So Pre-emptive pardons are a real thing?

[eelw]

He’ll probably give medal of freedom to a few of them

 

[jdubs03]

It's more than a get out of jail free card: it's a signal that they should do it again should Trump call on them.

Yeah pretty much. He’d just pardon them again. The pardon when abused like such is perfect for an authoritarian. The worst of the worst right-wing extremists now have carte blanche to do as they please.

Idk honestly what I was expecting today. But it’s probably worse than I thought.

Pardoning Tarrio and Rhodes is beyond disgraceful. There is no limit to the depths of that horrific action.

We’re probably in for the darkest period of the country since the 1860s and Jim Crow. It’s going to be bad, today was just an appetizer.

 

[pmv]

1500 pardons for rioters begs to differ at least if we revise the term to authoritarian at a minimum. He just gave all of the insurrectionists a get out of jail free card.

I guess are you saying he’s an embryonic fascist? The only thing limiting him is the various institutions that are supposed to check executive power. And they’re being degraded by the day and have been for years.

Well I grew up around people who considered that the US was always a latently-fascist country, and would one day turn so explicitly (because of its near-complete absence of class-consciousness, its pervasive racism and militarism, and its broken-by-design political system). They would not have been surprised by Trump or Jan 6th _at all_.

But, then again, those people were wrong about a _lot_ of things, so I'm wary of over-interpreting and alarmism.

However, can't help but constantly think about the historical failure to see Hitler coming. Many people considered him an ineffectual clown, and the Nazis thinly wrapped their own agendas in 'irony' and 'jokes'. Nothing ever plays out exactly the same way again, though.

 

[IronWing]

Well I grew up around people who considered that the US was always a latently-fascist country, and would one day turn so explicitly (because of its near-complete absence of class-consciousness, its pervasive racism and militarism, and its broken-by-design political system). They would not have been surprised by Trump or Jan 6th _at all_.

But, then again, those people were wrong about a _lot_ of things, so I'm wary of over-interpreting and alarmism.

However, can't help but constantly think about the historical failure to see Hitler coming. Many people considered him an ineffectual clown, and the Nazis thinly wrapped their own agendas in 'irony' and 'jokes'. Nothing ever plays out exactly the same way again, though.

In my lifetime, the rate of fascism among Americans has consistently hovered around 30%. Most would adamantly deny being fascists while supporting the tenets of fascism. Trump is the third fascist president we've had (Bush I and II being the others). The power of the fascists has grown as apathy created openings. Americans believe that good government is an entitlement even as they vote for shitty politicians. Add media consolidation and the resulting onslaught of overt propaganda and we get Trump and the current Republican Party.

 

[Jaskalas]

One of the perfect examples of clemency in my opinion.

Ehh... Biden essentially released the old man to go die at home.
After 50 years in a prison, his life was still taken from him.
I suppose this is compassion, OTOH, it's also taking the cost of his final year(s) off the taxpayers?

 

[NWRMidnight]

Your mind is fucking melted. Imagine your fucking stupid pathetic little rant because I think it's improper that Joe Biden attended an inauguration of fucking Nazis and you're associating me with criminal actions?

You're as dumb as fucking red squirrel. And that's saying, something cuz that mother fucker is dumb.

Now go properly fuck off you dolt.

Sorry, did I hit a nerve? The only person ranting here is you. It's clear the point I am trying to make is beyond your ability to comprehend.

Let me ask you this: if both parties start going low, and acting inappropriately for the leadership rolls they hold, as you suggest they should, what happens to the expectations and standards that should be expected and maintained? Would those expectations and standards get better, or worse?

You keep wanting to blame the Democrats when it's us the voters who are at fault because we have allowed our expectations and standards to diminish and lowered what we consider acceptable behaviour, election cycle after election cycle. And now we have Trump back into office because of that. And your solution is for the Democrats to lower the bar even more.

 

[MrSquished]

Sorry, did I hit a nerve? The only person ranting here is you. It's clear the point I am trying to make is beyond your ability to comprehend.

Let me ask you this: if both parties start going low, and acting inappropriately for the leadership rolls they hold, as you suggest they should, what happens to the expectations and standards that should be expected and maintained? Would those expectations and standards get better, or worse?

You keep wanting to blame the Democrats when it's us the voters who are at fault because we have allowed our expectations and standards to diminish and lowered what we consider acceptable behaviour, election cycle after election cycle. And now we have Trump back into office because of that. And your solution is for the Democrats to lower the bar even more.

There really is no nice way to say this. To equate the things you're equating means you are dumber than dirt. This has all been explained, and nicer than this. But what is left to say to literal morons at this point?

 

[NWRMidnight]

There really is no nice way to say this. To equate the things you're equating means you are dumber than dirt. This has all been explained, and nicer than this. But what is left to say to literal morons at this point?

