Year End Reflections, Part IV (Sometimes Big News Stories Break)

Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution says "The President...shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in case of Impeachment."  So. impeachments are excluded, but so are offenses under state law, as the power applies to pardons for offences against the United States, which would be federal law.  

I don't know about you, but I was not surprised by Biden's pardon of his son Hunter.  Yes, it seemed as if Biden promised dozens of times that he would not pardon Hunter.  Yes, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre seemed to say dozens of times that Biden would not pardon Hunter.  But absent a conviction for murder, rape or other violent offense, did anyone really think Biden would not pardon his son?

Biden justified the pardon factually by saying that the filling out of a gun form (lying actually) almost never results in a felony charge.  That may be true.  Then he said his son was late in paying his taxes because of his serious addiction; and he eventually paid the taxes with interest and penalties.  Well, his serious addiction did not prevent Hunter from splurging on various things, rather than using that money to pay his taxes...but that's another topic.

Let's talk about Biden's legal justifications for the pardon.  "No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's case can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son.  And that is wrong."  Yes, well, Hunter was definitely singled out.  First, the special counsel let many of the possible charges lapse due to the running of the statute of limitations.  Who else would get such slow walking of a prosecution?  Who else would get such a favorable plea deal?  But the Judge saw it differently, and refused to accept the special treatment given to Hunter.  So, yes, he was singled out - favorably.

Biden:  "I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice..."  There's the rub.  So, President Biden, exactly when was it that "raw politics" infected your son's prosecution?  Clearly not when you said so many times that you would not pardon Hunter.  Or, were you lying all those times to the American people?  And you let your press secretary lie also?

Karine Jean-Pierre, after also telling us many times that Biden would not pardon Hunter, said "how politically infected these cases are."  Once again, just when did she and the president become aware that the cases against Hunter might be politically infected?  Which, of course, brings me to my next question:  Are you freaking kidding me?  Let's talk about politically infected cases.

President Biden, here is what you said about your hand-picked Attorney General, Merrick Garland, when speaking with your "inner circle."  As reported by the New York Times in 2022:  "As recently as late last year, Mr. Biden confided to his inner circle that he believed former President Donald J. Trump was a threat to democracy and should be prosecuted, according to two people familiar with his comments.  And while the president has never communicated his frustrations directly to Mr. Garland, he has said privately that he wanted Mr. Garland to act less like a ponderous judge and more like a prosecutor who is willing to take decisive action over the events of Jan. 6."

The President never said anything to Mr. Garland directly?  He sure as hell did, because unless you believe in everything being a coincidence, that conversation was leaked, and Mr. Garland got the message loud and clear.  The next thing you know, we had Jack Smith appointed as special counsel, bringing charges against President Trump.  What about the unspoken rule that says presidents should not be involved in deciding who gets prosecuted?  Clearly, Biden did not care about that.  (Well, he did not care about lying numerous times either, so no surprise I guess.)

Every case brought against President Trump has been, allow me to say, "infected"...by "raw politics."  But it's worse.  Not only did Biden place his hand on the scales of justice, he did so against the likely (and eventual) Republican nominee for president.  In other words, Biden wanted political prosecutions to defeat his political opponent.  Biden acted like a third world dictator.  Many of Trump's associates who faced prosecution, did so because they had been affiliated with Trump.

I think we can all agree (or should agree) that Biden just opened the door for Trump to pardon, or commute the sentences of, the January 6 defendants (and others).  Obviously, it should be on a case by case basis.  Anyone who committed violence, especially against a police officer, should not necessarily get a pardon.  But if the sentencing was disproportionately long compared to others, that would warrant a commutation.  And, if Biden means what he said about politics infecting prosecutions, he should immediately pardon President Trump.  I won't hold my breath,

Year End Reflections, Part III (Are The Jewish People Safe Anywhere?)

