It has been a while since anyone has started a presidential pardon discussion. Mainly because George W. Bush hasn't really done much pardoning so it is more out of sight out of mind. In fact, to date, Bush has pardoned less than half the people that Clinton or Regan pardoned. And maybe I am wrong with this, but should the president's have power to over through the justice system? Is that the presidents part of the checks and balances system? Is it a good thing?
Is there something wrong with the idea of a pardon or does it leave room for a sort of secular repentance? There are plenty of cases that can be made that Christ obtained the power of the eternal pardon if you will. However within the frame work of God's work, Christ paid the penalty for these sins and is given the stewardship to hand out forgiveness where he may. In the case of a presidential pardon, who paid the price? A crime was committed and punishment was removed. Does mercy rob justice in this case?
Just some things I was thinking about...
Pardons aren't always what people think they are. In almost all cases time has been served and punishment fully received. Often all a pardon does is allow someone to get a job. My brother on his 18th birthday, went out and bought a be bee gun and being a dumb kid accidentally shot out a window in an empty office building. He was caught and served nine months in jail. 15 years and a perfect record later, he decided he wanted to be a real estate agent, but they would not allow it because he had a criminal record. He got a pardon from gov. Schwarzenegger and was then allowed to be a real estate agent on probation. Pardons have a place and while it is scary to give that kind of power to one person, it would be worse to not have it at all.
ReplyDeleteI am only interested if he pardons those two border patrol agents.
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