4 ms·

Why would Trump pardon him? Biden vs Trump is all you need to know about state of democracy in the USA.

pessimizer 6y ago
Same reason Trump does anything. To own the libs and get some press.
snazz 6y ago
Low odds, but he has suggested that he might: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-politics-snowden/trump-says-he-is-considering-pardon-for-leaker-edward-snowden-idUSKCN25B10Z https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-politics-snowden/trum...
- kzrdude 6y ago
  He's frequently talking for and against any given issue. And he is not trustworthy, so his word doesn't matter.
  - chrisco255 6y ago
    Trump happens to be a victim of FISA abuse so I wouldn't be surprised. Downvoters: Here is the Inspector General's report on the FBI's abuse of FISA against the Trump campaign: https://www.justice.gov/storage/120919-examination.pdf https://www.justice.gov/storage/120919-examination.pdf The FBI "persistently deceived a secret court to authorize surveilling a 2016 Trump presidential campaign official".
vinay427 6y ago
> Biden vs Trump is all you need to know about state of democracy in the USA. Why is that all you think you need to know? There are something like 30 other things to vote for on my local ballot that matter and this is true to varying extents in most every place.
- Mountain_Skies 6y ago
  It's odd but seems to be quite common for people to know the least about the level of government closest to them. Most Americans know who is the president but I'd bet quite a few have no idea who represents them on their city council or county commission.
  - jessaustin 6y ago
    Local news has been destroyed. The newspapers who used to send a reporter to every municipal meeting no longer exist. (Well, there may be papers with the same names, but their new owners only budget enough for wire service reprints.) Other media has not stepped up to fill the role. Municipal officials could themselves put everything online, but they don't actually desire public scrutiny so they don't.
    - tssva 6y ago
      I think you will find that the records of most municipal/county meetings are available online. Providing them is required by law in almost every jurisdiction and mostly this is done by making them available online.
      - jessaustin 6y ago
        I would draw a distinction between video recordings and whatever the meeting's acting secretary happened to note on a one-page form.
        tssva 6y ago
        My locality broadcasts all public meetings live on local cable networks and streaming on the internet. The videos of these meetings are also available to be watched after the fact. I checked the websites for two of the counties adjacent to mine and they do the same. I'm certain it isn't universal but I'm guessing it is a pretty widespread practice.
wombatmobile 6y ago
Biden v Trump is not a lack of democracy, since voters are able to respond to it in the forthcoming free and fair election.
- justatdotin 6y ago
  I'm gonna cut off your arm. left or right? Now, don't say you had no choice in the matter.
  - corpMaverick 6y ago
    Look. No one is perfect. We all have our faults. But Trump is deeply flawed in many ways. And he hardly has any redeeming characteristics. If you think both are the same then you haven payed any attention or you are just pretending that your are neutral but in reality you love him. And you are definitely not a leftist. Even Chomsky and Bernie have warned us.
    - KnightHawk3 6y ago
      It's going to blow your mind when you find out there's a longstanding movement of people further to the left of Chomsky and Bernie
    - mindslight 6y ago
      You're right that there is a significant difference between candidates this time. But just because one of the teams has made their offering even worse does not validate the overall setup. Trump's exceptional terribleness is just another indicator of just how broken our democracy has become, complete with the sizable amount of people continuing to rally behind him out of spite. Although pragmatically I do find myself in the novel position of needing to support the status quo corporate authoritarian, as societal collapse is not conducive to freedom.
    - justatdotin 6y ago
      My comment was not about the candidates. or the parties. it was about what some people are willing to accept as "no lack of democracy". OK let's revise the options: I'm going to amputate either your left arm or your right thumb. It's quite obvious that you should rather lose your right thumb. And I gave you the opportunity to make a choice. If you disagree that this is democracy, then you secretly want to lose your left arm. Definitely not a leftist.

Same reason Trump does anything. To own the libs and get some press.

Low odds, but he has suggested that he might: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-politics-snowden/trump-says-he-is-considering-pardon-for-leaker-edward-snowden-idUSKCN25B10Z https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-politics-snowden/trum...

kzrdude 6y ago
He's frequently talking for and against any given issue. And he is not trustworthy, so his word doesn't matter.
- chrisco255 6y ago
  Trump happens to be a victim of FISA abuse so I wouldn't be surprised. Downvoters: Here is the Inspector General's report on the FBI's abuse of FISA against the Trump campaign: https://www.justice.gov/storage/120919-examination.pdf https://www.justice.gov/storage/120919-examination.pdf The FBI "persistently deceived a secret court to authorize surveilling a 2016 Trump presidential campaign official".

vinay427 6y ago

> Biden vs Trump is all you need to know about state of democracy in the USA. Why is that all you think you need to know? There are something like 30 other things to vote for on my local ballot that matter and this is true to varying extents in most every place.

Mountain_Skies 6y ago
It's odd but seems to be quite common for people to know the least about the level of government closest to them. Most Americans know who is the president but I'd bet quite a few have no idea who represents them on their city council or county commission.
- jessaustin 6y ago
  Local news has been destroyed. The newspapers who used to send a reporter to every municipal meeting no longer exist. (Well, there may be papers with the same names, but their new owners only budget enough for wire service reprints.) Other media has not stepped up to fill the role. Municipal officials could themselves put everything online, but they don't actually desire public scrutiny so they don't.
  - tssva 6y ago
    I think you will find that the records of most municipal/county meetings are available online. Providing them is required by law in almost every jurisdiction and mostly this is done by making them available online.
    - jessaustin 6y ago
      I would draw a distinction between video recordings and whatever the meeting's acting secretary happened to note on a one-page form.
      - tssva 6y ago
        My locality broadcasts all public meetings live on local cable networks and streaming on the internet. The videos of these meetings are also available to be watched after the fact. I checked the websites for two of the counties adjacent to mine and they do the same. I'm certain it isn't universal but I'm guessing it is a pretty widespread practice.

wombatmobile 6y ago

Biden v Trump is not a lack of democracy, since voters are able to respond to it in the forthcoming free and fair election.

justatdotin 6y ago
I'm gonna cut off your arm. left or right? Now, don't say you had no choice in the matter.
- corpMaverick 6y ago
  Look. No one is perfect. We all have our faults. But Trump is deeply flawed in many ways. And he hardly has any redeeming characteristics. If you think both are the same then you haven payed any attention or you are just pretending that your are neutral but in reality you love him. And you are definitely not a leftist. Even Chomsky and Bernie have warned us.
  - KnightHawk3 6y ago
    It's going to blow your mind when you find out there's a longstanding movement of people further to the left of Chomsky and Bernie
  - mindslight 6y ago
    You're right that there is a significant difference between candidates this time. But just because one of the teams has made their offering even worse does not validate the overall setup. Trump's exceptional terribleness is just another indicator of just how broken our democracy has become, complete with the sizable amount of people continuing to rally behind him out of spite. Although pragmatically I do find myself in the novel position of needing to support the status quo corporate authoritarian, as societal collapse is not conducive to freedom.
  - justatdotin 6y ago
    My comment was not about the candidates. or the parties. it was about what some people are willing to accept as "no lack of democracy". OK let's revise the options: I'm going to amputate either your left arm or your right thumb. It's quite obvious that you should rather lose your right thumb. And I gave you the opportunity to make a choice. If you disagree that this is democracy, then you secretly want to lose your left arm. Definitely not a leftist.