There were hints in the news media, from President Trump himself, too, that a significant presidential pardon of someone was coming soon. In a news conference, Trump suggested the name Edward Snowden, NSA whistleblower, forced into exile by an Obama administration enraged at the government employee for revealing the secret that American citizens are constitutionally violated by a government that's oath-bound to protect the Constitution.
Trump, in his vague way, said Snowden has his defenders and detractors. There's something significant to what the whistleblower did but also there are those who think he's a bad guy. Trump appeared uncertain as to the truth but seemed willing to consider the veracity of either possibility. If he were to read three or four good articles about this case he would perhaps have a better understanding, but, like George W. Bush, he doesn't know shit.
Whatever the matter, he, like Obama, Bush, and Clinton before him in the era of telecommunications espionage by the NSA against the American people, is also guilty of violating his Constitutional oath and should resign on that basis alone. Bill, George, and Barack, though, didn't resign either, so the ugly precedent is set.
For a few days, speculation in news media revolved around the seemingly impossible idea that Donald Trump would actually pardon the mischievous Edward Snowden, living in exile in Moscow, in a country continuously vilified especially by Democrats and so-called Left news media. The Russiagate cash cow continues to provide fuel for those power elites (including those in the news racket, like Rachel Maddow) on even this low information subject of "Who will Trump pardon?"
Susan Rice, until very recently a top contender to be Biden's vice presidential running mate, tweeted her dismay about Trump maybe pardoning Snowden:
"I. Just. Can't. Congratulations GOP. This is who you are now."
To Susan Rice, Obama's National Security Advisor and later U.N. Ambassador, one of the architects of Libya's and Syria's destruction, supporter of terror groups in those nations, an all around terrific gal, the idea of Edward Snowden receiving a pardon makes her as sick as she makes me. For Rice, the Republicans have become a party willing to consider forgiveness of a man, Snowden, who revealed the complete and utter shittiness of the federal government as it spies on its own citizens without probable cause, a violation of the Fourth Amendment. I don't suggest the Republicans as a whole believe this, but Rice has no problem grouping them all together into one turd pile. Because they so faithfully support Trump, the GOP must therefore be in favor of allowing Snowden the right to return home, unmolested. Most of Trump's policies, though, are also supported by the majority of Democratic politicians in Washington, so they too, using Rice's logic, are Snowden-lovers, but of course they aren't, and neither is Trump, as he proved when he revealed the real subject of his pardon:
Susan B. Anthony. Yes, the lady on the hardly ever used dollar coin.
From ABC News: "Anthony was charged with voting illegally--as a woman--in the 1872 presidential election in her hometown of Rochester, New York. She was ultimately tried by an all male jury--which the judge directed to find her guilty--and fined her $100, which she refused to pay...Anthony did not believe she had committed a crime by simply voting...
"'This was brought up a week ago, and I was so surprised it was never done before,' Trump said of a pardon for Anthony Tuesday at a White House event commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. 'What took so long?'"
Could Neil Simon at the height of his comedic powers (let's say with The Odd Couple) have come up with a funnier moment?
America spirals into a black hole, a pandemic kills citizens in the tens of thousands, changing habits, destroying businesses, a government unwilling to put its constituents above the craven interests of its financial masters, billionaires making tens of billions, Wall Street galloping proudly as the country dies, an election cycle narrowing to the most repulsive candidates imaginable--a repeat of 2016--lies and lies and lies abounding, a compromised news media, a war that never ends fueled by weapons manufacturers who literally make money from killing children, and amidst all of this we're supposed to give a shit about a "crime" committed by Susan B. Anthony in 1872?
Historians have said pardoning Anthony sends the wrong message because she rightly believed she had done nothing wrong by voting. Arguably, she committed some form of voter fraud, an issue Republicans, including Trump, believe is worse, somehow, (bearing in mind its infrequency) than the real American practice of regularly disenfranchising Black and Latino voters, something done by both major parties for their own ends.
"What took so long?"
How come nobody noticed this injustice? It took Donald Trump to right a wrong that's been gnawing away at our democracy since the Ulysses S. Grant administration!
Meanwhile, Democrats, and some Republicans, have been entertaining America with the worst TV show since 2011, the first year Jerry Lewis no longer hosted the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. I haven't watched the Democratic Convention, although I've seen excerpts of the virtual program. Without audiences, the pre-taped addresses come across as stiff and pointless. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was given sixty seconds to make her case for Bernie Sanders, an utterly insignificant move given that Sanders is all in for Biden, the "friend" he betrayed his Progressive movement for. John Kasich, an anti-abortion Republican whose virtue, I guess, is that he opposes Trump, was given more time than Ocasio-Cortez, a real indication that the Democratic National Committee would rather a right winger have a bigger platform than a Progressive, albeit one who's given in to Nancy Pelosi for the sake of her career.
The second night was launched by Chuck Schumer standing at night with a background view of the Statue of Liberty. Did he mention that famous monument? Oh yes he did. Had he stood in front of the New York Stock Exchange while he mouthed his platitudes I could at least respect his honesty as to where his power and influence comes from.
Michelle Obama, bestselling author, millionaire, wife of a man who murdered Yemeni children, scolded viewers when she said, "Now is not the time to play games with this election, to vote for a candidate who has no chance of winning."
This is voter shaming before the fact and, well, fuck you Michelle Obama.
By saying these words she didn't rule out the choice of voting for Trump and Pence, for they have an increasing chance of beating Biden and Harris. In some polls, Trump has gained ten points on Biden in just one month. This can only be due, not to Trump's criminally irresponsible handling of the pandemic, but to his brain dead opponent and his vile running mate, Kamala Harris. The Biden team offer nothing to the American people: no Medicare for All, no forgiveness of student debt, no forgiveness of medical debt, no UBI, no legalization of marijuana, inadequate commitment to fighting climate change, no end to the endless war. Biden's virtue of not being Trump seems like a childish reason to vote for him and for that matter, Trump isn't Biden.
In the past few years I've sometimes thought, "Trump is President but at least Hillary Clinton isn't." If Biden wins, I expect I'll think, "Biden is President but Trump at least isn't." That will be no comfort, though, for Biden and Harris represent corruption, dirty dealing, dishonesty, a commitment to furthering injustice, war-making, and incompetence as real leaders during a time when a real leader could perhaps steer this country away from a possibly unstoppable doom.
I may be wrong but Tulsi Gabbard might be that real leader. Someday.
Meanwhile, rejoice in the pardoning of a dead woman. I'm sure your life will change because of it.
Next, President Trump will pardon Jesus Christ.
Vic Neptune
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