I have been a fan of Susana Mendoza ever since she chased down a hit-and-run driver on her bicycle and confronted him while recording a video. A side note on that is she had the presence of mind to make the video while holding her phone sideways, which we rarely see in public incident videos. It turned out that the man was John "Quarters" Boyle. Boyle had a job working in toll booths when that was a thing and had stolen a large amount of cash in change.
Video of the incident is linked below. Susana is a bad-ass. Seems like mayoral material to me.
I'm sure Mendoza is going to run, and I look forward to detailed looks at her when that happens. Until I learn a tad more, I'll reserve unbridled enthusiasm, but agreed that this incident alone should put her on everybody's radar. I hope she uses it in a commercial.
Of course that is rational. Since I will not get to vote and I have no influence on how anyone else will vote because I am not a journalist, I will indulge in unbridled enthusiasm.... at least until some fact is revealed that changes my thoughts.
There is a lot to like about her. She is also a product of the traditional Cook County Democratic Organization and was very close to Madigan and Burke. But I doubt that there is any Democrat that would not apply to. We will have a choice between a CTU candidate or a traditional organization candidate. Yippee.
That is what took down Toni Preckwinkle when she ran for mayor. In hindsight I think would have been better off with her than Lightfoot. We are limited to imperfect choices.
Thank you, Mr Zorn, for a spirited defence of the Biden pardon. The Republicans could win gold at an Hypocrisy Olympics, and the relatively few Democrats who have criticised the pardon have been infected with pursuit of the higher ground, as if that ever deterred Agent Orange from being a corrupt grifter. Few seem to have noticed that the pardon coincided with the proposal that Trump toady and fanatic Patel should be FBI director. He is a man who has vowed to pursue and prosecute the President and his son. Would the critics take the chance, in the President's shoes, that this loathsome specimen makes it through the spineless Senate? I wouldn't.
These are not normal times and the President is in his rights to protect his son from people with an unnatural and dangerous obsession in him. Had anyone else won the presidency this would be a non issue.
sorry, but i have to disagree, at least partially.
on the one hand, as the father of 2 sons, both of whom got into trouble in their teens/20s [not hunter biden-level troulbe - but trouble nonetheless], i think i understand joe B's concern and motive.
but i have 2 big problems with the pardon. the lesser is the clumsy handling. to pardon just his son, and no one else [n.b. - biden is the least pardoning Prez in mnay yrs] brought a level of attn to the pardon that made it difficult/ipossible - for me and many Dem pols - to justify.
the 2nd, and worse, is that it plays right into the hands of the MAGAs - 'can't trust the US judicial system'.
get ready for the release and absolution of all the J6 insurrectionists - which, i know, was going to happen anyway. but now they can hitch it to bidens' wagon.
biden has been the 2nd worst POTUS during my lifetime - good riddance.
ha ha on the birth year. biden makes W look wise - and presidential. you might not like W, or his politics [i wasn't a big fan] - but at least W wasn't afflicted w- dementia.
W was younger and free from dementia. But there's his Patriot Act and massive accumaulation of presidential power, the Iraq War, and the 2008 crash. Mostly the war.
Sorry, Bob, I object to that. He has had lapses of memory and attention. So do I and I'm a dozen years younger than Biden. I'll bet it happens to many on this forum. It's why so many are pressing for age limits on politicians. The MAGAs are extremely hypocritical pushing a lot of this on Biden, considering whom they just elected. There has been more than one occasion where Burger Boy hasn't been very sharp. But signs of dementia are easily researchable online. Biden has exhibited none of which I'm aware. If forgetfulness is dementia, that probably applies to half this forum. And I haven't heard any qualified professional suggest it. Being a MAGA qualifies no one to make a medical diagnosis.
The timing and act of Biden's pardon of Hunter was, I and others believe, tied directly to Trump's nomination of Patel - who has been obsessed with Hunter and undoubtedly would have continued going after him. I also think he will pardon others in weeks to come.
Of course this plays into MAGAs hands, but Trump needed no excuse. He will continue to burn down the house no matter who or what else has happened.
And, I don't know how old you are, but for me, Biden will not fall into any discussion of "worst" in my 70-year-old lifetime. What will fall into the worst category, IMO, is the Democrats overall and general inability to communicate their policies and programs and successes - with facts countering the well-orchestrated deluge of lies and upside-down statements delivered as fact from the Repubs. I'm hoping the Dems can at long last get their act together, soonest.
Had President Biden only pardoned his son for all acts after 2014 that had not been included in his plea deal I would buy the story about fear of future prosecution.
Well the Orange Menace and his toadies are certainly capable of "discovering" other "misdeeds" that would put Hunter Biden in peril. They have proclaimed that they are going to go after the 'Biden Crime Family'..
Yeah, so even if I pledged Not to Jaywalk, if my kid was on the highway and the MAGA truck was aiming at him, I would jaywalk and swoop my kid out of that danger.
It’s my opinion that many of the D’s criticizing Biden’s pardon are doing so to give themselves political cover. Now when Trump does the unpardonable by pardoning the J6 criminals, they can vociferously protest without looting hypocritical.
Umm, I disagree and I am neither a Democrat or running for everything. Don't place all the blame on Republicans, although their zeal was obviously politically motivated and overdone. Hunter did it. He admitted it. So far as the attention it got, the media did that. He's the president's son. Anyone remotely related to any president is going to get scrutiny. If it is negative behavior, it will always get attached to the president, obviously by the political opposition, and then by the media. It might be unfair. With all the media attention he received, one might think Hunter was the president. Welcome to the world of DC politics and attention seeking media.
The difference is that if almost anyone else did the crimes, admitted to the crimes, and paid restitution they would not be facing jail time. The prosecutor and judge were under pressure to make an example of Hunter Biden, despite knowing these crimes would not likely be any big deal for any other criminal. That's why the original plea deal was canceled, pressure to make an example of HB. That would continue in sentencing and I cannot fault Joe Biden for protecting his son from likely politically motivated malicious sentencing that would not be sought or given to any other criminal in similar circumstances.
I don’t disagree with you and pointed that out. According to MAGAs, just being opposed or on the wrong side is a capital offense, punishable by death. But what if he hadn’t used drugs? What if he hadn’t lied on his gun application? I haven’t done any of those things. I’ll bet most reading this haven’t done those things. If we had done any of those things- and got caught-we would expect some kind of punishment, unless finding super attorneys to poke holes in the case. No matter what the prosecution or how minor the punishment, it would have attached to Biden and MAGAs would have made it sound like heinous crimes. That’s political reality. I believe I have made it clear that I am no fan of Trump or MAGAs. But anyone choosing to run for high office needs to realize that they and everyone they know are under microscopes. That’s one of the tasks of political consultants, looking for anything in the past or present that a political opponent might make use of. Unfair? Of course it is. If anyone here is considering running for elected office, I strongly suggest you think about your past, what you have said, done or posted even if 20 years ago. Someone will find out. In the meantime, Hunter had no chance of escaping notice once Dad decided to go big time. I realize that almost no one has been an ideal paragon of virtue every moment of their lives. Just be aware of what’s coming if you decide to run.
