Comments on: Trump, the NFL players, and the pardons

By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 11:37:03 +0000

The way it reads to me is that the President has said, “You have a grievance, you say. Let’s hear it.” This forces them to think substance rather than effectively pulling a DeNiro and shouting a contextless “F* Trump!” (or “America” or “society” or whatever). If they do have names worth considering in mind, well, that is the pardon process at work. If they don’t, they are revealed to be posturing prima donnas.

By: mark30339

mark30339 — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 12:36:14 +0000

Perhaps the President was wondering what would happen if Oprah had pardon powers, and how HUGE it could be if he pondered pardons Oprah-style.
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I’m not sure it’s good policy, and it may be a precedent for all future presidents pandering to us for our goodwill by compelling pardon pageantry. But there’s no business like show business.
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And there is a very sound tactical element. Get the electorate so inundated with pardons that they hardly notice as a few pardons are sandwiched in to frustrate the bizarre Mueller probe — our long, suffering experiment with criminal prosecution by those on the Left so as to protect their own and to punish their adversaries.

By: Lizzy

Lizzy — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 11:16:34 +0000

Well, they could go for the brass ring and offer up Assata Shakur/JoAnne Chesimard, since it’s her writings that inspired the three women who started the #BLM movement. Hard to think Trump hasn’t already anticipated such a controversial potential request (along with Mumia).

By: Gordon Scott

Gordon Scott — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 08:43:58 +0000

As Richard Pryor joked after visiting prison, justice is “Just us.”

Yeah, he also said, after visiting a prison while filming Stir Crazy, that he was very glad there were prisons, because there were some very scary people in there.

By: huxley

huxley — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 22:32:48 +0000

I second most here. It’s another shrewd Trump move with huge upside and little downside.

Weirdly, I even think Trump is somewhat sincere.

There are a terrible number of blacks in prison. As Richard Pryor joked after visiting prison, justice is “Just us.” I imagine most deserve it, but it’s such a hard burden on the hearts of black families. I can’t blame them for being bitter about it.

Surely some of those blacks deserve pardons. If they are released, what a message that sends.

To be sure, it won’t heal everything. But it doesn’t take that many blacks questioning the Democrats’ plantation before the grand Democrat, multi-everything coalition fails. I’ve read analyses that if black support drops below 70%, it’s devastating for Democrats.

By: Glen H

Glen H — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 19:20:06 +0000

I agree with you and not Mirengoff. I see three possible outcomes:
1) They react with outrage and tell Trump to go eff himself. Trump wins.
2) They submit some names, some of whom are worthy and Trump issues pardon(s). Trump wins.
3) They submit some names, and none are worthy. Trump does nothing. Trump wins.
When all paths lead to a Trump win, it is a stroke of genius.

By: Jeff Brokaw

Jeff Brokaw — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 12:04:43 +0000

Scott Adams comments often about how good Trump is at this type of negotiating maneuver: countering offers with some new option where he wins either way, and by doing it publicly, it is also very persuasive to the voting public that of the parties involved, he at least is willing to talk and actually do something constructive, therefore exposing the other party as grandstanding and unserious, or bringing them to the table to do real work.

Either way, Trump is up 14-0 at halftime here. And several wrongly convicted people may yet go free, most likely black, in the months just before midterm elections, where Democrats will not do much without the usual 90% of the black vote.

There is no downside here for anybody except the kneelers. Your move guys, don’t screw it up.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 02:43:26 +0000

Poor Paul, he just hasn’t clue. I don’t doubt he is quite intelligent, but instead of stepping back and asking himself why he keeps getting things wrong, he just plows ahead with wacky analysis that just look crazy to me. He is, in a sense, too serious. Or maybe there is something in the DC air.

By: Mike K

Mike K — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 02:14:53 +0000

I think this is just a “Show me” episode and will demonstrate that the players are showboating and have not done their homework on this. Why would anyone to expect a professional athlete in 2018 to have a serious idea? The days of Whizzer White are long gone.

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 22:37:50 +0000

Neo: Im quite sure people at Solon or similar outlet already has a quick list of desired candidates. Im sure they’re multiple. I think this will merely further cheapen the office he holds. I hope Im wrong but dont see this as worthwhile.