Comments on: The One Presidential Power Bush Doesn’t Care For http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/ It rankles me when somebody tries to tell somebody what to do. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:05:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: markm http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-209523 markm Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:35:10 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-209523 God's: You'd think so, but Ford issued just such a general pardon for unspecified crimes when he pardoned Nixon. Not that pardoning Nixon and preventing years more of investigations and trials, no doubt leading to much too little in the way of convictions, was a bad idea in itself, but Ford should have only pardoned definite crimes, and only in return for a confession of wrong-doing. At a minimum, he should have required <i>Nixon</i> to write the list of crimes and pardoned just those. God’s: You’d think so, but Ford issued just such a general pardon for unspecified crimes when he pardoned Nixon. Not that pardoning Nixon and preventing years more of investigations and trials, no doubt leading to much too little in the way of convictions, was a bad idea in itself, but Ford should have only pardoned definite crimes, and only in return for a confession of wrong-doing. At a minimum, he should have required Nixon to write the list of crimes and pardoned just those.

]]> By: Cynical In CA http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-208875 Cynical In CA Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:34:08 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-208875 "There’s also talk (though it seems more far-fetched) that Bush will issue a blanket preemptive pardon for himself and his top advisers before leaving office." There's a scene in Schindler's List where Nazi Commandant Amon Goeth, deranged with power, stares deeply into a mirror and pardons himself. Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art? Twain wrote, "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme." “There’s also talk (though it seems more far-fetched) that Bush will issue a blanket preemptive pardon for himself and his top advisers before leaving office.”

There’s a scene in Schindler’s List where Nazi Commandant Amon Goeth, deranged with power, stares deeply into a mirror and pardons himself.

Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art?

Twain wrote, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.”

]]> By: God's Own Drunk http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-208763 God's Own Drunk Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:41:42 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-208763 Just curious, is it even possible/legal/Constitutional* to issue a preemptive pardon? I seem to remember reading that you can only pardon a specific crime, but I could be wrong. It just seems to me that by issuing a pardon to someone who has not yet been charged with a crime is essentially admitting a crime took place. And Bush and crew have always maintained they've never broken the law. If true, there's nothing to pardon, right? Can anyone enlighten me on this? *(I know, it doesn't matter to Bush what is legal or Constitutional, and I'm sure he'll try something, but I am curious what the actual precedent is) Just curious, is it even possible/legal/Constitutional* to issue a preemptive pardon? I seem to remember reading that you can only pardon a specific crime, but I could be wrong. It just seems to me that by issuing a pardon to someone who has not yet been charged with a crime is essentially admitting a crime took place. And Bush and crew have always maintained they’ve never broken the law. If true, there’s nothing to pardon, right? Can anyone enlighten me on this?

*(I know, it doesn’t matter to Bush what is legal or Constitutional, and I’m sure he’ll try something, but I am curious what the actual precedent is)

]]> By: Meister http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-208736 Meister Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:25:01 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-208736 Bush has seemed reluctent to use the powers of his office actually granted to him by the Constitution (Pardons, Vetos) and only wants to use the powers "given" to him by Congress or what he thinks he should have. Bush has seemed reluctent to use the powers of his office actually granted to him by the Constitution (Pardons, Vetos) and only wants to use the powers “given” to him by Congress or what he thinks he should have.

]]> By: Edintally http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-208630 Edintally Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:31:08 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-208630 The President should not be allowed to be pardoned for crimes committed while in office. The President should not be allowed to be pardoned for crimes committed while in office.

]]> By: nobahdi http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-208478 nobahdi Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:38:03 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-208478 Bush: I hereby pardon myself and all my friends of all illegal activity we've committed in the past and may continue to commit in the future. Bush: I hereby pardon myself and all my friends of all illegal activity we’ve committed in the past and may continue to commit in the future.

]]> By: Paul http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-208476 Paul Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:25:02 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-208476 Bush has never been much interested in pardons and mercy. He certainly showed little of that while he was governor. I would imagine he will do some political pardons on the way out of office and a few random pardons to provide cover for the political ones. But not much more. In the end, he could care less about people languishing in prison, even if they are there for simple drug possession (a crime he himself has committed). There is some hope Obama will be a lot better with pardons and drugs in general, but the people he is surrounding himself with look like the same tired old crowd that have been buzzing around Washington for years, so don't get your hopes up. Bush has never been much interested in pardons and mercy. He certainly showed little of that while he was governor. I would imagine he will do some political pardons on the way out of office and a few random pardons to provide cover for the political ones.

But not much more. In the end, he could care less about people languishing in prison, even if they are there for simple drug possession (a crime he himself has committed).

There is some hope Obama will be a lot better with pardons and drugs in general, but the people he is surrounding himself with look like the same tired old crowd that have been buzzing around Washington for years, so don’t get your hopes up.

]]> By: ParatrooperJJ http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-208472 ParatrooperJJ Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:50:38 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-208472 He would be stupid not to pardon himself and his advisers. He would be stupid not to pardon himself and his advisers.

]]> By: ktc2 http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/18/the-one-presidential-power-bush-doesnt-care-for/comment-page-1/#comment-208466 ktc2 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:55:47 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11133#comment-208466 I'm sure he'll get maximum use out of this as he's heading out the door. Got to protect all the criminal cronies and cover his own ass. I’m sure he’ll get maximum use out of this as he’s heading out the door. Got to protect all the criminal cronies and cover his own ass.

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