I don't think that Biden will pardon Trump. First of all, Ford was Nixon's VP, so they were part of the same party. Biden is not Trump's VP or in the same party. There is no way he will pardon Trump.
So if Trump is looking to be pardoned, he should resign before the election and allow Pence to pardon him.
Except....it won't do any good, because pardons are for federal charges only, not state charges. So Trump can't be saved from the New York DA.
I think the biggest problem we have at this point is that the Republican party has become so enamored with Trump that they will continue to nominate Trump-like figures for the next twenty plus years. These people will yell, scream, spout conspiracy theories, and do what they can to cause trouble for Biden so long as they have the ability to do so.
There is only one solution. We must ensure that as long as the Republicans refuse to change their ways, they must be consigned to super minority status. We need to reward the Republicans who want to work with Democrats to make a better country and ignore the ones who try to cause trouble and basically act like Trump.
Let the blue flood come soon!
@frank, wise words. It's a good reminder to look at the motives, fears, and psychology behind each person's political leanings, so we don't demonize people as "other". I have friends and loved ones who support Trump and I see the fears behind those choices. I love them.
But don't ask me to get all lovey dovey over Bush and Reagan right now. I have forgiven them because I see what motivated them and how they were formed to do what they did. But I want to make sure that what they did is seen clearly and isn't whitewashed so it can't so easily happen again.
I don't have a gripe with Trump supporters from the public out there. The ones I know, I see are operating from a wide range of motives, and there is much common ground. I suspect it is also true of the ones I do not know personally. We each have individual issues and histories that form our political opinions.
I hope that Biden, being in the middle, will be able to bring people together. I hope never to see a Republican in the Oval Office again.
Your post sounds like you attended Charles Eisenstein's latest podcast.
Hi @jeanne-mayell. Sorry, I don't know who Charles Eisenstein is, but I'd love to learn more ?
Posted by @jeanne-mayell:
I didn't even know that people thought that Trump hijacked the GOP, that the GOP was somehow "good" before Trump.
I have heard a few Rs on a couple of different political shows say that. I've often sensed it's the same ones who have canonized Reagan. They seem to use "party of Lincoln" and "party of Reagan" interchangeably. It sounds like Stevens has, for the first time, recognized that he's been duped for the past 40+ years.
And you're right about Democratic presidents supporting corporate interests as well. There are no saints here.
I agree with @laura-f: lessons will be learned, the hard way.
@Deetoo. Is this the same gentleman pandering his book in February? I recall a GOP guest on Trevor Noah's show who told him about the Republicans tactics and that is was so easy to get what they wanted (gerrymandering for one), but that all of those underhanded tactics led to the status of the party now.
That said, the US isn't exactly in the top 10 on the list of least corrupt governments. All the coorperations and self interest-groups have too much power. Which is heartbreaking seeing that the US has always claimed to fight against injustice. Government has become anything but since (as Jeanne pointed out) Reagan.
The US came so far in the 70s with ideas to improve life and the environment (income for all almost came through, but didn't make it out of fear that it would make women too independent and it would lead to divorce). I have great hope with the coming of people like AOC and the grassroots campaign that helped elect her, that legislation will once again be about helping the people and NOT lining pockets or trampling on the people.
I'm sending good vibrations everyday. Go USA, take your heart back!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Your thoughts bring back into focus why we are here. We need to be above pettiness and to not contribute to division with our thoughts, words and deeds.
I know your thoughts were in the macro sense, but they spoke to me in a micro sense. I really have a problem with name calling and wishing ill on others, no matter who they are.
How can we be divinely guided light workers if we let ourselves wallow in the pigpen?
It reminds me of this quote from Ghandi, “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet”.
When we rise above, we see the bigger picture.
It is not enough that he tweets and golfs while our people die.. now he has to spread his garbage to other countries :-( https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/05/donald-trump-beirut-explosion-remarks
Dear God please let us survive to VOTE HIM/THEM OUT!!!!!
it won't do any good, because pardons are for federal charges only, not state charges. So Trump can't be saved from the New York DA.
@allyn I think this is the main reason for the desperation in the R camps. They know this, and they know that any investigation for state crimes may lead to federal charges and a federal investigation will round them all up.
