Pardon power is a function of the executive branch, i.e. the branch of government that enforces the laws that the legislative branch passes. Pretty standard "separation of powers" doctrine there. I would much rather have that power in the hands of one person than in the hands of an entire Congress. There would be ten thousand pardons a year instead of a few dozen.
As for DOJ guidelines, you put more faith in government bureaucrats than I do. And here I thought you were a libertarian. If I were President, I would be sorely tempted to take a machete to large parts of the Federal government. For everyone's entertainment, here is the full list of Clinton's pardons and commutations, and GHW Bush's pardons: http://www.usdoj.gov/pardon/recipients.htm DOJ doesn't have a link for GW Bush's pardons yet. On 7/3/07, Gruss wrote: > > > cHat wrote: > > Libby's case he has been found guilty... he's just not the only one! > > > > Yeah, you're right. > > I guess I just find it despicable for Bush to step in - I don't agree > with the pardon process be it for Clinton or Bush or any president. I > can see giving the Congress the power to do it, but not the President. > > What's even worse in this case is not just that he did it, but that he > violated Justice Dept guidelines to do it (something Clinton didn't > do), and that he had previously said he wouldn't. And, of course that > he would let justice "take it's course". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| ColdFusion MX7 and Flex 2 Build sales & marketing dashboard RIAâs for your business. Upgrade now http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion/flex2?sdid=RVJT Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:237762 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