I posted on Biden last night. He was wrong. Trying to justify it is part of the problem. It sounds like people trying to convince themselves that two wrongs make a right. It just gives wackos on the right justification that they were right to support Trump. Supporting him is always wrong. It’s not just about his use of pardons. He himself is a criminal. But giving Biden a pass justifies the use of an unfair system. How many reading this can commit serious crimes and have them simply waved off? Prisons are full of those that committed stupid crimes due to drug use. Let’s make a decision here. Either enforce laws or open prison gates and release all of them. Keep something else in mind. During Watergate, we used the phrase “what did he know and when did he know it”? Could Hunter Biden’s family have done something about his issues sooner, whether or not he was a grown man?
My reading of the situation is that the justice system at several points was twisted to such an extreme that the 'crimes' would not have been deemed charge worthy if the person wasn't named Hunter Biden. Plea deals were made and then ignored. Diversion for the drug issues and other minor penalties for the nothing-burger gun issue.
Charging Hunter Biden with felonies on these was unwarranted and the pardon was the only corrective available.
I have no doubt there was political pressure. I put no dirty work beyond MAGA potential. But don’t be too sure some kind of penalty wasn’t warranted. I don’t know about you. I can’t lie on a gun application. I can’t cheat on my taxes. Need we discuss illegal drug use? And the foreign company position was highly questionable. Politics is all over this. Just the responses by some in this forum suggest he should be excused just because of what Trump did. So where does this lead us, this tit for that? I know I that often when we talk about Trump situations, I compare to watergate. Nixon’s people were going to get back his enemies using both the FBI and CIA. Fortunately for the country, Nixon did not command the type of support Trump has and Republicans weren’t scared of being against him. When respect for the law disappears and it all becomes about politics and power, this is no longer the United States of America. We would be just another banana republic, waiting for the next coup or overthrow. Eventually, someone has to make the correct, moral move. Tit for tat can go on forever. Nobody ever gets “even”.
I think the slide into the abyss started with Watergate, when a small but not insignificant number of Republicans decided they would get even some day for what they saw as a witch hunt, despite all the evidence of Nixon's involvement from the beginning. The nomination of Robert Bork for SCOTUS was basically Reagan fanning those flames, knowing no matter how qualified Bork was the Democrats would never confirm him. Up to now the closest they came to actual retribution was Ken Starr abusing the Whitewater investigation to dig up any dirt he could find in order to impeach Bill Clinton.
And now comes Trump and his promise to go after everyone who was ever mean to him, like a toddler throwing a tantrum, and seemingly nobody willing to stand up to him.
My point was comparing the two situations. Barry Goldwater actually went to the White House and told Nixon that in the event of a Senate trial, he had no chance. Which Republican will step up and tell Trump he’s wrong? The ones that did before are out of office so I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Fully agree with your take on the Biden pardon. Pardons will always be controversial and I'd be for getting rid of them completely, but if there is a legitimate use for them this case was exactly that - a political prosecution and a miscarriage of justice, where the actual misdeed paled in comparison to scores of cronies pardoned by Trump for doing actual serious harm to individuals and the country as whole. I don't even mind Joe Biden reversing a promise, we just elected the world record holder for lying back to the highest office, Biden's flip is a negligible blemish by comparison.
The justice department is supposed to be independent of the presidency, working for the American people, not the person who appoints its head. At least that's how it's supposed to be, one of many norms that Trump threw in the toilet.
So as much as it will be "Trump's Justice Department", it was really not "Biden's justice department", it was a Trump-appointed US Attorney turned special prosecutor and a cowardly Merrick Garland who was so afraid of looking politically biased he treated everything Trump-related with kid gloves and everything Biden-related with a hammer.
So you missed all of Merrick Garland's Jan. 6 prosecutions, did you? Heavy-handed, lots of prison time. And the law fare against Trump? If anyone weaponized the DOJ it was first Obama and then Biden.
All of those Jan 6 prosecutions were only going after foot soldiers. He sat on his hands for over a year before starting a case against the leader and mastermind of that insurrection, even though the impeachment hearing showed the extent of Trump's responsibility. Only after the House Select Committee did all the investigative work for him and basically left him no choice but to do something did he appoint Jack Smith. By that time it was too late, Trump (with a huge assist from his SCOTUS lackeys) was able to simply run out the clock.
People ended up dead or seriously injured because of their actions, so I don't see how it was "heavy-handed" to put the worst offenders from January 6th in jail. And as for Trump, he should have been convicted by the Senate in 2021 -- several Republican senators even said he was guilty, before voting to acquit. Had they put country over political gain we wouldn't be in this position now.
It was not "his" DoJ. President Biden's beef was with one prosecutor--Weiss--who scuppered a perfeectly fair and in line with precedent plea deal, went on, inexplicably to be appointed special counsel by Garland, and proceeded to pursue Hunter Biden like a MAGA Javert.
It's not Biden's Justice Dept that prosecuted Hunter, it was an appointee of the fat orange traitor that wasn't fired when Biden took office that prosecuted Hunter!
You wrote that Charles Kushner is the father-in-law of the fat traitor's son.
No, he's the father-in-law of the fat traitor's massively plastic surgery enhanced daughter. You know, the one he publicly said he would date if she wasn't his daughter. Eeeeewwww!
As for Hunter Biden's pardon, I was ecstatic when I heard Joe did that. As you wrote, no one in Delaware had ever been charged with that gun crime & he had already paid back the taxes & penalties on those taxes. This was similar to when the Re Thug Licons went after Martha Stewart for her supposed corporate crimes, except no men had been charged with those crimes, they always got a civil penalty fine, paid it & never went to prison.
The Re Thug Licons are always demanding vengeance against Democrats who oppose them!
Not possible, that would mean going back to before 2014, which would violate almost all statutes of limitations or trying to create new crimes after the other day.
You're assuming they will care to follow the norms, which is a big assumption to make at this point. I see the Hunter pardon as somewhat of a litmus test -- if Trump or his AG go after him anyway it will validate a lot of our fears that the rule of law is out the window. Then again, why go after the son when they can just take it all out on Joe.
Remember many very knowledgeable people said it would not be possible for Trump to ever be back in Washington DC. I believe Obama guaranteed that would never happen.
I worry about that, since Trump cares nothing for the law. I wouldn't blame him for going into hiding or leaving the country until it's safe for him to return. Safe for us too, I might add.
Really? What are those colors? As a father, Biden did the right thing. I suspect I would do the same and ignore the “legacy” bs. As a President, he failed the Constitution he’s supposed to defend. Those who accept that much power and responsibility know the deal — their families are going to face unfair scrutiny. He should stretch norms to stop any brazen attempts at upending the government, not for personal security.
Does that equally apply regarding the true colors of those who defend the pardon? How is your vision so keen you can see “true colors. Neat trick. Just like the polls knowing who is leading…
I voted that I approved of Biden's pardon but really I think the way he did it was wrong and historians will punish him for it. He should have let the sentencing play out and then just pardoned him in January and said it was due to the aggressive Kash Patel/ Pam Bondi choices and their statements that made him realize this was never going to end and that his heart as a father couldn't let that happen. He should have combined it with other blanket pardons for all prosecutors in the Trump impeachment trials who are at grave risk and he could have even included Trump for any crimes up until Jan 20, 2025, since the prosecutions have been dropped. It would have gone over a lot better, rather than dissing the justice department (even though well deserved) and undermining the faith in the justice department further. This way he could have kept the higher ground when Democrats accuse Trump of using Justice Dept. to go after his enemies. I get Michelle Goldburg's point that the norms have been totally broken by the Trump election and his post election choices, but it will make it harder for future Democrats to recover the moral ground.
