7 ms·

I saw this on Reddit and it resonated. Yes, it’s the election season and we’re seeing democracy in action: that’s when elected officials do things you like and

by uup 4y ago

I saw this on Reddit and it resonated. Yes, it’s the election season and we’re seeing democracy in action: that’s when elected officials do things you like and then you vote for them again. Not sure why you’re making it sound like a bad thing.

ssalka 4y ago
Because they stop doing the things you like once the election is over
- urspx 4y ago
  Sure, but then there is another election. After the election is before the election.
  - sokoloff 4y ago
    If I elect someone to lead the country for 4 years, I’d prefer they lead the country for at least 3.75 of those years, not for two 4-6 month stints in 4 years. (Neither party has a monopoly on this BS.)
Sohcahtoa82 4y ago
It's bad because there are people that have been sitting in prison that could have been released over a year and a half ago, but Biden would rather let them rot for a while longer just so he could score political points at a more convenient time.
- MarkMarine 4y ago
  Someone higher up in the tree said there wasn’t a single person sitting in federal pen for this. I’m not sure, but I can’t imagine it’s frequently charged federally
  - whoooooo123 4y ago
    From a legal point of view, when is marijuana possession a federal offence and when is it a state offence? Presumably if you're caught with weed in DC then it's federal. But under what circumstances could you be found in possession with marijuana anywhere else and have it be a matter for the federal government, not the state one?
    - Sohcahtoa82 4y ago
      Federal park land?
- forgetfreeman 4y ago
  Shit's illegal and people are mad. Dude tries to cut some folks a break and people are mad. Conclusion: some people are born mad and gonna stay that way regardless.
  - encryptluks2 4y ago
    Hm.. can you imagine homosexuality being banned and people being mad just cause they pardon only a certain type before elections?
    - forgetfreeman 4y ago
      Intentionally or otherwise you're equating lifestyle choices with sexual orientation and that is not a good look for all the same reasons that the rationale behind conversion therapy is garbage.
  - innocentoldguy 4y ago
    Who got a break in this deal exactly? There isn't anybody in federal prison for simple possession charges. It's like him giving every man, woman, and child in Antarctica a pony, only not as efficacious.
    - forgetfreeman 4y ago
      Yeah he totally should have issued state-level pardons for possession. What in the hell is wrong with this guy...
cronix 4y ago
No federal law is changing. This is a one time get out of jail free card. People arrested for the same crimes after he pardons current people in prison don't get the benefit.
- kaibee 4y ago
  The scheduling of marijuana is changing.
  - realce 4y ago
    It's being looked at, but that's not at this point guaranteed
- petesergeant 4y ago
  No, and that’s because he doesn’t have the power to unilaterally do that, but he is trying to get it rescheduled
  - bandyaboot 4y ago
    He doesn’t technically have the unilateral power to prevent future people from being charged federally with simple possession, but in reality, he kind of does (while he’s president).
    - MarkMarine 4y ago
      Sends a pretty clear message to any federal prosecutor that is deciding if they want to charge this. Obviously, the prosecutor can spend the time and effort on this if they want, but it’s time that will probably be better served doing something else if they don’t want to see their work wiped away by the stroke of a pen in the future.
  - pessimizer 4y ago
    > he is trying to get it rescheduled Do you have a link about this? Because he's shown hostility towards marijuana legalization, promised to veto it if it was sent to him, and in the past supported draconian drug laws.
Test0129 4y ago
The difference is that if they were winning they wouldn't do this. This is textbook vote buying. They are absolutely terrified of the election season after the market collapse, inflation, housing situation, war in ukraine, etc. Easy to lock in quite a few votes throwing a bone. Republicans did the same thing last election season and capitulated (temporarily) on a lot of their positions in order to pull in the independents. I wish you were correct. But there's a difference between doing something because you know it's right (implore congress to pass legislation on marijuana immediately) and because you need the votes. Only one of them is virtuous even though both ostensibly benefit the people.
innocentoldguy 4y ago
I use cannabis daily and am all for it being legalized and those in jail released. However, I cannot join you in a victory lap here because Biden's pardon affects nobody. As far as I know, there isn't anybody in federal prison on simple possession charges. That being the case, this smacks of politicking, optics, and opportunism rather than anything meaningful. If Biden wanted to do something substantial, he'd sign legislation legalizing cannabis (including growing your own).
- x86_64Ubuntu 4y ago
  He can only sign legislation presented to him to sign by Congress.

by uup 4y ago

ssalka 4y ago

Because they stop doing the things you like once the election is over

urspx 4y ago
Sure, but then there is another election. After the election is before the election.
- sokoloff 4y ago
  If I elect someone to lead the country for 4 years, I’d prefer they lead the country for at least 3.75 of those years, not for two 4-6 month stints in 4 years. (Neither party has a monopoly on this BS.)