I'm not sure of the answer to this question, but I'm assuming that even Pence couldn't pardon Trump if no official charges are brought? I mean, how can he be pardoned for a crime he hasn't been charged with? We know (okay, not *know*, but yeah, we know) there are crimes he's committed but if he's not formally charged, there's no need or even case for a pardon, is there?
So here's some good news! Granted, this is a primary and they lost to other Republicans because that's how this works, but 9 Michigan House members up for reelection signed on to the recall Whitmer campaign. All 9 of them lost their primaries last night. Women rising!
Your point is well-taken. If Rump truly DOES have "diminished capacity" (and this can be proven medically through brain scans, etc.) then yes this should be a factor in how he is ultimately dealt with... but an all out pardon? OMG, no way.
What the D's need to do going forward is to focus on creating their own New Deal and WPA/Job Training/Job-Retraining Program. Much of the fear and anti-immigrant anger is due to "scarcity mentality"...if Trump cultists see the cake as possessing only 8 slices and an influx of immigrants arrive at the party, then they fear they will end up with none. Especially if they are not college-educated -- far less job options then. What the D's need to do is to bake a "bigger cake" with far more slices for everyone ... through this Job Training/Re-Training/Infrastructure boom. In addition, create and offer solid, well thought out Apprenticeships as Germany does -- tied to real companies and their real job needs. Establish a credible job placement record. Were this to happen, I'd wager that you'd find PLENTY of avowed Trumpites who would gladly change their tune...everyone needs opportunity and food on the table after all...
And, as I've mentioned before, Bernie Sanders came up with a simple brilliant idea: take $ 1.00-2.00 out of every brokerage and bond transaction on Wall Street and put that money toward social good like creating these Job Training Programs...considering that millions of transactions are generated each and every day from multiple exchanges, this would create an outpouring of money from "the wealthy class" directed toward the social good. They would become, in effect, "monetary spigots" which would be unceasing. The possibilities for this, were it to be implemented as a kind of "brokerage/bond tax to the wealthy" is virtually unlimited. Think about it: Universal Basic Income. Shore up Social Security. Increase Medicare and Medicaid. Free or Low Cost University Education. And the wealthy would be paying for it -- but barely noticing their contributions because they are so negligible....but made up in volume. This is Enlightened Capitalism... the kind of next steps that we, as a country, need to take. And the D's must be in the forefront of creating this kind of change...
Hi @jeanne-mayell. Sorry, I don't know who Charles Eisenstein is, but I'd love to learn more ?
I just watched an interview with him called An Epidemic of Control and I'm definitely a fan now.
The Democrats are threatening to expand the Supreme Court if a seat would become available this year during an election year . Especially if they try to fill the vacancy even if the R loose the Senate.
I wasn't stating that Bush and Reagan didn't have huge character flaws. I have personally met both and both gave the strong vibe that they wanted to do what they felt was best for the country. Whether it was or not is a completely different story. I personally believe that mistakes made by both are what helped get us here and am not a fan of either in any way shape or form. I do believe that both thought what they were doing was right though.
maybe what I should have said is their motives were not self and self only. Both Bushs and Reagan were horrible Presidents and did major damage to the country. That said, what I was trying g to say is that they did that damage with the misguided ideas that it was helping the US grow stronger. They were all lacking in empathy at times, and intellect at others, but they truly believed they were helping. I see them more as the kid who destroys the house trying to help mom and dad. Trump, on the other hand is the little arsonist that makes sure he steals Moms purse and Dads wallet so he can buy the video game he wants to play as he sets the place ablaze and laughs at all the screaming from inside.
@frank Eisenstein wrote a wonderful visionary book, The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible. Great read.
@mas1581 I hear you. Your view is kind. Your heart is good. And like you said, there is a huge difference between those men and Trump. But hearing anything good about Reagan and GW Bush triggers a lot of pain and outrage for what they did. And while I forgive them, I never want their kind in higher office again. Of course their mindsets, and worse, are still with us.
The Democrats are threatening to expand the Supreme Court if a seat would become available this year during an election year . Especially if they try to fill the vacancy even if the R loose the Senate.
The Dems can't expand SCOTUS. It would require a constitutional convention to change the number of justices, and would have to be ratified by 2/3 of the states.
I can't access the article due to paywalls, so if this is just a grabby headline, never mind.