I voted that Biden pardoning his son was "wrong" - under normal circumstances where Presidents, Senators, Congresspersons, and SCOTUS Justices respected long-held norms. But those times apparently are over. As I posted above earlier, here's a good read on the Biden Pardon decision: https://www.meidasplus.com/p/the-big-reason-why-hunters-pardon
I am SO tired of the mainstream media applying traditional "norms" to only one party/President.
I agree. He could have also limited the pardon to all uncharged acts after 2014. He might have weighed in on the sentences for the tax and gun charges if the sentences were transparently egregious.
I am a retired lawyer, practiced criminal law for {mumble mumble} years, and am not one whit surprised by the Illinois Supreme Court's decision. The Appellate Court was wrong (and it is not uncommon for appellate courts to get it wrong).
You take it far too easy on David’s email. I’m skeptical of a 300% increase in anything — I tried to get to the source of the data but it was too Byzantine. That said, numbers shared by retail organizations are often dubious, at best (see link below).
Secondly, anytime someone uses a certain word/phrase, their credibility decreases by, let’s say, 70% — in this case, “Soros funded.” (See also: “antifa.”)
Hi Joe - Foxx received over $300,00 in Soros PAC funding in her first campaign for state prosecutor, and over $2 million in her 2020 reelection campaign. All this from a man who has never been a resident of Illinois.
About a decade ago he began investing heavily in these local prosecutor races which had previously been almost entirely local elections, supporting far left candidates whose premise was that not aggressively prosecuting or seeking incarceration for even repeat violent offenders somehow equated to social justice, spending tens of millions of dollars to create immense funding advantages and in many cases successful elections.
However, the tide has turned. People have realized that failure to prosecute criminals does not equate to social justice, and in fact is harmful to the disproportionately black violent crime victims, and a good number of these prosecutors have either been thrown out of office or recalled. Even the Preckwinkle/Foxx anointed successor in Cook County was defeated, albeit by an extremely thin margin which apparently reflects Chicagoland's tolerance of violent crime. I guess not a surprise from the city that thought it would be a good idea to put CTU Johnson in charge.
So making reference to the Soros sponsored prosecutors is simply a statement of fact from where they received their funding.
david - i'm going to take issue with one small part of your post. i don't believe that the [unconscionably] high vote total of the Preckwinkle/Foxx anointed successor was due to Chicagoland's tolerance of violent crime.
i believe it was due to 1] so many beholden to the Dem party in Chicagoland, and 2] an all-too-pervasive belief among voters that the culture of political corruption and incompetence can't be changed and won't change.
i don't know what percentage eligible voters [or adults of voting age] voted in Cook Cnty - but i'll bet the nonvoting percentage was high. and that the nonvoters wd mostly tell you/us that their vote doesn't matter in Cook Cnty.
Hi Bob - I am in total agreement with you on those points my friend. My somewhat caustic comment was an obvious oversimplification over frustration of the tolerance of people here for crime and other dysfunction. As a native of Minnesota I would attempt to explain to my neighbors in Chicagoland how pervasive corruption, nepotism, graft and onerous taxation does not have to be the norm, and their response was that they believed it was that way everywhere.
It’s always interesting following the Chicago sports media. Any hires, from the coach on up, are great positive hires- until they are not. The Sun Times this morning has an article about a Bears press conference concerning the hiring of a new coach. Team president Warren did most of the talking with GM Poles sitting right next to him. Justifiably, the story questioned just who is running the Bears and who will have the final say in the hiring of a new coach. Now let’s turn back the clock to when Poles was hired. He was young and dynamic and just the person to turn the Bears around. Anyone see that turnaround yet? Warren was a savior. The guy that personally built a stadium for the Minnesota Vikings and enriched the Big Ten coffers through television. Great! What are his Bears accomplishments? There is no traction on a new stadium. The team is going nowhere and once again cycling through coaches. Like I said, according to the media, everyone is great- until they are not.
I partially agree. I’m not sure just how the Bears power structure works. Remember, Warren was brought in specifically to change the culture from how the McCaskeys did things. Would the Bears hire him and then not let him run things? The press conference was strange, any way. The general manager, who should be in charge of coaches, had little to say. I don’t even know why McCaskey was there and he said nothing. So just who is running things?
until Mama McCaskey dies - and i'm not hoping for her imminent demise, god bless her - the team remains with current ownership. and, thus, will continue to flail, at all levels.
If the state representatives/senators refuse to subsidize a new stadium for the Bears (which they should absolutely refuse to do), will the McCaskeys sell the Team?
People complain that Biden's pardon of his son violates the intentions of the Framers of the Constitution. I think the opposite. By preventing unfair prosecution, Biden is doing exactly what they intended. He should pardon hundreds more. (This is an edited version of a previous post.)
If we do believe to prevent unfair prosecution Biden should pardon hundreds more then we should be ready to accept with the same understanding when Trump issues hundreds of pardons beginning with J6. Equal and equitable is the moto if I recall correctly.
I don't think pardoning everyone who claims their own innocence is equal and equitable. Handing out justice requires looking at the particular facts and actions in each case. This is difficult and always includes some subjectivity.
Hello Jim, Thank you for your reply. I acknowledge my remark of equal and equitable was snarky. Taking advantage of an easy exaggeration. I agree handing out justice does require facts, action and individualization of each case. I will contend that Justice and a Pardon are more different than akin. Pardons play above the law and after the judgment. Pardons such as the current one fr Hunter also provide protection from judgments on crimes not yet charged or discovered. That is not justice. I also do not have a significant issue with that. Pardons are often political and protect the loyalty of those who exposed themselves for the party. This apply to both parties. There is no level playing field field or equitable. In the arena of politics the victory has the power no mater the party. If we accept the Pardon of those we like we should be democratic and accept the pardon of those we disagree.
My comment about Presidential Pardons on Sept 19 seems apropos.
"We either create legislation that defines consistently what qualifies for a pardon or we accept that Presidents can pardon whomever the Fuck they want like the Kings of Old."
and for the record, as EZ points out, these are not normal times so it is completely appropriate for President Biden to pardon Hunter Biden given all the chicanery the GOP/Right have done since the Obama days.
Eric, the latest PS has a lot of defense being played. Okay Biden pardoned his son, no biggie.
Let’s move on to some offense.
How about the Democrats offer a constitutional amendment which would eliminate the electoral college, rescind amendment 22 and allow for 3 terms as president.
If you want to get Republican support for eliminating the electoral college, now is the time to strike.
This amendment would also avoid a future constitutional crisis and hopefully get the Democrats energized for 2028.
I think it would appeal to Trump’s ego and he would support it.
Yes maybe a bit outrageous, but it is the only opening for eliminating the damn electoral college anytime soon.
There's no possibility of any Constitutional Amendment on anything getting approved any more. Even if Congress passed it, too many state legislatures are run by ultra-partisan lunatics that will oppose even motherhood & apple pie!
Think it could pass Congress, and it would be interesting to smoke out how the various state legislatures would handle it. It is a way of finding out where the political winds are blowing. You are not going to find out via polls or the media.
Will it pass? Probably not, but it is also having the Dems set an agenda and the Reps reacting to it.
So would you call this a Hail Mary? Yup, and they very rarely work…but every now and then it happens…maybe the Bears could give their view on near impossible events.