When the pro-Hamas crowd talks about globalizing the intifada, take them seriously.  In London, someone or some group distributed leaflets in a Jewish neighborhood.  This is what the leaflets said:  "Zionists leave Britain or be slaughtered."  Meanwhile, in Stamford, England, north of London, a 16 year old Jewish girl "was pelted with bottles and suffered injuries to her head and face in a deliberate and violent attack."  (As described by the Jerusalem Post.)

Back to London, there were 2 buses of Jewish kids going home from a Jewish school, when rocks were thrown at them.  Four teenagers from another school got on the buses and shouted at the Jewish kids:  "Fuck Israel!"  And:  "Fuck Israel!  Nobody likes you!  Fuck off you bitches!"  Needless to say, the Jewish kids were terrified.  Said the Campaign Against Antisemitism:  "Is it any wonder that 69% of British Jews now hide visible signs of their Judaism in public?"  (Again, as reported in the JPost.) 

In Melbourne, Australia, a fire was set at a synagogue.  Two people were injured, and, not surprisingly, there was extensive damage to the building.  It was reported by the police that the fire was set deliberately.  Meanwhile, Australia joined 156 other countries in the UN General Assembly, voting yet again in favor of an anti-Israel resolution.  The resolution called for Israel to withdraw from Gaza, the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and so-called "East Jerusalem."  

When the countries of the world vote against Israel, is it any surprise that antisemitism and outright Jew hatred then spreads around the world?  If Israel is so bad, then anyone supporting Israel must be bad, and Zionists support Israel.  Jewish people who believe in the right for Jews to have a home in the land of Israel are, by definition, Zionists.  As I hold the same belief in the Jewish people's right to their homeland, that makes me a Zionist.  

In Cape Town, South Africa, an IED was thrown at a Jewish Community Center.  Thankfully, it failed to explode.  I wonder what the pro-Hamas crowd makes of this story, as reported by The Guardian.  They say that UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine) has suspended aid deliveries to Gaza.  Why?  Because of the "hijacking of nearly 100 aid trucks last month."  Even though armed gangs were hijacking these trucks, Israel was blamed.  Of course.  Might it be Hamas terrorists taking the trucks for their fighters?  How dare you ask!

How are things here on the home front?  A man in Massachusetts was guilty of threatening to kill Jewish kids, and bomb a synagogue.  Here is what this evil man wished for:  "kill of all Jews," and "stomping their babies dead in the ground."  Lovely.  

About 25 people were arrested at the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, when they sat down in the street, in an effort to block the huge balloons.  Of course, these pro-Hamas protesters accused Israel of genocide.  The people who came to see the parade were not amused, with one yelling at the protesters "get the hell out of here!"  Meanwhile, the pro-Hamas crowd was shouting "Free Free Palestine."  And the now common:  "globalize the intifada."  Said one Brooklyn cop:  "This is a day for families to enjoy and not be interrupted by these a-holes."  Thank you, officer.

Joe Biden wanted a black woman for his vice president and he got one.  He wanted a black woman on the Supreme Court and he got Ketanji Brown Jackson.  Too bad.  KBJ (it's easier) recently attended a convention of the National Council of Teachers of English.  She should not have gone.  The speakers included pro-Hamas "activists."  One of the speakers tore down posters of the hostages being held by Hamas.  One, with a Palestinian flag, said:  "This is the only flag I fly with pride."  I've said it many times before - the Israel haters are also America haters.  So, obviously, this person would have no pride in the American flag.  Some of these people justified the October 7 assault on innocent Israelis.  And they teach our children.  Disgusting!  Does Biden's SCOTUS pick agree with these pro-Hamas people?  I'd like to know.

I'll end with this.  November 29 was the 77th anniversary of the UN General Assembly vote to partition the British Mandate into a Jewish state and an Arab state.  Israel then declared their independence as a state in May, 1948.  A mere 76 years ago - a single lifetime.  Said Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres (of NY's 15th district, and a democrat not afraid to speak up on behalf of Israel):  "Never in human history has a nation of so few done so much so quickly in the face of so many threats to its survival and security.  The achievements of the Jewish state are nothing short of astonishing."  Some might say miraculous.  Thank you Congressman Torres.