I’m sorry to jump in this way, but Heather was indeed correct in still calling them the Republican Party.
Just as the Biden Administration has redefined the Democratic Party to better represent ordinary and much-abused Americans, and which is doing its best to negotiate a course over a heavily rigged and corrupt system predominantly benef…
I’m sorry to jump in this way, but Heather was indeed correct in still calling them the Republican Party.
Just as the Biden Administration has redefined the Democratic Party to better represent ordinary and much-abused Americans, and which is doing its best to negotiate a course over a heavily rigged and corrupt system predominantly benefiting wealthy White men and their industries, the Republican Party too has been redefined.
The Republican Party has gone from its largely quietly corrupt, cruel, and extensive maneuverings of Reagan’s Administration (probably thanks in part to the confidence Nixon’s pardon gave future Presidents), towards its current place thanks to the Trump Administration’s public embrace of corruption, selfishness, greed, hate, intolerance, misogyny, cruelty, and hypocrisy.
In my opinion, Nixon should never have been pardoned. He (and everyone who helped him) should have been tried and when/if found guilty, should have been punished severely enough to dissuade future offenders.
The Iran-Contra scheme which disregarded Congress rules should have gone to trial and if convicted, should have resulted in severe punishment.
I’m glad Trump’s actions will be tried in court. If he’s found guilty, all I can say is, if he’s found guilty of significantly heinous crimes, then his punishment should be the strongest one they would put anyone through.
Yes. Pardons of this nature only apply to federal crimes and it would have to be Biden who would pardon them. I don't think that would happen. But the charges in New York and in Georgia would be state crimes. I also read today that Michigan is looking more closely at crimes at the state level...we should keep an eye on that too!
Trump learned how to game the legal system at his father’s knee. So he’s had decades to hone the belief that he’s above the law and can’t be touched. The failed impeachment process undoubtedly added to his feeling of invulnerability. Nevertheless, the flurry of recent indictments against Trump have made me wonder how and in what ways Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon has made the legal system reluctant to prosecute an ex-president (much less a sitting president) for actions that are clearly illegal. Whether intended or not, Ford’s pardon certainly sent the wrong signal. Further, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has a continuing policy since the 1970s that sitting presidents cannot be indicted as it would unconstitutionally prevent them from performing their duties as the head of the executive branch. Thus if the impeachment process fails, a sitting president can act with impunity. Richard Nixon asserted, “Well, when the president does it, that means it is not illegal.” This has proven to be one of his enduring legacies. And that’s pretty much what has happened. Since the end of the Watergate era, the Executive Branch has operated with almost total extralegal impunity.
I’m sorry to jump in this way, but Heather was indeed correct in still calling them the Republican Party.
Just as the Biden Administration has redefined the Democratic Party to better represent ordinary and much-abused Americans, and which is doing its best to negotiate a course over a heavily rigged and corrupt system predominantly benefiting wealthy White men and their industries, the Republican Party too has been redefined.
The Republican Party has gone from its largely quietly corrupt, cruel, and extensive maneuverings of Reagan’s Administration (probably thanks in part to the confidence Nixon’s pardon gave future Presidents), towards its current place thanks to the Trump Administration’s public embrace of corruption, selfishness, greed, hate, intolerance, misogyny, cruelty, and hypocrisy.
In my opinion, Nixon should never have been pardoned. He (and everyone who helped him) should have been tried and when/if found guilty, should have been punished severely enough to dissuade future offenders.
The Iran-Contra scheme which disregarded Congress rules should have gone to trial and if convicted, should have resulted in severe punishment.
I’m glad Trump’s actions will be tried in court. If he’s found guilty, all I can say is, if he’s found guilty of significantly heinous crimes, then his punishment should be the strongest one they would put anyone through.
Thank heavens there are State trials where a Presidential pardon does not work.
Yes. Pardons of this nature only apply to federal crimes and it would have to be Biden who would pardon them. I don't think that would happen. But the charges in New York and in Georgia would be state crimes. I also read today that Michigan is looking more closely at crimes at the state level...we should keep an eye on that too!
Michigan will charge. We are a dem trifecta currently. Plus these idiots did plot to kidnap our governor.
I never heard of State trials where pardons of a ex President by a sitting President are not accepted. It’s a shame Nixon wasn’t tried.
Trump learned how to game the legal system at his father’s knee. So he’s had decades to hone the belief that he’s above the law and can’t be touched. The failed impeachment process undoubtedly added to his feeling of invulnerability. Nevertheless, the flurry of recent indictments against Trump have made me wonder how and in what ways Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon has made the legal system reluctant to prosecute an ex-president (much less a sitting president) for actions that are clearly illegal. Whether intended or not, Ford’s pardon certainly sent the wrong signal. Further, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has a continuing policy since the 1970s that sitting presidents cannot be indicted as it would unconstitutionally prevent them from performing their duties as the head of the executive branch. Thus if the impeachment process fails, a sitting president can act with impunity. Richard Nixon asserted, “Well, when the president does it, that means it is not illegal.” This has proven to be one of his enduring legacies. And that’s pretty much what has happened. Since the end of the Watergate era, the Executive Branch has operated with almost total extralegal impunity.