Seriously? If it's been explained how come you can't answer my question or at the very least give a legitimate honest rebutle to what I said? You are acting more and more like a MAGA every day.

 

[dank69]

It's bad idea because it stinks of coverup and corruption.

And like clockwork someone suddenly doesn't need a court decision to draw a conclusion.

 

[zinfamous]

Joe is handing out pardons like Halloween candy. It's a hardy "Fuck You" to America. Thank God the voters were smart enough to pitch the old fool to the curb.

And what do you say about this morning, Mr Fuckstick McWankpaddle?

seriously, care to comment about Trump pardoning 190 roundly convicted violent insurrectionists en masse in about 1 minute? Anything to say about that, you fucking dickhead? Giving them their gun rights back, all while the promise to buy more and more guns.

 

[zinfamous]

Fauci can tell everyone again how he "is science", and that he didn't send emails and make phone calls in order to bully anyone not supporting his "science" narrative.

what abject lies these are, you fucking illiterate homunculus.

 

[cytg111]

what abject lies these are, you fucking illiterate homunculus.

These idiots are a couple of duh's away from burning women for practicing witchcraft.
"Science" has failed them.

 

[Viper1j]

Joe is handing out pardons like Halloween candy. It's a hardy "Fuck You" to America. Thank God the voters were smart enough to pitch the old fool to the curb.

If anything, it's a "hardy Fuck You" to Trump. America's heroes deserved to be protected.

 

[Greenman]

If anything, it's a "hardy Fuck You" to Trump. America's heroes deserved to be protected.

It never occurred to me that heroes would need a pardon for their acts of heroism.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

It never occurred to me that heroes would need a pardon for their acts of heroism.

You're alllllmost there.

 

[brycejones]

It never occurred to me that heroes would need a pardon for their acts of heroism.

So close

 

[Brainonska511]

You're alllllmost there.

So close

As if you'll get anything from the perpetually obtuse posters

 

[brycejones]

As if you'll get anything from the perpetually obtuse posters

Oh for sure. Insert car diving for the exit meme here.

 

[MrSquished]

And what do you say about this morning, Mr Fuckstick McWankpaddle?

seriously, care to comment about Trump pardoning 190 roundly convicted violent insurrectionists en masse in about 1 minute? Anything to say about that, you fucking dickhead? Giving them their gun rights back, all while the promise to buy more and more guns.

Dude. Why do people try to get a decent human answer out of these fucking Nazi evil fucks. These people will never get better they only get worse. Read a history book and learn the enemy.

 

[fskimospy]

It never occurred to me that heroes would need a pardon for their acts of heroism.

Well you have to remember we've never had a convicted felon as a president before.

For example you would never think the police would need a pardon for arresting a mob boss but if you put that mob boss in charge of the government they might, agree? Criminals react violently to attempts to hold them accountable.

 

[WelshBloke]

Joe is handing out pardons like Halloween candy. It's a hardy "Fuck You" to America. Thank God the voters were smart enough to pitch the old fool to the curb.

That aged well!

 

[fskimospy]

That aged well!

Well surely @Greenman will be here in a moment to tell us how we should pitch Trump to the curb for this and how he regrets his vote.

 

[nakedfrog]

In my lifetime, the rate of fascism among Americans has consistently hovered around 30%. Most would adamantly deny being fascists while supporting the tenets of fascism. Trump is the third fascist president we've had (Bush I and II being the others). The power of the fascists has grown as apathy created openings. Americans believe that good government is an entitlement even as they vote for shitty politicians. Add media consolidation and the resulting onslaught of overt propaganda and we get Trump and the current Republican Party.

"In my work with the defendants (at the Nuremberg Trails 1945-1949) I was searching for the nature of evil and I now think I have come close to defining it. A lack of empathy. It’s the one characteristic that connects all the defendants, a genuine incapacity to feel with their fellow men. Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy." - Captain C.M. Gilbert

Exchange between Gilbert and Goring

Göring: Why, of course, the people don't want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.

Gilbert: There is one difference. In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars.

Göring: Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.

They walk among us.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

"In my work with the defendants (at the Nuremberg Trails 1945-1949) I was searching for the nature of evil and I now think I have come close to defining it. A lack of empathy. It’s the one characteristic that connects all the defendants, a genuine incapacity to feel with their fellow men. Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy." - Captain C.M. Gilbert

Exchange between Gilbert and Goring

They walk among us.

Relevant:

There’s no greys, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.’
‘It’s a lot more complicated than that -’
‘No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they’re getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.
Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum (Discworld, #23; Witches, #6)

 

[Sunburn74]

It never occurred to me that heroes would need a pardon for their acts of heroism.

Many many things that are happening today would never have occurred to me that they'd be happening. The pre emotive pardons doesn't even register to me as strange in comparison to countless other things that have happened this week alone.