Sohcahtoa82 4y ago

It's bad because there are people that have been sitting in prison that could have been released over a year and a half ago, but Biden would rather let them rot for a while longer just so he could score political points at a more convenient time.

MarkMarine 4y ago
Someone higher up in the tree said there wasn’t a single person sitting in federal pen for this. I’m not sure, but I can’t imagine it’s frequently charged federally
- whoooooo123 4y ago
  From a legal point of view, when is marijuana possession a federal offence and when is it a state offence? Presumably if you're caught with weed in DC then it's federal. But under what circumstances could you be found in possession with marijuana anywhere else and have it be a matter for the federal government, not the state one?
  - Sohcahtoa82 4y ago
    Federal park land?
forgetfreeman 4y ago
Shit's illegal and people are mad. Dude tries to cut some folks a break and people are mad. Conclusion: some people are born mad and gonna stay that way regardless.
- encryptluks2 4y ago
  Hm.. can you imagine homosexuality being banned and people being mad just cause they pardon only a certain type before elections?
  - forgetfreeman 4y ago
    Intentionally or otherwise you're equating lifestyle choices with sexual orientation and that is not a good look for all the same reasons that the rationale behind conversion therapy is garbage.
- innocentoldguy 4y ago
  Who got a break in this deal exactly? There isn't anybody in federal prison for simple possession charges. It's like him giving every man, woman, and child in Antarctica a pony, only not as efficacious.
  - forgetfreeman 4y ago
    Yeah he totally should have issued state-level pardons for possession. What in the hell is wrong with this guy...

cronix 4y ago

No federal law is changing. This is a one time get out of jail free card. People arrested for the same crimes after he pardons current people in prison don't get the benefit.

kaibee 4y ago
The scheduling of marijuana is changing.
- realce 4y ago
  It's being looked at, but that's not at this point guaranteed
petesergeant 4y ago
No, and that’s because he doesn’t have the power to unilaterally do that, but he is trying to get it rescheduled
- bandyaboot 4y ago
  He doesn’t technically have the unilateral power to prevent future people from being charged federally with simple possession, but in reality, he kind of does (while he’s president).
  - MarkMarine 4y ago
    Sends a pretty clear message to any federal prosecutor that is deciding if they want to charge this. Obviously, the prosecutor can spend the time and effort on this if they want, but it’s time that will probably be better served doing something else if they don’t want to see their work wiped away by the stroke of a pen in the future.
- pessimizer 4y ago
  > he is trying to get it rescheduled Do you have a link about this? Because he's shown hostility towards marijuana legalization, promised to veto it if it was sent to him, and in the past supported draconian drug laws.

Test0129 4y ago

The difference is that if they were winning they wouldn't do this. This is textbook vote buying. They are absolutely terrified of the election season after the market collapse, inflation, housing situation, war in ukraine, etc. Easy to lock in quite a few votes throwing a bone. Republicans did the same thing last election season and capitulated (temporarily) on a lot of their positions in order to pull in the independents. I wish you were correct. But there's a difference between doing something because you know it's right (implore congress to pass legislation on marijuana immediately) and because you need the votes. Only one of them is virtuous even though both ostensibly benefit the people.

innocentoldguy 4y ago

I use cannabis daily and am all for it being legalized and those in jail released. However, I cannot join you in a victory lap here because Biden's pardon affects nobody. As far as I know, there isn't anybody in federal prison on simple possession charges. That being the case, this smacks of politicking, optics, and opportunism rather than anything meaningful. If Biden wanted to do something substantial, he'd sign legislation legalizing cannabis (including growing your own).

x86_64Ubuntu 4y ago
He can only sign legislation presented to him to sign by Congress.