Just like the government can give people what they want, only when it is convenient to do so, this talking point also seems to come up when convenient, but it isn't true.
What is your estimate of the number of people who are eligible for this pardon?
Oh, wait, isn't that how it's supposed to work?
The whole point of relatively frequent elections is that we know politicians do this. We get a little honeymoon period when they are first elected, a little honeymoon period before the next election activity, and a period in the middle where they do whatever they can do satisfy whatever internal reward function they have. I am all about encouraging them to do the things I like for as long as possible. This is a thing I like.
*mostly
posts like this make me think that democracy may have been a mistake after all.
this reality of the situation simply must be acknowledged if ones wishes to truly observe how these systems actually operate.
I appreciate your idealistic opining but when you look at the reality of the competition, what Biden has done lately is just on another level. It’s unfortunate indeed that democracy has been so thoroughly corrupted by late stage capitalism, but it doesn’t make sense to lament the times it does something useful
yeah, punctual
Every U.S. president going back to Lincoln and before has triangulated their actions based upon the political circumstances of their moment. The Emancipation Proclamation itself was pocketed until it could be announced after a clear Union victory. I think the criticism is fine but it doesn't make Biden unique at all and keeping that context is important.
Works painfully well all around.
In general, they are. A direct democracy (or referendums etc) would more directly reflect this. Being a republic, they are supposed to also prorect the ideals/structure of the country to safeguard the rights of minority groups (not really an issue in this context, but wanted to point that out).
Can you show me to the national grassroots movement/lobby to grant pardons for federal simple marijuana possession crimes? I have a cousin who was convicted of it in 1995, and he thinks it's the reason why the federal government won't accept his application for employment. I'm not looking for the legalization movement, because that's not what we were talking about here.
But I definitely want to know who the guys are that got Biden to agree to this pardon. They are clearly an effective group and I want to get involved somehow.
(If they exist)
Rhetorical question, of course.
Even if all toss-ups go red or blue, neither party can gain a filibuster-proof majority. Best case for Democrats, Manchin and Sinema still reign as agenda-makers.