Illinois Governor Arrested

The presidential pardon power is a shameful thing that is badly abused. It has no place in any democratic society. It is a vestige of divine right.

That begs the question. Does Finn ever apply critical thinking skills or does he simply mouth things he has come across?

Finn, please stop making simplistic pronouncements on those things that you have little knowledge of.

Okay, that would mean silence on your part, hardly a fair option. You can keep on with the fallacious political arguments.

I agree that the present pardon system should be abolished. There is no doubt that the president has too much power in many things.

I do think that there should be some pardon procedure. Perhaps a nonpartisan commission should be set up to dole these out. There are many instances in which people, through service to the community, etc., deserve a pardon.

I agree, except with the part about service to the community, Advocate. It would still be abused.

Lets take Richardson to illustrate the point, look at the following sites and I did not find any identification of Richardson's party in the headlines or first few paragraphs. And CNN, ABC or MSNBC didn't even list the story anywhere in the top of their pages that I could find: For examples sake, you find other top stories on CNN to be things like: "Richard Simmons kisses anchor's foot" Oh, I did find Richardson on CNN, but you have to read a while to find out he is a Democrat. You could argue that everyone knows he is because he ran as a Democrat, but the headlines could accent the fact by reminding us of it throughout the reporting, but they don't.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/04/report-richardson-drops-bid-commerce-secretary/
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/05/politics/main4698077.shtml
http://abcnews.go.com/?ad=homepage
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
http://www.cnn.com/

And in this AP report in the newspaper, you have to read way down to find out Richardson is a Democrat, after he is praised as an outstanding public servant, blah blah blah. And after pointing out Obama is above the corruption problems, etc. He is of course clean as the wind driven snow, Obama came out of the cesspool of Illinois politics without one taint of suspicion whatsoever, he rose out of it without ever participating in it at all. And for any of us to have any suspicions whatsoever, we are the ones to be called on the carpet for harboring one little doubt about it.

http://newsok.com/bill-richardson-withdraws-bid-to-be-commerce-secretary/article/3335294?custom_click=lead_story_title

Okie, be honest. You don't give a damn about corruption. You never complained once about Bush or any Republican's corruption. So your new complaints ring real hollow. We all remember how you smiled and nodded your head for the last several years when it came to your own party.

Cycloptichorn

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/04/report-richardson-drops-bid-commerce-secretary/



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/05/politics/main4698077.shtml


You didn't even link to stories for the other 3.

Congratulations okie. You proved your claim of "never are" identified to be false.

Okie, you have to admit that it didn't take long for the Dems to dump Richardson.

The Reps stayed with Bush, Nixon, et al., to the bitter end.

What have I said in this thread to cause you to include me in that list?

Or is it that you just dont like conservatives?

It's not limited to this thread, MM.

Richardson dumped himself, Advocate. No telling how long Obama would go along with him. Besides, how did he not know Richardson was tainted? What kind of vetting process was that? And now the CIA chief, no experience whatsoever, good grief, another Clinton hack that knows nothing about it, what next?

As usual, you did not read what I said. You don't run onto the Democrat reference often or until you get well into the story, with an obligatory reference or two, after most people have quit reading the title and the first part of the stories.

It's a little thing called the rule of law. Obama wouldn't be phoning up federal prosecutors to ask them what's on their plate. Bush, well we know how that works and we know that there are some slimy conservatives who think that this is just grand.

Was or is Burris part of the pay to play schemes SOP in Illinois?

"Report Raises Questions About Burris' Relationship With Blagojevich"
"MyFOXChicago.com reports that Burris -- the former Illinois attorney general who has been appointed by Blagojevich to fill President-elect Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat -- held a 2006 fundraiser for the governor at his home.

Burris and his lobbying firm also donated $22,295 to Blagojevich's campaign, according to MyFOXChicago.com.

Over the past four years, Burris' lobbying firm reportedly won $705,435 in state contracts."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/07/report-raises-questions-burris-relationship-blagojevich/

I am not a Burris fan, and think that there should be another appointee. However, it seems that the law is on his side. I understand that the Senate Rules Committee has found that there is nothing to preclude Burris.

If any laws have been broken, and if Blago is so bad, then I for one am waiting for the Dems in Illinois to take a stand, impeach him, what are they waiting for? I am waiting for the investigation to throw out all the cheap Illinois / Chicago crooks, Obama included if that is what it ends up being. I am frankly tired of them already and they haven't even inaugurated their poster boy.

Earth to Okiot. There is a criminal indictment under way.

I didn't realize Oklahoma was another planet. Blago is also going to be impeached:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/5C0B087498A5260586257537006BFC27?OpenDocument

Burris is headed back to Illinois for the vote.

Reid blinked --- beautiful!

Unfortunately it will somewhat contain, for the Dems, the mess, but Dirty Harry is wounded.

This will open the door to inter-party battles.

All good stuff.

Especially since the Republican Party has already descended into anarchy.