If he can pardon people, why wait until the last day in office?

veryangryman · 19-01-2021 10:29am #1

I never got that? Why not do it all through the 4 years? Something about no time for people to hit back at him/impeach him for it maybe but not sure.

Anyone here in the know about these things?

seamus · 19-01-2021 10:34am

It's theatre. Americans bang on about the Republic, but really they prefer their Presidents to act like Kings and consider a President who does not have absolute authority to be a weak and pointless leader.

The pardons at the end of the term are just a part of this. It's ceremonial nonsense - the great benevolent and loving leader bestowing clemency on miserable creatures as their final act of mercy and kindness at the end of their reign.

ahnowbrowncow · 19-01-2021 10:37am

seamus wrote: »

It's theatre.

I didn't enjoy the show, can I have a refund please?

893bet · 19-01-2021 10:38am

So they don’t have to deal with the fallout for the next few months and years while they are president.

19-01-2021 10:43am

Only as a parting gesture of pure spite pardoning his criminal buddies, so they won't feel the full weight of the law after he's thrown out of the White House. Trump himself won't be as fortunate however, the chickens will come home to roost and then some.

SEPT 23 1989 · 19-01-2021 10:45am

he does it to annoy people

bnt · 19-01-2021 10:47am

There doesn’t seem to be any particular reason why it’s done on the last day, beyond the symbolic. Pardons are not a partisan thing e.g on his last day in office, Bill Clinton pardoned 140 people, including Marc Rich, Patty Hearst, and his own brother Roger.

Your Face · 19-01-2021 10:59am

He does it to troll Boards.ie

Annasopra · 19-01-2021 11:00am

Big question really. Will he pardon himself

Cee-Jay-Cee · 19-01-2021 11:05am

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Big question really. Will he pardon himself

Apparently his advisors have advised him not to as it would seen as an admission of guilt and it would naturally be challenged in the courts and given his spectacular fall from grace, likely to be successful (in the challenge)

I hope his life turns to absolute **** once he's left and that he spends a good stint in prison (hopefully till his death)

Hangdogroad · 19-01-2021 11:17am

Welase Wodger!

jill_valentine · 19-01-2021 11:19am

I cannot wait for how well I'm going to sleep after tomorrow. It'll be like how great Twitter is now, but for sleep.

sheesh · 19-01-2021 11:24am

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Apparently his advisors have advised him not to as it would seen as an admission of guilt and it would naturally be challenged in the courts and given his spectacular fall from grace, likely to be successful (in the challenge)

I hope his life turns to absolute **** once he's left and that he spends a good stint in prison (hopefully till his death)

don't worry about that remember he killed the iranian defense ministry head. so thats a thing to worry about.

19-01-2021 11:43am

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Apparently his advisors have advised him not to as it would seen as an admission of guilt and it would naturally be challenged in the courts and given his spectacular fall from grace, likely to be successful (in the challenge)

I hope his life turns to absolute **** once he's left and that he spends a good stint in prison (hopefully till his death)

Why do you feel that way? How would it make your life better?

ancapailldorcha · 19-01-2021 11:45am

jill_valentine wrote: »

I cannot wait for how well I'm going to sleep after tomorrow. It'll be like how great Twitter is now, but for sleep.

I'd actually forgotten that he's gone after tomorrow.

Disagree re Twitter. It's a cesspit IMO and they've been helping him spread his bile and disinformation unchallenged for years.

MrMusician18 · 19-01-2021 11:45am

I thought it was obvious. The pardons happen at the end of the presidency because they are generally controversial.

The are no political consequences for a president to pardon at the end of their term. The cycle has moved on to the next incumbent.

19-01-2021 11:51am

Presidents do grant pardons throughout their term(s).

jill_valentine · 19-01-2021 11:51am

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I'd actually forgotten that he's gone after tomorrow.

Disagree re Twitter. It's a cesspit IMO and they've been helping him spread his bile and disinformation unchallenged for years.

Absolutely they did, I just mean the feel of it since they banned him is dramatically different. I can't believe how much better it is, and how miserable an effect one man had on it for so long. It feels nearly like it did when I was starting out and it was something fun and exciting rather than a saline drip of dread with jokes.

ancapailldorcha · 19-01-2021 12:15pm

jill_valentine wrote: »

Absolutely they did, I just mean the feel of it since they banned him is dramatically different. I can't believe how much better it is, and how miserable an effect one man had on it for so long. It feels nearly like it did when I was starting out and it was something fun and exciting rather than a saline drip of dread with jokes.

