I don't think that the pardon power is an effective check or balance. I think it's a holdover from forms of imperial government. That said, I don't think it's

I don't think that the pardon power is an effective check or balance. I think it's a holdover from forms of imperial government. That said, I don't think it's the most urgent thing that needs to be corrected. There are a few practices I think are even worse that I'd like to see attended to first. The electoral college, for example.