Do not over react or count on Trump ego. He is no fool nor stupid. Remember he said if you want to make this a popularity contest…I know how to win popularity. He just won the popular vote. Not by much but that does not matter. He gained votes in every state. Removing the Electoral College is not the answer to Democrats winning. Your offense needs some deeper thought. With no Electoral College there could be an even greater number of GOP voters coming out. The Democratic voters are near max. Many GOP voters in states such as Calif, Illinois, New York do not vote because the Electoral College negates their vote. Make every vote count? That may be a regret you can not take back
Peter, thank you for your considered reply. FYI Trump did have a rally, twice in NewYork City, Madison Sq garden, some folks thought it was a big deal. He also was in Chicago twice and held a rally in Los Angeles ( ok Coachella). Please get your facts solid. Trump all ready “handled” what you thought he could not. Personally I do think Trump is an almost unique force. I would not so easily dismiss his potential or bet on his failing health and mental acuity. His numbers in the popular vote are limited as I said by the pointless value of the vote in states which are solid blue or red. Opposing voters are not energized to vote when they know it is winner take all in the electoral college game. This is all outside of my initial point. Trump is not the issue. The GOP is on the rise and the Dems are in disarray. When I say regret I am speaking to changing the rules of the game which the democrats have done with much regret. We have this Supreme Court which some do not seem to like because the Dems changed the rules and with deserved regret, giving Trump his triple crown court win. That is a regret that will not fade for a long time. If the best idea available is to change the rules so the Dems can win then I will say we need better ideas. The current election rules were good enough when Clinton, Obama and Biden won. Present a platform that people want to stand on and the Dems will win again. Winning by changing the rules, I do not think that is a good plank in the platform.
I am referring to Trump going to these cities in a third election try.
He handled nothing, he lost the popular vote twice and squeaked by in the last election.
I am not changing the rules for any party, I am trying to make every vote count and avoid the stupid election being decided by a few swing states.
I do foresee Trump falling short if he were to run in the next election.
I am not suggesting this be any part of a Democratic platform, I want them to take the initiative to change a broken system instead of always reacting to goofy Republican ideas.
It remains for them to regroup and redraft some of their platform ideas.
Meanwhile, let us watch Trump eject massive amount of immigrants while also getting the crops harvested as well lowering grocery prices.
Let us see if enacts massive tariffs against Canada, China and Mexico without getting into a trade war which will result in many domestic price increases. Eat your avocados now before they skyrocket in price.
As for your Supreme Court issue, you are probably right, but we are not discussing that.
1. “The values and norms he’d been trying to uphold were obliterated by American voters last month. Why sacrifice your son to a dead god?” So screw it, America. Put aside comparisons with Trump and Reps - because there are none, I found this action disappointing. Stand strong and move forward with your beliefs/values - OR not. We'll keep fighting - or throw our hands up and say WTF, might as well join them. Back to Trump - I fear this will give him more fodder for whatever he wants to do. 2. Smollett: over-coverage yes, by everyone. These are those "do celebrities get special privileges?" conversations. Is justice blind? This goes back at least to the OJ trial. I think it was less about Jesse' celebrity and more about how is justice dealt with behind closed doors. Whatever the legal hoops that have gone on - it's clear he contrived the story and has never admitted to it. We tend to forgive those who mea culpa themselves vs those that insist they did nothing wrong. (Shout out to Rod Blagovich) 3. Kids/Phones: I do agree on moral panic - comic books, rock and roll, country music (I just threw that in there), comedians (Andrew Dice Clay), Rap music, Video games... but phones seems an entirely different level. Their effects are getting studied. Increase exposure to negativity. The 'buzzing' people feel even when phones aren't ringing/vibrating, classroom distractions, changing the brain chemistry. Mix that with Covid and there is a whole generation affected. 3. Shopping cart (Daily Show: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedailyshow/video/7443103007476059434) 4. Calculating Inflation: Seems that Integrity has taken a hit in value for a while now. 5. 2027 Chicago Mayor: Looks like Willie Wilson is a contender again. 6. I am always intrigued with poll results - especially Visual and Quips.
Biden didn't "lie" about not pardoning Hunter. He changed his mind. Yes, it has been "his justice department" going after Hunter so far. But the incoming administration and THEIR justice department have already promised to continue digging and crucifying this guy. He's a symbol of the libs they love to hate and an easy target since his dad hasn't committed any crimes. I would have been angry if Joe didn't pardon him right now.
I very much dislike the usage of "lie" when discussing something that could truly be "changed his mind". A lie is telling a known mistruth. Changing a position on an issue usually comes with having more information to assess the situation, or a review of the factors influencing the initial position. They are fundamentally different.
We will never have proof of what Biden was thinking when he said a pardon would not happen. He's the only one who knows whether he was truthful or not. As much as we like to make a presumption, we never know what someone else is truly thinking. Assuming we do know is a trap. So, Eric, stop with the sloppy "lie" assumption, and state the facts as carefully as you usually do.
I don't think Eric made the "lie" accusation, did he?? He just cited that a lot of circular firing squad Dems are doing so. But maybe I missed something...
Not in the opening paragraph, but in this section:
"I understand that disappointment and anger. It’s hard to boast about the Democratic Party’s comparative integrity when the sitting president lied repeatedly during the election season that he would not pardon his son."
very orwellian interpretation of the many, many instances that joe B & his press secretary asserted that he either a] wd no pardon hunter, or b] wd trust the justice system.
Changed his mind…that is a nice adaption. Promising something and breaking that promise does not sound like a bad thing if it is really just changing your mind. If you allow such kindness to Biden will you feel the same kindness when Trump “ changes his mind”?I am not supporting Trump or boosting Biden. It is entertaining how much people will adapt to or accept questionable behavior for those we favor. Joe Biden has been pardoning Hunter all his adult life so this official Pardon is not unexpected. Joe did break his word as a “Biden” that may not be a lie yet it is no good and more than changing his mind.
I have been a fan of Susana Mendoza ever since she chased down a hit-and-run driver on her bicycle and confronted him while recording a video. A side note on that is she had the presence of mind to make the video while holding her phone sideways, which we rarely see in public incident videos. It turned out that the man was John "Quarters" Boyle. Boyle had a job working in toll booths when that was a thing and had stolen a large amount of cash in change.
Video of the incident is linked below. Susana is a bad-ass. Seems like mayoral material to me.
https://youtu.be/XZqgpG89v88?si=fG57ZTIR8IOhxs3L
I'm sure Mendoza is going to run, and I look forward to detailed looks at her when that happens. Until I learn a tad more, I'll reserve unbridled enthusiasm, but agreed that this incident alone should put her on everybody's radar. I hope she uses it in a commercial.
Of course that is rational. Since I will not get to vote and I have no influence on how anyone else will vote because I am not a journalist, I will indulge in unbridled enthusiasm.... at least until some fact is revealed that changes my thoughts.
There is a lot to like about her. She is also a product of the traditional Cook County Democratic Organization and was very close to Madigan and Burke. But I doubt that there is any Democrat that would not apply to. We will have a choice between a CTU candidate or a traditional organization candidate. Yippee.
mendoza is an old school Chgo Dem pol. her associations w- burke and madigan will forever taint her.
but i will give her credit for being a BAB [bad ass biker].
That is what took down Toni Preckwinkle when she ran for mayor. In hindsight I think would have been better off with her than Lightfoot. We are limited to imperfect choices.