I inferred your comment that way but I think the problem with Twitter is that its algorithim encourages echo chambers which in turn encourage vitriolic hatred, death threats and aggressive, right wing cults.

MrMusician18 · 19-01-2021 12:25pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I inferred your comment that way but I think the problem with Twitter is that its algorithim encourages echo chambers which in turn encourage vitriolic hatred, death threats and aggressive, right wing cults.

Twitter has absolutely fed wokism and cancel culture as well.

It's not just exclusive of the right tbt.

ancapailldorcha · 19-01-2021 12:26pm

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Twitter has absolutely fed wokism and cancel culture as well.

It's not just exclusive of the right tbt.

No, but I don't see woke genderfluid vegans attempting coups.

Anyway, this is a bit off topic. Last word is yours if you want it.

McGinniesta · 19-01-2021 2:02pm

veryangryman wrote: »

I never got that? Why not do it all through the 4 years? Something about no time for people to hit back at him/impeach him for it maybe but not sure.

Anyone here in the know about these things?

I don't know how it works. However, I know it isn't the first time that it has happened.

Bill Clinton did it. He pardoned 140 people on the last day of his presidency.

Maybe it is a system problem as opposed to a Donald Trump issue.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/clinton-pardoned-men-who-paid-his-brother-in-law-1.375325

ohnonotgmail · 19-01-2021 2:21pm

McGinniesta wrote: »

I don't know how it works. However, I know it isn't the first time that it has happened.

Bill Clinton did it. He pardoned 140 people on the last day of his presidency.

Maybe it is a system problem as opposed to a Donald Trump issue.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/clinton-pardoned-men-who-paid-his-brother-in-law-1.375325

how many of those clinton pardons were for co-conspirators?

B.A._Baracus · 19-01-2021 2:32pm

During trumps 4 years he wanted another term. No point rocking the boat and souring potential voters for him. So he's returning and giving out favours now as it's his last day. He doesn't care what people think.

It's like having it out with your boss or co-worker right before you leave on your last day cause who cares... You are out

Atlantic Dawn · 19-01-2021 2:36pm

Hopefully he gives Joe Exotic a pardon, Tiger King could do with a 2nd series.

bazz26 · 19-01-2021 3:01pm

He is trying to raise money and buy powerful friends for his life after tomorrow. It's a fire sale to the highest bidders with a vested interest while he still has the power to do it. Same way he raised financial support getting his law suits challenging the results in various States knowing that the law suits would fail. He won't be giving the money back. Reality is that the US Presidency is big business before, during & after the term of office and it has been for along time.

Muahahaha · 19-01-2021 3:20pm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Hopefully he gives Joe Exotic a pardon, Tiger King could do with a 2nd series.

Series 2 with Joe Exotic getting out and finally dealing with that evil Carol Baskin :pac:

Rapper Lil Wayne is also looking for a pardon from Trump too and if he doesnt get one he is looking at a 10 year prison sentence beginning next week for being caught with coke, heroin and an illegally held gold plated Glock on board his private jet

Capt'n Midnight · 21-01-2021 1:15am

A lot of them are proper pardons for possible miscarriages of justice

Some are for PR

Some are for favours done

And hidden amongst them are the ones that cost $2 million each. And Donald is going to need every cent when the loans, and lawsuits and harassment charges start coming in.

Quantum Erasure · 21-01-2021 9:18am

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

how many of those clinton pardons were for co-conspirators?

I heard he said sorry to Monica Lewinsky...

veryangryman · 23-01-2021 2:15am

bazz26 wrote: »

He is trying to raise money and buy powerful friends for his life after tomorrow. It's a fire sale to the highest bidders with a vested interest while he still has the power to do it. Same way he raised financial support getting his law suits challenging the results in various States knowing that the law suits would fail. He won't be giving the money back. Reality is that the US Presidency is big business before, during & after the term of office and it has been for along time.

I was minutes away from running into Bill Clinton September 2017 when Ophelia was hitting (told to go home from work so took a bus from Eden Quay). 30 mins later he's there taking a selfie.

PalLimerick · 23-01-2021 2:24am

jill_valentine wrote: »

I cannot wait for how well I'm going to sleep after tomorrow. It'll be like how great Twitter is now, but for sleep.

Why would Trump or any American President for that matter have such an effect on you or your life?

McGinniesta · 23-01-2021 11:33pm

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

how many of those clinton pardons were for co-conspirators?

No idea. I imagine they were not all angels either.

ohnonotgmail · 23-01-2021 11:37pm

McGinniesta wrote: »

No idea. I imagine they were not all angels either.

convicted criminals tend not to be but that wasn't the question.

If he can pardon people, why wait until the last day in office?

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