this post was submitted on 04 Dec 2024
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[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 78 points 5 months ago (17 children)

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 30 points 5 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

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 14 points 5 months ago (1 children)

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 9 points 5 months ago (9 children)

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 8 points 5 months ago (3 children)

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

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[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 15 points 5 months ago (1 children)

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 (2 children)

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.

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[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 52 points 5 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 25 points 5 months ago (8 children)

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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[–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 23 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Common Democratic PR fumble.

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

[–] Alwaysnownevernotme@lemmy.world 11 points 5 months ago (2 children)

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

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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.

[–] 2pt_perversion@lemmy.world 38 points 5 months ago (2 children)

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 29 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.

[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 22 points 5 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] Glide@lemmy.ca 14 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

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 10 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 (1 children)

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

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 7 points 5 months ago (2 children)

The Supreme Court could be undone.

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[–] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 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.

[–] Freefall@lemmy.world 19 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Pardon everyone and burn this place down.

[–] 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.

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 5 points 5 months ago

pardon everyone except the january 6 people

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

Calm down Joan Baez.

[–] futatorius@lemm.ee 9 points 5 months ago

He should pardon every undocument immigrant in the US, just to stick it to Trump, any woman charged with any crime under retro-medieval aborton laws, and commute every death sentence under his jurisdiction. But he won't.

[–] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Could he pardon our loans please?

[–] Yeller_king@reddthat.com 14 points 5 months ago (3 children)

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

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[–] No_Eponym@lemmy.ca 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] 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

[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

He did. By passing meaningful legislation for 4 years and forgiving student loans.

Then we told him to go fuck himself and re-hired a felon rapist.

He doesn't owe us shit.

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 30 points 5 months ago (5 children)

He doesn’t owe us shit.

Like fuck he doesn't. He's the fucking president. If he had an ounce of decency, he'd keep fighting fascism 'til the last day of his presidency. That's what having power in a republic means, the duty to use it for the common good.

[–] Maiq@lemy.lol 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The Senator from MBNA only ever had one agenda. I'll quote the man himself, "Nothing will fundamentally change". Caught hotmic'd in a closed door large ~~bribery~~ donor fancy plate shindig 4.5 years ago. Wouldn't be holding any breath waiting for anything from this guy.

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[–] ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 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/

Ask more of your leaders. He in fact does owe us. We live in a democracy.

Be dissatisfied with corruption and nepotism. Otherwise that is all we will get. And we'll have no one to blame but ourselves.

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago (3 children)

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 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

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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