Joe Biden pardoned Hunter. It was another selfish decision to go along with his pretending to be fit to serve a second term.
What a disappointment. What a disaster for democracy.
He is Trump's greatest enabler.
"For all Biden’s insistence that the rule of law was of paramount importance and his talk about restoring democracy, in the end he made it much harder for his own party to hold President-elect Donald Trump to account."Politico
"Trumpers . . . can now say: 'See, they’re all alike.' Meaning Trump’s not so bad, by comparison; politicians are crooks. . . . He has a bolstered rationale now to wreak havoc on American justice. Sure, they’re all alike—the Trumpers will say—but at least he’s strong."Joe Klein, Sanity Claus on Substack.
Joe Biden complained that the Republicans were out to "get" Hunter Biden. Of course they were out to get Hunter.
After all, Hunter is the president's son, in and out of the White House, openly trading on his connection to his father. Hunter Biden was not living a private life. He was a "player" in the political game, making a handsome living from it. Hunter was chest-deep in the ugliest and most corrupted part of the political swamp, the crony-capitalist, influence-peddling, revolving door of favors and contracts and campaign contributions and regulatory capture. Hunter wasn't being picked on in some special way. He got exactly what judicial nominee Brett Kavanaugh got when Democrats examined what 16-year-old Brett did at that teenage party 30 years prior and what cabinet nominee Pete Hegseth is getting now as Democrats examine what he did at that conference that led to paying hush money to a woman.
Since the whole system is corrupt, voters are evaluating leaders on the scale of effectiveness, not virtue. Who is strong, not who is good. Biden couldn't solve problems: inflation, the border, transgenders in female bathrooms. Trump, however, is good at the lawless exercise of power. He bullies rivals. Trump will break eggs to make the omelet. Americans showed that they don't consider democracy to be a good in itself. Democracy is a tool to make a safe, prosperous society. Who better kicks ass and takes names than a strong narcissist bully?
Hunter Biden wanted it both ways. He wanted to benefit from his close tie to his father's offices, but he also chose to misbehave with drugs, alcohol, sex, financial corruption and then gun laws. He videotaped himself! Joe Biden could have said he loved his son but kept him at arm's length. He didn't. The question was never whether Republicans would investigate Hunter Biden. The question was whether they would find he committed embarrassing and illegal acts. Hunter Biden did both. He wasn't falsely accused. He was correctly accused. He was guilty. His prosecution is the justice system at work. (He would probably have gotten a slap on the wrist from the judge because that is how most white collar crime is treated for first offenders, but at least it would have been the judicial system that did that, not the political system.)
Advice for people in public office: Don't do illegal stuff. Don't let family members do illegal stuff. If you can't be good, then get out of politics.
Democrats ask: How can good Christian Republicans ignore Donald Trump's flagrant bad behavior? Democrats think there is a clear moral distinction between Biden and Trump. Biden's supposed brand was America-the-good, the country of checks and balances and "no one is above the law." Biden blew that up. Biden showed that everyone is a swamp creature. At least Trump acknowledges that the system is rigged. Biden is the hypocrite who pretends it isn't, but then gets his son out of trouble.
Joe Biden just gave permission to Trump to do whatever he wants in the politicization of our justice system. Biden showed there was no lingering virtue to preserve. It is all rigged, just as Trump has claimed all along.
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20 comments:
Biden may have used poor judgment with his controversial pardon decision, but he’s hardly the first president to do so. To imply that it somehow makes him morally equivalent to the lawless leader of a coup attempt sounds like the sort of hysteria we’re more likely to hear on Fox Noise.
Biden in essence claims that he and his are the victims of "lawfare", and from within his own Justice Department, no less. Why, it's almost like a Deep State!
As this post suggests, Biden helps to validate the dangerous commonplace that Trump's own selfish excesses are but a difference in degree, not kind.
Remember that notion, "defining deviancy down"? Now watch Trump wear a MAGA cap, dance and fart during the reopening ceremony at Notre Dame.
Of course he pardoned Hunter. After all, he is his SON! Who wouldn't do that?
"Trump's own selfish excesses are but a difference in degree, not kind."
Presidential pardons are legal; trying to overthrow the government is illegal. That's a difference in kind.
I am not that upset by Biden. I think democrats have to stop being fair as it’s obvious republicans don’t play it fair. As Peter C wrote he pardoned his son. I would have done the same. If he was a nobody, no one would have cared that he lied on some paperwork to get a gun. Go ahead and be outraged republicans and fair minded, law abiding democrats, I’m sure not.
So this year we got both the turkey and the hunter…
Trump is going to do whatever he wants regardless of anything Biden did. I don't care about Hunter Biden, however his crimes were so minor that it wasn't even mentioned in this write-up.
Hunter tried to plead guilty, and wasn't even allowed by the judge to do that.
Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to federal charges in Los Angeles that he failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes. Most people don't accumulate anywhere near $1.4 million over a lifetime. The pardon is disgusting; President Biden is the leader of the free world, not just "old dad." Will Hunter have to pay the back taxes even though he's been pardoned for criminal liability, like O.J. Simpson was civilly liable for money damages for wrongful death even though he got off on the murder charge? Or does Hunter just skate on everything? I don't know the answer, Peter, but please enlighten us if you do.
This is a little harsh on Biden! It is his only son left, and it was going to be bad under the trump's new administration (like that FBI nominee).
As Trump's proposed January 6 pardons would be legal.....
Let's all remember that the prosecution and Hunter's defense team signed off on a plea deal that THE JUDGE refused to accept. That's not how justice works today! The details are tawdry and mired in the swamp, but it is also true that other swamp creatures are engaged in an ongoing attack on Biden and his family. That's the way the game is played. Joe had the power to pardon his son for these federal crimes and chose to do so. End of story.
So far, 378 people are in jail for their January 6th crimes. On day 1, Trump will pardon all of them. And he's never even met any one of them. So, people are complaining about Biden pardoning his own only son?
Doesn't change the fact that coup attempts are illegal.
Hunter paid the back taxes, including penalties and interest
A lying, corrupt politician. I’m shocked, just shocked. Mostly at how much your readership has bought into moral relativism.
If this were about one president doing something immoral, then “moral relativism” might be a term that applies. But the power to pardon is granted in the Constitution, was first used by George Washington and has been used freely ever since.
Hunter Biden has been under investigation since 2018, and the prosecutors didn’t come up with much considering all the time and money invested. Trump has made it clear that he intends to use the justice department to come after his “enemies,” but he can’t do much to Joe because there’s no evidence against him. That leaves Hunter. Having had a choice, Biden chose not to leave his troubled son at the mercy of a sociopath. He wouldn’t have been much of a father to do otherwise.
Oh, the irony! If Joe had done more of this crazy shit he mighta coulda won! I really think this type of thing often has a reverse psychological effect. Makes him seem decisive and powerful. But I wouldn't expect most dems to understand (myself included).
Biden has been a great president, a wonderful father and a decent human.
History will be kind to him.
The Bidens have something the Trumps will never have:
Class
Dope addict son, scamming for bucks, packing a weapon. sounds like many many spoiled brat teenagers today. He paid with humiliation. Daddy kissed him on the forehead before he forgot who he is.
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