this post was submitted on 30 Dec 2024
254 points (96.7% liked)

politics

19283 readers
1428 users here now

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! 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.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That's all the rules!

Civic Links

Register To Vote

Citizenship Resource Center

Congressional Awards Program

Federal Government Agencies

Library of Congress Legislative Resources

The White House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

News

World News

Business News

Political Discussion

Ask Politics

Military News

Global Politics

Moderate Politics

Progressive Politics

UK Politics

Canadian Politics

Australian Politics

New Zealand Politics

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Summary

President Biden expressed regret over appointing Merrick Garland as Attorney General, criticizing Garland’s slow action in prosecuting Donald Trump for the January 6 insurrection while aggressively pursuing cases against Hunter Biden.

Biden reportedly blamed former Chief of Staff Ron Klain for persuading him to choose Garland over other candidates, such as Doug Jones, who was seen as more politically assertive.

Many Democrats share Biden’s frustration, believing Garland’s cautious approach harmed efforts to hold Trump accountable.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 29 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

AG serves at the will of the president. This whole "woopsie" I regret it! 4 years in is a little silly. How dumb does Biden think we are?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago

How dumb does Biden think we are?

Have you seen the deflection from his personal choices? From helping to get Clarance Thomas into the SCOTUS by attacking his rape victim of Anita Hill, to personally giving an eulogy for Strom Thurmond, to acting like we're stupid for paying attention to his documented words from "I won't ever pardon my son" to "I'm a one term president, I won't run again."

Biden is either the 3rd most forgetful president in times of convince, behind Trump and Reagan, or he is actively calling us what he is himself.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

And how does it look when he fires the guy investigating his son? That's the same shit we derided trump for doing... tinkering with the Justice Department which has long operated with a high degree of independence for exactly these reasons.

No win situation for Biden, who assumed he would get another term in office. Don't pretend it isn't anything but.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The minute he nominated a rightwing AG it became a no win sitaution of his own making. So you are just assuming Bidens a straight up idiot rather than him appointing Garland out of a desire to get Trump out of trouble. Hrm, well, I accept your logic that he may just be an epic moron instead of corrupt and playing the dems for fools.

Still-- He sure does have a lot of pride in "negotiating" with the right-- where he golly-gee-shucks tends to give them more than they even are bargaining for: https://theintercept.com/2023/05/23/biden-debt-ceiling-harry-reid-mitch-mcconnell/

He also generally takes rightwing positions, has decades of racist statements and decades of anti abortion and anti gay rights, so I think him faking being a blue player is not out of the question.

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

He also generally takes rightwing positions, has decades of racist statements and decades of anti abortion and anti gay rights, so I think him faking being a blue player is not out of the question.

Biden is a 2000 Republican, that's how far the Democrats have moved backwards in being "progressives".

[–] [email protected] 35 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Buddy you’re still president. Get to work.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 6 days ago (1 children)

He's the first president with immunity and all he's going to do is absolutely nothing. What a fucking waste of a man.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

He literally doesn't even need to worry about polling. He could just snap his fingers and give us $100 Minimum wage, order Trump gone, and then give everyone trans-healthcare with abotions on the side, and then go "Cool, I'm king, deal with it."

[–] [email protected] 23 points 6 days ago

Man, this dude is admitting a lot of regrets but he’s still not trying to prevent more. Needs a couple big hits before he goes.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 days ago

This is all well and good but I don't see any changes happening and I don't see any lessons being learned.

We voted for Biden, not Garland. Advisors can push him whatever way they want but at the end of the day it's his call. And voters have been sharing every frustration for the last decade or two at getting presidents that don't actually push the real reforms people want.

IMHO, in Biden's place, The smart thing to do would have been go full Bulworth mode the second he dropped out. If he cut the bullshit and started calling everybody out he could endorse a damp paper bag as his successor and they'd get votes.

People voted for Trump because he is a reform candidate. He may not be a reform President (he wasn't the first time) but he talks a lot of reform on the stump.

Hillary was not a reform candidate. Kamala was not a reform candidate. Both lost.

If there is a lesson to be learned here, it's that DNC needs to jettison a lot of the old guard that have been the face of the party for the last 50 years. Get some young people with energy and new ideas and put them in charge.

After the United CEO shooting, it would have been a great time for Democrats to put the public option back on the table. That should never have been dropped from Obamacare. But there is enough sentiment in favor of it that they could probably get it through, or at the very least make Republicans pay in the court of public opinion for stopping it. Yet another wasted opportunity.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 days ago (1 children)

He was a Trump pick originally. The fact Biden kept him was so stupid. Fuck Garland, fuck Trump, and fuck Biden.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 days ago (1 children)

No, he wasn't. He was Obama's pick for a Supreme court seat. Why are you spreading obvious lies?