No argument with any of the comments here. Just remember who her hubby is.
Thank you, Mr Zorn, for a spirited defence of the Biden pardon. The Republicans could win gold at an Hypocrisy Olympics, and the relatively few Democrats who have criticised the pardon have been infected with pursuit of the higher ground, as if that ever deterred Agent Orange from being a corrupt grifter. Few seem to have noticed that the pardon coincided with the proposal that Trump toady and fanatic Patel should be FBI director. He is a man who has vowed to pursue and prosecute the President and his son. Would the critics take the chance, in the President's shoes, that this loathsome specimen makes it through the spineless Senate? I wouldn't.
These are not normal times and the President is in his rights to protect his son from people with an unnatural and dangerous obsession in him. Had anyone else won the presidency this would be a non issue.
Ron Filipowski does a great job explaining exactly this: https://www.meidasplus.com/p/the-big-reason-why-hunters-pardon
sorry, but i have to disagree, at least partially.
on the one hand, as the father of 2 sons, both of whom got into trouble in their teens/20s [not hunter biden-level troulbe - but trouble nonetheless], i think i understand joe B's concern and motive.
but i have 2 big problems with the pardon. the lesser is the clumsy handling. to pardon just his son, and no one else [n.b. - biden is the least pardoning Prez in mnay yrs] brought a level of attn to the pardon that made it difficult/ipossible - for me and many Dem pols - to justify.
the 2nd, and worse, is that it plays right into the hands of the MAGAs - 'can't trust the US judicial system'.
get ready for the release and absolution of all the J6 insurrectionists - which, i know, was going to happen anyway. but now they can hitch it to bidens' wagon.
biden has been the 2nd worst POTUS during my lifetime - good riddance.
Third, Dubya Bush was worse. If not for January 6th, he maiy have been the worst. Were you born after 2008?
ha ha on the birth year. biden makes W look wise - and presidential. you might not like W, or his politics [i wasn't a big fan] - but at least W wasn't afflicted w- dementia.
W was younger and free from dementia. But there's his Patriot Act and massive accumaulation of presidential power, the Iraq War, and the 2008 crash. Mostly the war.
Sorry, Bob, I object to that. He has had lapses of memory and attention. So do I and I'm a dozen years younger than Biden. I'll bet it happens to many on this forum. It's why so many are pressing for age limits on politicians. The MAGAs are extremely hypocritical pushing a lot of this on Biden, considering whom they just elected. There has been more than one occasion where Burger Boy hasn't been very sharp. But signs of dementia are easily researchable online. Biden has exhibited none of which I'm aware. If forgetfulness is dementia, that probably applies to half this forum. And I haven't heard any qualified professional suggest it. Being a MAGA qualifies no one to make a medical diagnosis.
The timing and act of Biden's pardon of Hunter was, I and others believe, tied directly to Trump's nomination of Patel - who has been obsessed with Hunter and undoubtedly would have continued going after him. I also think he will pardon others in weeks to come.
Of course this plays into MAGAs hands, but Trump needed no excuse. He will continue to burn down the house no matter who or what else has happened.
And, I don't know how old you are, but for me, Biden will not fall into any discussion of "worst" in my 70-year-old lifetime. What will fall into the worst category, IMO, is the Democrats overall and general inability to communicate their policies and programs and successes - with facts countering the well-orchestrated deluge of lies and upside-down statements delivered as fact from the Repubs. I'm hoping the Dems can at long last get their act together, soonest.
Had President Biden only pardoned his son for all acts after 2014 that had not been included in his plea deal I would buy the story about fear of future prosecution.
Well the Orange Menace and his toadies are certainly capable of "discovering" other "misdeeds" that would put Hunter Biden in peril. They have proclaimed that they are going to go after the 'Biden Crime Family'..
Yeah, so even if I pledged Not to Jaywalk, if my kid was on the highway and the MAGA truck was aiming at him, I would jaywalk and swoop my kid out of that danger.
It’s my opinion that many of the D’s criticizing Biden’s pardon are doing so to give themselves political cover. Now when Trump does the unpardonable by pardoning the J6 criminals, they can vociferously protest without looting hypocritical.
Umm, I disagree and I am neither a Democrat or running for everything. Don't place all the blame on Republicans, although their zeal was obviously politically motivated and overdone. Hunter did it. He admitted it. So far as the attention it got, the media did that. He's the president's son. Anyone remotely related to any president is going to get scrutiny. If it is negative behavior, it will always get attached to the president, obviously by the political opposition, and then by the media. It might be unfair. With all the media attention he received, one might think Hunter was the president. Welcome to the world of DC politics and attention seeking media.
The difference is that if almost anyone else did the crimes, admitted to the crimes, and paid restitution they would not be facing jail time. The prosecutor and judge were under pressure to make an example of Hunter Biden, despite knowing these crimes would not likely be any big deal for any other criminal. That's why the original plea deal was canceled, pressure to make an example of HB. That would continue in sentencing and I cannot fault Joe Biden for protecting his son from likely politically motivated malicious sentencing that would not be sought or given to any other criminal in similar circumstances.
I don’t disagree with you and pointed that out. According to MAGAs, just being opposed or on the wrong side is a capital offense, punishable by death. But what if he hadn’t used drugs? What if he hadn’t lied on his gun application? I haven’t done any of those things. I’ll bet most reading this haven’t done those things. If we had done any of those things- and got caught-we would expect some kind of punishment, unless finding super attorneys to poke holes in the case. No matter what the prosecution or how minor the punishment, it would have attached to Biden and MAGAs would have made it sound like heinous crimes. That’s political reality. I believe I have made it clear that I am no fan of Trump or MAGAs. But anyone choosing to run for high office needs to realize that they and everyone they know are under microscopes. That’s one of the tasks of political consultants, looking for anything in the past or present that a political opponent might make use of. Unfair? Of course it is. If anyone here is considering running for elected office, I strongly suggest you think about your past, what you have said, done or posted even if 20 years ago. Someone will find out. In the meantime, Hunter had no chance of escaping notice once Dad decided to go big time. I realize that almost no one has been an ideal paragon of virtue every moment of their lives. Just be aware of what’s coming if you decide to run.
I posted on Biden last night. He was wrong. Trying to justify it is part of the problem. It sounds like people trying to convince themselves that two wrongs make a right. It just gives wackos on the right justification that they were right to support Trump. Supporting him is always wrong. It’s not just about his use of pardons. He himself is a criminal. But giving Biden a pass justifies the use of an unfair system. How many reading this can commit serious crimes and have them simply waved off? Prisons are full of those that committed stupid crimes due to drug use. Let’s make a decision here. Either enforce laws or open prison gates and release all of them. Keep something else in mind. During Watergate, we used the phrase “what did he know and when did he know it”? Could Hunter Biden’s family have done something about his issues sooner, whether or not he was a grown man?
My reading of the situation is that the justice system at several points was twisted to such an extreme that the 'crimes' would not have been deemed charge worthy if the person wasn't named Hunter Biden. Plea deals were made and then ignored. Diversion for the drug issues and other minor penalties for the nothing-burger gun issue.
Charging Hunter Biden with felonies on these was unwarranted and the pardon was the only corrective available.
