crimes.
	1 (100%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Ideally....ideally he should put them on trial.

But if he's not going to do that, keep on ignoring them, and let the next President put them on trial. (Yeah, I know, dream on.)

[loyalsister]

2. Why would he pardon anyone from the Bush admin

That hasn't been charged or convicted of anything?

[rhett o rick]

3. To insure that they won't get charged in the future and to publically exonerate them.

Also some might think that it would close that terrible chapter of our history. So what do you think?

[loyalsister]

9. It makes no sense to pardon them or to charge them

It's not like they have potential to do more national and international damage. Vengeance and punishment don't appeal to me as productive uses of time or energy.

[rhett o rick]

13. So do I understand you to mean you don't believe in punishment for crimes? nm

[yeoman6987]

16. Let's put it this way, had president Obama did charge the administration,

We would not have ACA or any first term bills passed. It would have been congressional hearings round the clock and not much else. I am glag that president Obama is the adult in the room. He has a great knack for vision.

[loyalsister]

18. If "punishment" serves a purpose other than to satisfy spite

In the case of Bush and co. only a fool would argue that they present a danger at this point, and he's being judged harshly by history. I think it's enough.

[leveymg]

4. If history is any guide, and CIA Director Deutch is precedent, it will be Hillary

Last edited Sat Nov 7, 2015, 09:59 AM - Edit history (1)

For violation of 18 USC Sec 793. Recall that Deutch similarly brought classified materials home and connected them to his home internet. He was fired and the matter referred to the DOJ which sat on it until Pres. Clinton pardoned him on Bill's last day in office.

[guillaumeb]

5. Pardon them all? What an excellent idea.

Pardon war criminals and lock up small time robbers.

[rhett o rick]

10. I am sure that Pres Obama is getting advice from the NSA/CIA Black State telling him to pardon

to make those currently committing war crimes at ease.

[guillaumeb]

12. All part of the "looking forward" theme that the President alluded to? eom

[Quackers]

6. I thought he already asked for them to have immunity?

Unless this info is wrong.

http://warisacrime.org/content/obama-doj-asks-court-grant-immunity-george-w-bush-iraq-war

[rhett o rick]

11. Can't that be reversed? nm

[Quackers]

14. I'm not sure. I'm still pissed it happened in the first place. nt

[bvf]

7. My only thought is that

America was never exceptional to begin with, although the sentiment works well as snark here.

Holders of public office are seemingly immune from charges of treason in our age.

[Fumesucker]

20. Treason doth never prosper

What's the reason?

Why, if it prosper, none dare call it treason.

-John Harington

[bvf]

21. Yes. n/t

[davidpdx]

8. I don't think Obama should pardon Bush or Cheney

As to whom else he could pardon that is wide open. Those usually come down at the last minute right before he leaves office.

[MADem]

15. Obama is a member of the Executive Branch, not the Judicial Branch.

He's not going to "put them on trial."


The governor's name does not have a T in it, FWIW.

[SwankyXomb]

17. Not Don Siegelman

Unfortunately

[rhett o rick]

22. Gov Siegelman must have really pissed off someone in the Oligarchy. nm

[BainsBane]

26. It's ironic that you decry oligarchy

while focusing on a handful of political elite to the exclusion of the record-breaking number of non-violent drug offenders whose sentences Obama has already commutated.

[rhett o rick]

29. One action isn't exclusive of the other. I want to see those in the 1%

held accountable. The private prisons populations have increased because of the terrible drug laws that Pres Obama's DOJ enthusiastically enforced. People were sent to prison for long sentences for dispensing medical weed in states where that was legal. Helped keep the private prisons in profits.

I think you would be upset that those in the 99% are subject to punishments and those in the 1% skate.

[lpbk2713]

19. Piss on BushCo.

I hope they all rot in hell.

[rhett o rick]

23. There are times when I wished I believed in hell. nm

[Nye Bevan]

24. If he does pardon them, he should also pardon himself for the drone strikes,

to prevent a future Republican administration from retaliating against him.

[BainsBane]

25. He has already commuted sentences of 76 non-violent drug offenders

http://www.justice.gov/pardon/obama-commutations

More in a single day than any president since LBJ and surpassing the combined number of the last three presidents.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-commutes-sentences-of-46-non-violent-drug-offenders/2015/07/13/b533f61e-2974-11e5-a250-42bd812efc09_story.html

But why pay bother paying attention to those people? How could their lives possibly count compared to a handful of political elites?

[rhett o rick]

28. 76? It should be a lot more. How many people dispensing medical marijuana

in states where it is legal did his DOJ send to prison?

[paul ofnoclique]

27. Ooh! I know! I know!

Not Scooter Libby.

[NightWatcher]

30. I wish he'd Free Leonard Peltier

He's suffered long enough and is in very poor health. Plus there are several doubts surrounding the case, but he's just another Red Man getting screwed by the system.

I'd love it if Uncle Leonard could see freedom before he dies.

[okasha]

31. Thank you.

Peltier is my choice as well. I was disappointed that Bill Clinton did not do so, had no hope of GWB, and wish Obama would do it now, not over a year into the future.

Peltier is in prison for crimes he did not commit. Enough, dammit!

[madville]

32. Hillary?

I'm kidding of course