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

And Obama picked him because he was a conservative do nothing that he thought the Republicans could agree on because, and this is important, he is the kind of person that stayed a Republican even when the party turned fascist.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago

Kinda dramatic that this is becoming public news though huh

[–] [email protected] -2 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Man the comments. I don't want two parties that are abusive of power. Still it sorta reminds me of why I put biden over obama on my list of best presidents of my lifetime. I hope future ones will see things like this and take it to heart. I think biden got somewhat of the proper way. Give them one chance to collaborate and if they do bullshit then move forward without them. They can't be given multiple chances or the benefit of the doubt. You can't leave their people in anymore, even the ones who seem moderate, their criteria for their picks is zealotry.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

"Abuse of power" means not having a tiered justice system?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

No it means using power in a questionable way. Its because of folks saying things like he is the first president with immunity type stuff.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

When does the move forward without them start, because it's been "give one more chance" since the 1970s.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago

It has. biden did take the lessons from obama and as I said gave them like one chance to collaborate then moved on. It was great relatively speaking. Its hard to move on when they are given just barely time to fix the last fuck up and then folks decide hey lets try fuck up again.

[–] [email protected] 146 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I express regret too.

Hey, anybody seen my FUCKING UNREDACTED MUELLER REPORT?

No?

Shit.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You don't need it The summary was damning. Didn't make a shred of difference

[–] [email protected] 23 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The American people cannot read

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

But like it was more than a page and there were no pictures of boobs or guns.

[–] [email protected] 109 points 1 week ago (7 children)

Uh yeah. Biden appointed a pretty nonpartisan AG in good faith that the 4 years of his term could be spent simmering down the hyperdivisionalism of the previous admin and return to status quo. Didn't read the room and let Trump build 4 years of momentum without so much as a speed bump along the way

[–] [email protected] 85 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Garland actively helped Trump. Slow walking an investigation for fear of being political is itself political. In treating Trump with kid gloves unlike any other perp was political.

Garland fucked over Biden- and America- pure and simple, because he was scared of an angry toddler.

And the worst of it was; that the reason behind selecting Garland wasn't because he was particularly qualified... but because republicans fucked his nomination to SCOTUS over and people (read: biden) felt bad.

[–] winterayars 12 points 6 days ago

Let's not forget, on that note: Biden picking him was bad but so was Obama nominating him to the SCOTUS to begin with. Replacement for Scalia or not, we see what that led to. Garland getting on the Court wouldn't really be making a difference there either.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

Garland wasn’t scared, he was on his side.

EDIT: this is why Kamala lost the libs when she was like “I’ll put republicans in my cabinet!”

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 week ago

this is why Kamala lost the libs when she was like “I’ll put republicans in my cabinet!”

That was one of the most infuriating things about her campaign. Even if she was saying that just somehow troll the hard right or the die-hard magabrainz, it was still just so fucking stupid. Not one Democrat wanted to hear shit like that, they wanted someone that would fight the hell back against these assholes, not swing the door open and invite the vampires into your household, FFS.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 week ago (6 children)

Once again, our side plays by the rules and does "ethical" stuff while the GOP continues to fuck around while we all find out. These next four years are going to be insane.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

These next however many years America has left are going to be insane. This won't end in 4 years. Garland and the Democrats made sure a dictator was elected and the Republicans will never give up power again.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago

Exactly why I'm angry.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Been that way since Obama. Turns out they aren't "our side", they're the party of conservativism, neoconservativism and just happy to rely on minority votes and therefore focus on minority rights.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I use the term loosely, but as you can see with the reactions I get from others, you're either all on board or apparently they think you're a Trumper. Which takes me back to the "nuance" argument I had. Which is probably synonymous with critical thinking in this case.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago

Americans are terrified of Trump, which is understandable, but they then demand that a free pass be given to his opponents, up to and including their acts of genocide.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Biden should be in prison for breaking US laws saying he cant aid any regime thats plausibly accused of genocide. Our party doesnt always play by the rules and do ethical stuff.

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

No shit. But look how people reacted when I criticized them elsewhere in this conversation.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yea, I hear ya. Just ignore them. I always say dont take any criticism or feedback from people you dont respect. I dont respect centrists or people who let the DNC box them in so they can vote for an AIPAC genocide (also dont respect republicans). It didnt thave to be this way but Harris/Biden and the DNC made it this way with their hostage taking and ignoring their base on almost every key issue polled. So they deserve whats coming to them, and Harris/Biden/centrist leaders all deserve to leave politics for good. Unfortunately progressives and youth cant win unless we form a coalition with the centrists, and neither can they win without us, but they pretend we owe them votes even when they sell out and make absurd choices. Thats not the way a coalition works. Dumb centrists need to learn and their childishly refusing to acknowledge this reality doesnt change the reality. Let them swim in the sewage with the rest of us until they learn they arent emperors.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago

I really wish I could Homer my way into a hedge.

[–] winterayars 47 points 1 week ago (6 children)

The Dems don't even play by the rules. They play by some made up rules that exist only in their heads and boil down to "you're not allowed to oppose the Republicans in any way that matters". There's tons of legal and ethical stuff Biden could have done in the last four years and here we are, sitting on our asses in the sinking ship, waiting for the water to rush in and drown us all.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

We could have the 25 amendment if he got his head out of his ass.

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 week ago

An apolitical AG would have prosecuted Trump. Multiple times. Garland was a very political AG.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Correct the headline. Biden expressed regret. He doesn't actually feel regret.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 week ago (3 children)

He could have sacked him at any time.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

We apologise for the fault in the government. Those responsible have been sacked.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 week ago

he should regret so much more

load more comments
view more: next ›