this post was submitted on 02 Dec 2024
735 points (98.0% liked)

News

23448 readers
3567 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil


Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.


2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.


Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. We have an actively updated blocklist, which you can see here: https://lemmy.world/post/2246130 if you feel like any website is missing, contact the mods. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.


3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.


Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.


4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.


Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.


5. Only recent news is allowed.


Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.


6. All posts must be news articles.


No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.


7. No duplicate posts.


If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.


8. Misinformation is prohibited.


Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.


9. No link shorteners.


The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.


10. Don't copy entire article in your post body


For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Summary

President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, reversing his prior stance against using executive clemency.

The pardon covers Hunter’s federal gun conviction and tax evasion guilty plea, sparking political controversy.

Biden cited political attacks and a “miscarriage of justice” as reasons for his decision, emphasizing his son’s recovery from addiction and the targeting of his family.

Critics argue the move undermines the judicial process, while supporters view it as within Biden’s constitutional powers.

This decision shields Hunter from potential prison time as Biden nears the end of his presidency.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] anticurrent 58 points 2 days ago (8 children)

I am more shocked by people supporting Biden's action than the action itself

[–] [email protected] 45 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

It really shows how fucked up and desperate the American political discourse is at this point IMO. Before it was "see how much integrity Biden has for not even pardoning his own son", now it's turned into "Hunter was a political prisoner and victim of unjust persecution" in an instant. No one is willing to admit any faults because the other side gleefully profits from them. I can understand why people do it, but it's a worrying indication for the state of politics in America.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 days ago (3 children)

To be fair, the biggest charge is the gun charge, and that's from lying on the 4473.

Honestly, that question shouldn't even be on the form, and I know loads of people who lie on that form, same question, all the time.

Weed is legal, but if you admit it, you can't buy a firearm to defend yourself from fash.

But, you can be a drunk, mow down kids in your SUV, and that's dandy.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Habitual Drunkard is also on that form as a disqualifier, so you would have to lie about that as well if you were a drunk.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No it isn't. Look here:

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/4473-part-1-firearms-transaction-record-over-counter-atf-form-53009/download

Nowhere is "being a drunk" a DQ for owning a gun. Hell, being drunk, while buying the gun doesn't preclude you.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance? Warning: The use or possession of marijuana remains unlawful under Federal law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in the state where you reside.

I could read that to include being an alcoholic. But I can also read it as being addicted to caffeine.

[–] TopRamenBinLaden 3 points 2 days ago

Yes, alcohol is technically a depressant, but I guarantee that the majority of people who sign that form don't know that.

It also says, "or any other controlled substance", implying that the list is made up of controlled substances, which alcohol is not.

I think a good lawyer could argue that alcohol doesn't count here, but no lawyer could ever argue that marijuana doesn't count, as it is specifically listed.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Okay, calm down Utah. It's a federal form.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It depends on if you assume controlled substance applied to every item on the list or if being addicted to any simulant would count. How I read it, if alcohol counts, so does caffeine.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

One of many reasons it a bad law and unconstitutional.

[–] Grandwolf319 -2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

So how about Biden just fixes that form and claim that it shouldn’t have been illegal to do that to begin with?

He literally is saying it was BS and I’ll undo it for just my son, the rest of Americans in the same situation I don’t care about.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 days ago

Because it literally requires congress to do it.

And the rest of Americans rarely get charged for it... Its only used as an "add on" when there's other charges already.

[–] Corkyskog 8 points 2 days ago

Because Republicans have no appetite to change the form. They like it this way, most people who break the law will never be prosecuted, but when they want to prosecute someone it's easy

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

That may all be perfectly true, but my point was more about how this case was treated by the democrats and their supporters. After the verdict, few people raised the points you just did. Instead, the narrative was all about how unlike republicans, democrats respected the law and would fully support the verdict. Biden himself even publicly ruled out a pardon.

Now that the pardon actually happened, that is all immediately forgotten. The narrative changed and democrats expect their supporters to get in line. Trumpists have been doing that kind of thing every other day, but the democrats are starting to do it as well. That's what worries me.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

It worries you?

This is the line that worries you?

Not the line drawn where the SCOTUS said the POTUS is above the law?

Not the line drawn where a literal card carrying neonazi was appointed to the cabinet?

Not the line drawn by Reich Wingers attempting a violent coup?

Not the line drawn by literal Nazis marching in the streets in the US just this year?