Nothing burger charges for lying on the gun form usually result in prison.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndms/pr/southaven-man-sentenced-prison-lying-form-required-purchase-firearm
I have no doubt there was political pressure. I put no dirty work beyond MAGA potential. But don’t be too sure some kind of penalty wasn’t warranted. I don’t know about you. I can’t lie on a gun application. I can’t cheat on my taxes. Need we discuss illegal drug use? And the foreign company position was highly questionable. Politics is all over this. Just the responses by some in this forum suggest he should be excused just because of what Trump did. So where does this lead us, this tit for that? I know I that often when we talk about Trump situations, I compare to watergate. Nixon’s people were going to get back his enemies using both the FBI and CIA. Fortunately for the country, Nixon did not command the type of support Trump has and Republicans weren’t scared of being against him. When respect for the law disappears and it all becomes about politics and power, this is no longer the United States of America. We would be just another banana republic, waiting for the next coup or overthrow. Eventually, someone has to make the correct, moral move. Tit for tat can go on forever. Nobody ever gets “even”.
I think the slide into the abyss started with Watergate, when a small but not insignificant number of Republicans decided they would get even some day for what they saw as a witch hunt, despite all the evidence of Nixon's involvement from the beginning. The nomination of Robert Bork for SCOTUS was basically Reagan fanning those flames, knowing no matter how qualified Bork was the Democrats would never confirm him. Up to now the closest they came to actual retribution was Ken Starr abusing the Whitewater investigation to dig up any dirt he could find in order to impeach Bill Clinton.
And now comes Trump and his promise to go after everyone who was ever mean to him, like a toddler throwing a tantrum, and seemingly nobody willing to stand up to him.
My point was comparing the two situations. Barry Goldwater actually went to the White House and told Nixon that in the event of a Senate trial, he had no chance. Which Republican will step up and tell Trump he’s wrong? The ones that did before are out of office so I wouldn’t hold my breath.
spot on - i couldn't have said it better.
Fully agree with your take on the Biden pardon. Pardons will always be controversial and I'd be for getting rid of them completely, but if there is a legitimate use for them this case was exactly that - a political prosecution and a miscarriage of justice, where the actual misdeed paled in comparison to scores of cronies pardoned by Trump for doing actual serious harm to individuals and the country as whole. I don't even mind Joe Biden reversing a promise, we just elected the world record holder for lying back to the highest office, Biden's flip is a negligible blemish by comparison.
It was a bad look seeing Biden complaining about political persecution when it was his justice department.
The justice department is supposed to be independent of the presidency, working for the American people, not the person who appoints its head. At least that's how it's supposed to be, one of many norms that Trump threw in the toilet.
So as much as it will be "Trump's Justice Department", it was really not "Biden's justice department", it was a Trump-appointed US Attorney turned special prosecutor and a cowardly Merrick Garland who was so afraid of looking politically biased he treated everything Trump-related with kid gloves and everything Biden-related with a hammer.
So you missed all of Merrick Garland's Jan. 6 prosecutions, did you? Heavy-handed, lots of prison time. And the law fare against Trump? If anyone weaponized the DOJ it was first Obama and then Biden.
All of those Jan 6 prosecutions were only going after foot soldiers. He sat on his hands for over a year before starting a case against the leader and mastermind of that insurrection, even though the impeachment hearing showed the extent of Trump's responsibility. Only after the House Select Committee did all the investigative work for him and basically left him no choice but to do something did he appoint Jack Smith. By that time it was too late, Trump (with a huge assist from his SCOTUS lackeys) was able to simply run out the clock.
How did Obama weaponize the Justice Department again?
People ended up dead or seriously injured because of their actions, so I don't see how it was "heavy-handed" to put the worst offenders from January 6th in jail. And as for Trump, he should have been convicted by the Senate in 2021 -- several Republican senators even said he was guilty, before voting to acquit. Had they put country over political gain we wouldn't be in this position now.
It was not "his" DoJ. President Biden's beef was with one prosecutor--Weiss--who scuppered a perfeectly fair and in line with precedent plea deal, went on, inexplicably to be appointed special counsel by Garland, and proceeded to pursue Hunter Biden like a MAGA Javert.
It's not Biden's Justice Dept that prosecuted Hunter, it was an appointee of the fat orange traitor that wasn't fired when Biden took office that prosecuted Hunter!
You wrote that Charles Kushner is the father-in-law of the fat traitor's son.
No, he's the father-in-law of the fat traitor's massively plastic surgery enhanced daughter. You know, the one he publicly said he would date if she wasn't his daughter. Eeeeewwww!
As for Hunter Biden's pardon, I was ecstatic when I heard Joe did that. As you wrote, no one in Delaware had ever been charged with that gun crime & he had already paid back the taxes & penalties on those taxes. This was similar to when the Re Thug Licons went after Martha Stewart for her supposed corporate crimes, except no men had been charged with those crimes, they always got a civil penalty fine, paid it & never went to prison.
The Re Thug Licons are always demanding vengeance against Democrats who oppose them!
Will Hunter Biden's pardon save him from the gallows once Trump is in office?
Of course it will! There's nothing to prosecute him for now, as Joe pardoned him for ten years of stuff, whatever that stuff was!
I wouldn't be surprised if the new president "trumps" up something.
Not possible, that would mean going back to before 2014, which would violate almost all statutes of limitations or trying to create new crimes after the other day.
You're assuming they will care to follow the norms, which is a big assumption to make at this point. I see the Hunter pardon as somewhat of a litmus test -- if Trump or his AG go after him anyway it will validate a lot of our fears that the rule of law is out the window. Then again, why go after the son when they can just take it all out on Joe.
There's nothing to go after Joe for.
If they did, the public would rise up in extreme anger.
Remember many very knowledgeable people said it would not be possible for Trump to ever be back in Washington DC. I believe Obama guaranteed that would never happen.
I worry about that, since Trump cares nothing for the law. I wouldn't blame him for going into hiding or leaving the country until it's safe for him to return. Safe for us too, I might add.
Because the pardon is only retroactive active and not future proof it is quite possible Hunter will create a fresh batch of troubles.
Those criticizing the Hunter Biden pardon are revealing their true colors.
Really? What are those colors? As a father, Biden did the right thing. I suspect I would do the same and ignore the “legacy” bs. As a President, he failed the Constitution he’s supposed to defend. Those who accept that much power and responsibility know the deal — their families are going to face unfair scrutiny. He should stretch norms to stop any brazen attempts at upending the government, not for personal security.
Does that equally apply regarding the true colors of those who defend the pardon? How is your vision so keen you can see “true colors. Neat trick. Just like the polls knowing who is leading…
c'mon, ted, speak up - what are those true colors? since you seem to know so well those of us who oppose the pardon?
are you willing to assert that 2 wrongs make a right? if so, those are your true colors.
I voted that I approved of Biden's pardon but really I think the way he did it was wrong and historians will punish him for it. He should have let the sentencing play out and then just pardoned him in January and said it was due to the aggressive Kash Patel/ Pam Bondi choices and their statements that made him realize this was never going to end and that his heart as a father couldn't let that happen. He should have combined it with other blanket pardons for all prosecutors in the Trump impeachment trials who are at grave risk and he could have even included Trump for any crimes up until Jan 20, 2025, since the prosecutions have been dropped. It would have gone over a lot better, rather than dissing the justice department (even though well deserved) and undermining the faith in the justice department further. This way he could have kept the higher ground when Democrats accuse Trump of using Justice Dept. to go after his enemies. I get Michelle Goldburg's point that the norms have been totally broken by the Trump election and his post election choices, but it will make it harder for future Democrats to recover the moral ground.
