News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by ortusdux on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @10:27AM (#25847495)
Technically, a president could pardon all federal marijuana convictions, and announce that they will continue to do so for the remainder of their term. Basically, it could be used to address systemic problems in the federal court system. A large portion of Biden's term will probably be spent trying to return to norms, so I doubt anything like this would happen.
Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by DevX101 on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @10:30AM (#25847532)
I'm for legalization of marijuana but think that's a terrible idea. This effectively makes one person the arbiter of law.
Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by dragonwriter on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @01:12PM (#25849785)
> I’m for legalization of marijuana but think that’s a terrible idea. This effectively makes one person the arbiter of law.

No, the Constitutional pardon power (in one direction, for criminal law only) does that already. The question is about how that position of arbiter will be used, not whether the President has it.

Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by x86_64Ubuntu on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @10:41AM (#25847692)
If you have laws that are passed with racial control in mind, such as our drug laws, then mass pardoning is an act of justice and not someone becoming the arbiter of law.
Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by jshevek on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @11:40AM (#25848513)
> If [criteria], then mass pardoning is an act of justice and not someone becoming the arbiter of law.

I dont understand your comment. Are you thinking that acts of justice, by definition, cannot also be the product of a person becoming an arbiter of law? That you perceive a decision as just doesn't change whether a person might or might not be acting as an arbiter of law.

Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by joshuamorton on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @01:10PM (#25849757)
Consider the alternative: a president who announces they will blanket pardon all white people and no one else.
Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by dragonwriter on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @01:14PM (#25849810)
That’s…not the alternative.

I mean, I suppose its one of a near-infinite number of possible alternatives, but I don’t see how its an even relevant one. The discussion wasn’t about someone pardoning only black people, it was about pardoning all people convicted under a particular set of laws.

Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by joshuamorton on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @01:22PM (#25849920)
Right, but the point gp made was that large scale blanket pardons make a single individual the arbiter of law. That's true. (if you want a less charged example, instead imagine the president pardons everyone convicted on fraud charges).

That power can then be used justly or unjustly. The constitutional balance for this is impeachment, but it's not clear that would work in practice or theory.

Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by jshevek on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @02:46PM (#25851036)
I read the statement as "consider an alternative" or "consider this alternative". With this reading, the line of reasoning implied is correct and relevant.

Typos happen (and this is an international community including people unfamiliar with some idioms). Obviously the alternative presented isn't THE alternative.

Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by ortusdux on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @11:50AM (#25848651)
I'm not necessarily advocating one way or another, just using an example to address the claim that while "The pardon doesn't do anything to address systemic problems in the justice system", it could.
Re:Anthony Levandowski Pardoned by jessaustin on Wednesday January 20, 2021 @10:37AM (#25847638)
Most USA residents support marijuana legalization, and that has been the case for over a decade.