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Top House Democrat calls on Biden to pardon ‘working-class Americans’ (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 5 months ago by ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/politics@lemmy.world

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[-] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 76 points 5 months ago

and pardon on a case-by-case basis the working-class Americans in the federal prison system whose lives have been ruined by unjustly aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses

It's a noble idea in principle. But how the hell can a sizeable number of innocent or excessively punished people be pardoned on a case by case basis in the span of under 7 weeks?

This is an extremely impractical idea to implement, and reeks of empty grandstanding in by Jeffries.

[-] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 27 points 5 months ago

It's also entirely too broad to mean much of anything.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 5 months ago

The letter noted that the US has disproportionately incarcerated people of color, low-income individuals, members of the LGBTQ+ community and those with disabilities, and that 90% of the federal prison population was convicted on non-violent offenses.

What are you talking about? If the rich and the powerful get justice why not the rest of us too? Since when has justice been too broad?

[-] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 13 points 5 months ago

That's kind of exactly my point. 90% is still a lot of people and I doubt the database of federal inmates has an "unjustly prosecuted" filter. But there are some non-violent white collar criminals who absolutely belong in prison (including about half of Trump's advisors) so there needs to be something to focus on like marijuana possession or whistleblowers or something else that can narrow the scope.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 5 months ago

Here you go.

Despite these actions, the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) notes in a statement that Biden “has yet to release a single person still incarcerated for cannabis through commutation.” Although the pardons granted relief to thousands of people with a conviction on their records, the president’s clemency actions did not address the approximately 3,000 individuals serving time in federal prisons for cannabis related offenses.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajherrington/2024/11/26/nonprofit-group-calls-on-biden-to-pardon-cannabis-prisoners/

[-] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago

So all the "he pardoned weed offenses" was just as much of a lie as "he rescheduled cannabis."

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[-] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

That sounds like a great place to start; it also wasn't mentioned in the headline, summary, or original article.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 5 months ago

The article was about what Hakeem Jeffries thinks Biden should do.

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[-] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 16 points 5 months ago

He could start today and get through at least 35. I'm betting we'll see less than that though.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 5 months ago

Anything would be better than nothing. People are saying democrats should challenge norms. I agree. Get these pardons moving.

[-] xmunk@sh.itjust.works 14 points 5 months ago

Just pardon them all to bankrupt the prison system and realize that while you let a few awful people go free most of the people you pardoned and those around them will have markedly better lives.

[-] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago

"Sorry for the shitty system we're kind of responsible for. Go see Moana 2!"

[-] affiliate@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

he can gather a team of lawyers to go through the files and compile a list. lawyers have evolved past the need for sleep, so they have an extra 8 hours a day to go through files. should be doable in 7 weeks.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 5 months ago

It's the bare minimum. We are supposed to have justice for all in this country. Not just justice for Hunter Biden.

How about Biden starts now and focuses on getting as many done as possible. What's this angle of pretending it's too difficult?

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[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 45 points 5 months ago

The first people the fascists are going to go after will likely be minorities and immigrants in prison.

If Joe Biden pardoning Hunter Biden doesn't bother you then neither should this. This is what we should be calling for, because the justice system isn't fair to anyone, not just Hunter Biden.

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 41 points 5 months ago

He pardoned hundreds of people for nonviolent weed offenses and nobody bat an eye, but I'm sure every little bit helps.

[-] madcaesar@lemmy.world 15 points 5 months ago

Common Democratic PR fumble.

I swear to God, the Dems PR team is all Republican undercover agents.

[-] Alwaysnownevernotme@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

More like the Dems pr is aimed at their potential donors, not their potential voters.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 5 months ago

Despite these actions, the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) notes in a statement that Biden “has yet to release a single person still incarcerated for cannabis through commutation.” Although the pardons granted relief to thousands of people with a conviction on their records, the president’s clemency actions did not address the approximately 3,000 individuals serving time in federal prisons for cannabis related offenses.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajherrington/2024/11/26/nonprofit-group-calls-on-biden-to-pardon-cannabis-prisoners/

He should definitely do more.

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[-] 2pt_perversion@lemmy.world 34 points 5 months ago

Why are people acting like this is too difficult? Biden doesn't have to go through every file himself. Form a small committee of legal experts you respect and take a bite out of what you can.

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[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 28 points 5 months ago

“During his final weeks in office, President Biden should exercise the high level of compassion he has consistently demonstrated throughout his life, including toward his son, and pardon on a case-by-case basis the working-class Americans in the federal prison system whose lives have been ruined by unjustly aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses,” Jeffries said in a statement.

[-] Freefall@lemmy.world 19 points 5 months ago

Pardon everyone and burn this place down.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 5 months ago

The letter noted that the US has disproportionately incarcerated people of color, low-income individuals, members of the LGBTQ+ community and those with disabilities, and that 90% of the federal prison population was convicted on non-violent offenses.

90% of them are non-violent offenders. I'm not convinced the other 10% would result in the country burning down. They weren't born in prison, but the country still managed to arrest them when they did something wrong. How about we arrest them again if they break the law instead of self-immolating for no reason? Or just pardon the 90% with non-violent offenses.

[-] affiliate@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago

pardon everyone except the january 6 people

[-] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

Calm down Joan Baez.

[-] just_another_person@lemmy.world 19 points 5 months ago

Biden needs to use the insane powers bestowed upon the Presidency to limit the incoming one. Full fucking stop.

[-] Glide@lemmy.ca 12 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

This is a terrifying precedent, though. If it becomes demonstratable that a sitting president can ignore the vote and veto the election, then every president from then until the end of time can argue against the "damage" the next president will cause. This was Hitler claiming "emergency powers," and you will immediately have a dictatorship, not a democracy.

I'm not saying another Trump presidency is "fine" by any regard, but I don't believe in being a fascist to prevent fascism.

[-] BlitzoTheOisSilent@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago

The alternative is do nothing and then act surprised when the GOP do whatever the fuck they want anyway, regardless of Democrat high-road stances.

[-] just_another_person@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

It's already happened. It can't be undone.

[-] Drusas@fedia.io 6 points 5 months ago

The Supreme Court could be undone.

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[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 5 months ago

A straightforward way to protect people from fascists would be to get them out of prisons where they will otherwise be easy targets.

[-] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago

Could he pardon our loans please?

[-] Yeller_king@reddthat.com 6 points 5 months ago

You don't pay much attention to news, huh?

[-] Reygle@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

A true 'Murican (I live among them)

[-] yesman@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

This would have been productive with a blue-ribbon commission and 2 years. But Biden should totally be able to hammer it out one rainy morning.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

But Biden should totally be able to hammer it out one rainy morning.

Why not? Democrats should use the power of the government to improve people's lives.

edit: looks like lemmy downtime caused a double post

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[-] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

He could at least pardon as many as he can get to.

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[-] No_Eponym@lemmy.ca 4 points 5 months ago

That picture tho

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

XD They need to give him his aviators, it's way too bright out there for him. I would probably be squinting too lol. edit: typo

[-] distantsounds@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

Pardon everyone, make everyone a billionaire, and banish climate change with the last wish.

[-] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 5 months ago

Why is doing a useful thing to help people always framed as being unreasonable but nepotism is celebrated?

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this post was submitted on 04 Dec 2024

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