I voted that Biden pardoning his son was "wrong" - under normal circumstances where Presidents, Senators, Congresspersons, and SCOTUS Justices respected long-held norms. But those times apparently are over. As I posted above earlier, here's a good read on the Biden Pardon decision: https://www.meidasplus.com/p/the-big-reason-why-hunters-pardon
I am SO tired of the mainstream media applying traditional "norms" to only one party/President.
I agree. He could have also limited the pardon to all uncharged acts after 2014. He might have weighed in on the sentences for the tax and gun charges if the sentences were transparently egregious.
"I didn’t like the ruling but I’m not a lawyer"
I am a retired lawyer, practiced criminal law for {mumble mumble} years, and am not one whit surprised by the Illinois Supreme Court's decision. The Appellate Court was wrong (and it is not uncommon for appellate courts to get it wrong).
You take it far too easy on David’s email. I’m skeptical of a 300% increase in anything — I tried to get to the source of the data but it was too Byzantine. That said, numbers shared by retail organizations are often dubious, at best (see link below).
Secondly, anytime someone uses a certain word/phrase, their credibility decreases by, let’s say, 70% — in this case, “Soros funded.” (See also: “antifa.”)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/399C88vCXjV5qgHkKdDLzY?si=GAD3BMfBRAanRhmOuhpq4w
Hi Joe - Foxx received over $300,00 in Soros PAC funding in her first campaign for state prosecutor, and over $2 million in her 2020 reelection campaign. All this from a man who has never been a resident of Illinois.
About a decade ago he began investing heavily in these local prosecutor races which had previously been almost entirely local elections, supporting far left candidates whose premise was that not aggressively prosecuting or seeking incarceration for even repeat violent offenders somehow equated to social justice, spending tens of millions of dollars to create immense funding advantages and in many cases successful elections.
However, the tide has turned. People have realized that failure to prosecute criminals does not equate to social justice, and in fact is harmful to the disproportionately black violent crime victims, and a good number of these prosecutors have either been thrown out of office or recalled. Even the Preckwinkle/Foxx anointed successor in Cook County was defeated, albeit by an extremely thin margin which apparently reflects Chicagoland's tolerance of violent crime. I guess not a surprise from the city that thought it would be a good idea to put CTU Johnson in charge.
So making reference to the Soros sponsored prosecutors is simply a statement of fact from where they received their funding.
david - i'm going to take issue with one small part of your post. i don't believe that the [unconscionably] high vote total of the Preckwinkle/Foxx anointed successor was due to Chicagoland's tolerance of violent crime.
i believe it was due to 1] so many beholden to the Dem party in Chicagoland, and 2] an all-too-pervasive belief among voters that the culture of political corruption and incompetence can't be changed and won't change.
i don't know what percentage eligible voters [or adults of voting age] voted in Cook Cnty - but i'll bet the nonvoting percentage was high. and that the nonvoters wd mostly tell you/us that their vote doesn't matter in Cook Cnty.
Hi Bob - I am in total agreement with you on those points my friend. My somewhat caustic comment was an obvious oversimplification over frustration of the tolerance of people here for crime and other dysfunction. As a native of Minnesota I would attempt to explain to my neighbors in Chicagoland how pervasive corruption, nepotism, graft and onerous taxation does not have to be the norm, and their response was that they believed it was that way everywhere.
It’s always interesting following the Chicago sports media. Any hires, from the coach on up, are great positive hires- until they are not. The Sun Times this morning has an article about a Bears press conference concerning the hiring of a new coach. Team president Warren did most of the talking with GM Poles sitting right next to him. Justifiably, the story questioned just who is running the Bears and who will have the final say in the hiring of a new coach. Now let’s turn back the clock to when Poles was hired. He was young and dynamic and just the person to turn the Bears around. Anyone see that turnaround yet? Warren was a savior. The guy that personally built a stadium for the Minnesota Vikings and enriched the Big Ten coffers through television. Great! What are his Bears accomplishments? There is no traction on a new stadium. The team is going nowhere and once again cycling through coaches. Like I said, according to the media, everyone is great- until they are not.
Laurence - As always, with the Bears, it comes down to the ownership.
I partially agree. I’m not sure just how the Bears power structure works. Remember, Warren was brought in specifically to change the culture from how the McCaskeys did things. Would the Bears hire him and then not let him run things? The press conference was strange, any way. The general manager, who should be in charge of coaches, had little to say. I don’t even know why McCaskey was there and he said nothing. So just who is running things?
I was simply appalled when the McCaskeys fired a Ryan & Matt & replaced them with a new Ryan & Matt. The abject stupidity of that is beyond belief!
until Mama McCaskey dies - and i'm not hoping for her imminent demise, god bless her - the team remains with current ownership. and, thus, will continue to flail, at all levels.
If the state representatives/senators refuse to subsidize a new stadium for the Bears (which they should absolutely refuse to do), will the McCaskeys sell the Team?
People complain that Biden's pardon of his son violates the intentions of the Framers of the Constitution. I think the opposite. By preventing unfair prosecution, Biden is doing exactly what they intended. He should pardon hundreds more. (This is an edited version of a previous post.)
If we do believe to prevent unfair prosecution Biden should pardon hundreds more then we should be ready to accept with the same understanding when Trump issues hundreds of pardons beginning with J6. Equal and equitable is the moto if I recall correctly.
I don't think pardoning everyone who claims their own innocence is equal and equitable. Handing out justice requires looking at the particular facts and actions in each case. This is difficult and always includes some subjectivity.
Hello Jim, Thank you for your reply. I acknowledge my remark of equal and equitable was snarky. Taking advantage of an easy exaggeration. I agree handing out justice does require facts, action and individualization of each case. I will contend that Justice and a Pardon are more different than akin. Pardons play above the law and after the judgment. Pardons such as the current one fr Hunter also provide protection from judgments on crimes not yet charged or discovered. That is not justice. I also do not have a significant issue with that. Pardons are often political and protect the loyalty of those who exposed themselves for the party. This apply to both parties. There is no level playing field field or equitable. In the arena of politics the victory has the power no mater the party. If we accept the Pardon of those we like we should be democratic and accept the pardon of those we disagree.
I’ve always felt the Jussie Smollett thing got way out of hand. He didn’t kill anybody. t’s a relief that it’s finally over. Is it over?
My comment about Presidential Pardons on Sept 19 seems apropos.
"We either create legislation that defines consistently what qualifies for a pardon or we accept that Presidents can pardon whomever the Fuck they want like the Kings of Old."
https://ericzorn.substack.com/p/zorn-brandon-johnson-and-his-terrible/comment/69564639
and for the record, as EZ points out, these are not normal times so it is completely appropriate for President Biden to pardon Hunter Biden given all the chicanery the GOP/Right have done since the Obama days.
Eric, the latest PS has a lot of defense being played. Okay Biden pardoned his son, no biggie.
Let’s move on to some offense.
How about the Democrats offer a constitutional amendment which would eliminate the electoral college, rescind amendment 22 and allow for 3 terms as president.
If you want to get Republican support for eliminating the electoral college, now is the time to strike.
This amendment would also avoid a future constitutional crisis and hopefully get the Democrats energized for 2028.
I think it would appeal to Trump’s ego and he would support it.
