As IF Times

Fast forward to today and the difference between the European Union and the United States experience is stark.  Even though both are considered ‘western’ politically, America, at its core, continues to champion the idea of freedom and self-determination, whereas the European Union have come almost full circle to the authoritarian/monarchial roots of their founding states.  The reality is that regional differences are so significant amongst member states that any one size fits all dictate from a centralized government causes havoc instead of harmony.  As we write, there are virulent protests in France and Germany against EU policies which cripple their agricultural industries.

But perhaps the most telling aspect of the EU regime is that they have become the regime that they sought to replace.  Rather than being a mechanism of freedom and prosperity for the nations, they have become purveyors of dictatorial edicts under the guise of collective good. It becomes increasingly evident that their existence is perpetuation of the administrative body itself rather than to further the interests of the member states….not unlike a monarchy.  The mindset of the EU is aptly represented by the World Economic Forum, a cabal of wealthy megalomaniacs who purport to know what’s best for everyone.  In fact, the leadership of the EU and the WEF are essentially one and the same. While we’re at it, let’s throw NATO in there.  An illustration of the stark difference in their mindset versus that which is espoused in the US is “you will own nothing and be happy”.   That’s as much a Dr. Evil pronouncement as you’ll ever hear.  In their worldview, people are subjects to be dictated to by those in charge.

If you think about the entire construct of the political East vs West argument, the whole argument hinges on the repudiation of what “Eastern” nations such as Russia and China represent, especially state control over every aspect of your life. Even as participants in the latest World Economic Forum lament the ‘decline of democracy’, these very same nations are restricting free elections, preventing free speech and expression and the promotion of collapsing borders.

In the United States, owning your own home is the very pinnacle of living in a free society and is the goal of most citizens.  This is not the goal of the European mindset.  It appears that the mindset there is of conferring and receiving privileges whereas in America, it’s more a notion of opening opportunities.

The recent Greenland issue brings into focus the difference in mindsets.  While Donald Trump is making bellicose overtures towards taking over Greenland, the Dutch and the Greenlanders alike are objecting to any takeover.  Actually, a poll of Greenlanders shows that they would be happy to be independent of EVERYBODY, but prefer to also continue to get free healthcare, education and military safety.  If this sounds familiar, think Canada. The entitlement is on a grand scale.  It’s as if they are teenagers who want Iphones and vacations but are not willing to have to pay for them.

It’s amusing to see the outrage of the once powerful colonial powers such as The Netherlands, France, Spain and the UK over the hegemonic aspirations of the US when they were once and still are to some extent, the greatest land grabbers in history. The leadership of the EU are behaving like modern day monarchs.  Although they were formed to only manage the movement of agricultural products within their member nations, they have morphed to become an autocratic rule making body totally removed from the realities of their own member states.  They restrict speech, impede elections and support on going military conflict against imaginary adversaries. It won’t last.

link: https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/01/politics/hunter-biden-joe-biden-pardon/index.html

By now we all know that the defining event of Joe Biden’s troubled presidency was the 11^th hour and 45th minute of his regime; that is the revelation of the list of people being granted the Presidential pardon.  Biden’s action is hardly unique in history as every parting President has granted such courtesies at the end of their tenure.

However, Biden’s list is a bit different than all previous pardons.  Doing his best Oprah Winfrey imitation, he granted a total of over 2500 presidential pardons, essentially declaring, “and you get a pardon and you get a pardon”.  He tossed them out like nauseating accolades at the Oscars.

In total, Biden pardoned or commuted over 2500 individuals from their transgressions.  Upon performing this fact check on Bing Copilot, even this AI platform commented that “this seems a lot, don’t you think?” In fact, these pardons are the most ever in US history. Among those pardoned were family members; not unprecedented given that Bill Clinton and Donald Trump did the same for their relatives when they were leaving office.

What was most interesting this time however was that he gave pre-emptive pardons to a large list of people who could be in trouble in the future, including of course, his entire family.  As far as anyone knows, this has never happened before and I’m sure the brilliant legal machinery will argue over its legality.  It’s essentially a blanket ‘get out of jail free’ card.  Even though the named individuals including Liz Cheney, Adam Schiff, Mark Miley and Anthony Fauci are not currently under any indictment or yet in prison, they have been given a federal immunity card; just in case.  Nothing says you’re probably guilty than to require a shield of immunity from future legal culpability.

When you research the criteria for presidential pardons, there are supposedly guidelines on who may be eligible.  I wouldn’t get all excited over legal agreement on this since they’re still fighting over what a man or a woman is.  Suffice to say, the President has enormous latitude on who he excuses from legal punishment. The left leaning website, “Protect Democracy” wrote in 2020 when President Trump was leaving the top office:

“…In practice, as president, Trump also supercharged abuses of the pardon power, twisting a power intended to serve the public interest into a tool for self-dealing. As a Washington Post investigation of all clemency acts during his tenure concluded: “Never before had a president used his constitutional clemency powers to free or forgive so many people who could be useful to his future political efforts.” This included a record number of pardons for white-collar criminals who would go on to provide political and financial support to the former president…”

We won’t hold our breath waiting for their snarky commentary on Biden’s phone book list of pardonees.

The implication of this pre-emptive pardon is clear.  If this stands, it will give any future president a tool in which to oppress and terrorize citizens without exposing their foot-soldiers to any culpability.  If means that there is no rein on what political acts can be performed even and including treasonous acts and conspiracies against citizens.

According to the Supreme Court, the pardon power is intended as a tool for justice and mercy (an “act of grace”) and to further “the public welfare.” As one federal court has held: “The President, who exercises that power as the elected representative of all the People, must always exercise it in the public interest.”  It will be amusing to see how the pre-emptive pardoning of people yet to be charged with a crime is in the public interest.