THIS is your moral line?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Outrage is what we should have all seen when Donald Trainwreck pardoned this corrupt Democratic governor for the sole reason of normalizing corruption. There is no Democrat who wanted him to do this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich

Anybody who didn't complain about that way more serious thing doesn't have any reason to complain about this much less serious thing.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I can be worried about more than one thing at a time mate. And where did I ever say anything about a moral line? I obviously don't approve of the fascist things the fascist party does and yes, they deeply worry me, despite not even living in the US. That doesn't mean that the democrats are somehow absolved of all criticism and can't do anything wrong.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

So, overall, in the list of things that "worry you" this is so low, it barely registers, right?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich

Does Donald Trainwreck's pardon of this corrupt Democratic governor worry you? Did it register at all with you? No? The fact that people didn't care about this makes me yawn about anybody saying they care about Hunter Biden's way less serious thing get a pardon.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Obviously the bigger immediate problems will be what Trump gets up to in the next few years. But if there's supposed to be a way out of this mess at some point, I think it's also important for the democrats to be a strong opposition. They should provide an antithesis to Trumpist politics by showing honesty, integrity and consistency. Their justification for doing things should never be "but Trump did way worse". Saying one thing and doing another might work out perfectly for Trump, but that doesn't mean it will for the democrats. That may be unfair, but it is how it is. So the real worry is that I don't think acting this way will win them another election, should there even be one.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There is only one way out of fascism, and it's not by playing nice. Non-violent methods only work if the opposition has a conscience.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Didn't say they should play nice. But a bit of nepotism definitely won't contribute to getting out of fascism. Nor will justifying things based on whether the fascists are doing worse or trying to copy their oppenent's tactics. All that will do is making people lose faith in their movement.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

People have already lost faith in the Dems... Why do you think so many people stayed home?

[–] [email protected] -4 points 2 days ago

Starting? If there's one thing people should learn from the 2024 election, it's that Blue MAGA exists and they're just as stupid and easily manipulated as the people on the right.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I got attacked a lot for speaking of "blue MAGA". But this is an aspect of it. The Republicans managed to push their fanatic cult of personality, rally around the leader, no mistakes are made, critics are opponents and need to be kicked out kind of political "culture" into parts of the Democratic base.

But this is a kind of "dont wrestle a pig in the mud" situation. By adopting the Republicans culture and way of thinking, it gives them further strength.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 days ago

We need to accept that "they go low, we go high" isn't working and pivot to "they go low, we step on them".

We shouldn't be abiding by the rules and precedent they willfully ignore. We too can play dirty.

But we've lost if the DNC ever succumbs to a strongman cult of personality like the Republicans did. Where if you don't lick the boot you're a Democrat in name only.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 days ago

I never said Biden had integrity and I fully support this pardon because it was an absolute political witch hunt. Biden talked a big game but he continued the liberal tradition of giving money to large corporations and rich people instead of small businesses and the working class. Anyone that expected integrity wasn't paying attention.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

I am more shocked by people supporting Biden’s action than the action itself

I am more shocked by you not fully realizing a year ago that this was exactly what was going to happen than anything Biden did. Hunter Biden was prosecuted for something that likely nobody else would have been.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 days ago

I support it. This as miscarriage as a miscarriage of justice gets. A politically motivated investigation turns unfiled taxes and a gun law that could imprison half the country (smoke a joint after going to a range and you're guilty too) into a politically rejected plea deal and 25 years in prison?

That's a fucking nightmare not justice. He should be on an IRS payment plan and monitoring for drugs. That's the normal outcome.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm very torn about it. I don't think he would have done it if Kamala won. I can totally see Trump trying to get Hunter beheaded, so in that way I'm fine with what Biden did.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 days ago

Absolutely. It's turned into /r/TheJoe around here. Pretty disappointed in all those cheering on this shit just because it's their team.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

I support it.

Americans explicitly voted for blatant corruption.

Now they're going to get it.

We're just getting what we voted for.

[–] mindbleach 2 points 2 days ago

I'm shocked by all the ardent leftists taking gun ownership, drug use, and law enforcement very seriously.

Next to nobody's thrilled about this. But given the context, it's difficult to give a shit.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I honestly don't give a flying fuck if he pardibs his son or not. It's not like Trump was going to pardon him along with the J6 people.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 2 days ago

Using Trump as a litmus test for good behavior proves you are a simple hypocrite.