Yes maybe a bit outrageous, but it is the only opening for eliminating the damn electoral college anytime soon.
There's no possibility of any Constitutional Amendment on anything getting approved any more. Even if Congress passed it, too many state legislatures are run by ultra-partisan lunatics that will oppose even motherhood & apple pie!
Think it could pass Congress, and it would be interesting to smoke out how the various state legislatures would handle it. It is a way of finding out where the political winds are blowing. You are not going to find out via polls or the media.
Will it pass? Probably not, but it is also having the Dems set an agenda and the Reps reacting to it.
So would you call this a Hail Mary? Yup, and they very rarely work…but every now and then it happens…maybe the Bears could give their view on near impossible events.
At least when they are not requiring motherhood!!!
Do not over react or count on Trump ego. He is no fool nor stupid. Remember he said if you want to make this a popularity contest…I know how to win popularity. He just won the popular vote. Not by much but that does not matter. He gained votes in every state. Removing the Electoral College is not the answer to Democrats winning. Your offense needs some deeper thought. With no Electoral College there could be an even greater number of GOP voters coming out. The Democratic voters are near max. Many GOP voters in states such as Calif, Illinois, New York do not vote because the Electoral College negates their vote. Make every vote count? That may be a regret you can not take back
Yet it was Trump trying to play around with the electoral college. I expect his popularity to fall as he tries to deliver on his many promises.
And it is the independents I would hope would be energized to add votes.
He lost to Hillary in popular vote, lost the popular vote to Biden and managed to squeak by Harris (a last minute candidate).
Why do you see him as someone that draws a large popular vote?
No regrets on my part. I see Trump as slowly failing in health and in mental acuity.
I do not think he could handle rallies in Chicago, New York City or Los Angeles.
And no more elections decided by a group of swing states.
Peter, thank you for your considered reply. FYI Trump did have a rally, twice in NewYork City, Madison Sq garden, some folks thought it was a big deal. He also was in Chicago twice and held a rally in Los Angeles ( ok Coachella). Please get your facts solid. Trump all ready “handled” what you thought he could not. Personally I do think Trump is an almost unique force. I would not so easily dismiss his potential or bet on his failing health and mental acuity. His numbers in the popular vote are limited as I said by the pointless value of the vote in states which are solid blue or red. Opposing voters are not energized to vote when they know it is winner take all in the electoral college game. This is all outside of my initial point. Trump is not the issue. The GOP is on the rise and the Dems are in disarray. When I say regret I am speaking to changing the rules of the game which the democrats have done with much regret. We have this Supreme Court which some do not seem to like because the Dems changed the rules and with deserved regret, giving Trump his triple crown court win. That is a regret that will not fade for a long time. If the best idea available is to change the rules so the Dems can win then I will say we need better ideas. The current election rules were good enough when Clinton, Obama and Biden won. Present a platform that people want to stand on and the Dems will win again. Winning by changing the rules, I do not think that is a good plank in the platform.
I am referring to Trump going to these cities in a third election try.
He handled nothing, he lost the popular vote twice and squeaked by in the last election.
I am not changing the rules for any party, I am trying to make every vote count and avoid the stupid election being decided by a few swing states.
I do foresee Trump falling short if he were to run in the next election.
I am not suggesting this be any part of a Democratic platform, I want them to take the initiative to change a broken system instead of always reacting to goofy Republican ideas.
It remains for them to regroup and redraft some of their platform ideas.
Meanwhile, let us watch Trump eject massive amount of immigrants while also getting the crops harvested as well lowering grocery prices.
Let us see if enacts massive tariffs against Canada, China and Mexico without getting into a trade war which will result in many domestic price increases. Eat your avocados now before they skyrocket in price.
As for your Supreme Court issue, you are probably right, but we are not discussing that.
Well since there is no third election this discussion is vapor. Thank you for responding.
1. “The values and norms he’d been trying to uphold were obliterated by American voters last month. Why sacrifice your son to a dead god?” So screw it, America. Put aside comparisons with Trump and Reps - because there are none, I found this action disappointing. Stand strong and move forward with your beliefs/values - OR not. We'll keep fighting - or throw our hands up and say WTF, might as well join them. Back to Trump - I fear this will give him more fodder for whatever he wants to do. 2. Smollett: over-coverage yes, by everyone. These are those "do celebrities get special privileges?" conversations. Is justice blind? This goes back at least to the OJ trial. I think it was less about Jesse' celebrity and more about how is justice dealt with behind closed doors. Whatever the legal hoops that have gone on - it's clear he contrived the story and has never admitted to it. We tend to forgive those who mea culpa themselves vs those that insist they did nothing wrong. (Shout out to Rod Blagovich) 3. Kids/Phones: I do agree on moral panic - comic books, rock and roll, country music (I just threw that in there), comedians (Andrew Dice Clay), Rap music, Video games... but phones seems an entirely different level. Their effects are getting studied. Increase exposure to negativity. The 'buzzing' people feel even when phones aren't ringing/vibrating, classroom distractions, changing the brain chemistry. Mix that with Covid and there is a whole generation affected. 3. Shopping cart (Daily Show: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedailyshow/video/7443103007476059434) 4. Calculating Inflation: Seems that Integrity has taken a hit in value for a while now. 5. 2027 Chicago Mayor: Looks like Willie Wilson is a contender again. 6. I am always intrigued with poll results - especially Visual and Quips.
Dear DwD: When did the Orange Menace EVER REQUIRE, WANT, NEED, ... any fodder for his egregious behavior?? - (I'll wait.) Yup, never did he ever.
Biden didn't "lie" about not pardoning Hunter. He changed his mind. Yes, it has been "his justice department" going after Hunter so far. But the incoming administration and THEIR justice department have already promised to continue digging and crucifying this guy. He's a symbol of the libs they love to hate and an easy target since his dad hasn't committed any crimes. I would have been angry if Joe didn't pardon him right now.
I very much dislike the usage of "lie" when discussing something that could truly be "changed his mind". A lie is telling a known mistruth. Changing a position on an issue usually comes with having more information to assess the situation, or a review of the factors influencing the initial position. They are fundamentally different.
We will never have proof of what Biden was thinking when he said a pardon would not happen. He's the only one who knows whether he was truthful or not. As much as we like to make a presumption, we never know what someone else is truly thinking. Assuming we do know is a trap. So, Eric, stop with the sloppy "lie" assumption, and state the facts as carefully as you usually do.
I don't think Eric made the "lie" accusation, did he?? He just cited that a lot of circular firing squad Dems are doing so. But maybe I missed something...
Not in the opening paragraph, but in this section:
"I understand that disappointment and anger. It’s hard to boast about the Democratic Party’s comparative integrity when the sitting president lied repeatedly during the election season that he would not pardon his son."
very orwellian interpretation of the many, many instances that joe B & his press secretary asserted that he either a] wd no pardon hunter, or b] wd trust the justice system.
lying is lying.
Changed his mind…that is a nice adaption. Promising something and breaking that promise does not sound like a bad thing if it is really just changing your mind. If you allow such kindness to Biden will you feel the same kindness when Trump “ changes his mind”?I am not supporting Trump or boosting Biden. It is entertaining how much people will adapt to or accept questionable behavior for those we favor. Joe Biden has been pardoning Hunter all his adult life so this official Pardon is not unexpected. Joe did break his word as a “Biden” that may not be a lie yet it is no good and more than changing his mind.