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Timothy Carney

Obama’s quality of mercy is surprisingly strained

Obama has granted pardons and commutations far less frequently than any of his recent predecessors, ProPublica found earlier this month. It seems Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were softies compared with Obama.

Obama also has deported more illegal immigrants than any other president. While he earned praise — and votes — for his election-season policy temporarily halting the deportation of students illegally in the U.S., he has kept the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division busy: Bush doubled Bill Clinton’s deportations from 9,000 a month to 21,000, Obama has now increased that number by 57 percent to 33,000 a month. That’s more than 1,000 immigrants per day.

When his administration isn’t deporting illegal immigrants, it’s zealously enforcing drug laws.

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It’s not that he has anything against pardons. He’s just too busy playing golf.

The Rogue Tomato on November 26, 2012 at 8:37 PM

“They say that life is all about second chances,” Obama said as he pardoned Cobbler at Thanksgiving. “And this November, I could not agree more.” Obama was referring to his own second chance — a second term.

But apparently Katie Barribeau didn’t deserve the same second chance Obama and Cobbler both got. A decade ago, Barribeau helped her boyfriend mail Ecstasy into the United States from a military base in Germany. She was 22 years old at the time. The nonprofit journalism group ProPublica reported: “Confronted by military investigators, she immediately confessed and cooperated. In exchange for her assistance, she was sentenced to five years of probation and a $1,000 fine for conspiracy to import ecstasy.”

Barribeau applied for a pardon that would wipe her criminal record clean, enable her to visit Canada for the company where she is a manager, and maybe allow her husband and her to adopt a child. But Obama’s Justice Department recommended against a pardon, and Obama in turn denied the pardon.

This is the norm. Obama has granted pardons and commutations far less frequently than any of his recent predecessors, ProPublica found earlier this month. It seems Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were softies compared with Obama.

Just what we need: drug-dealers raising kids. Nothing could possibly go wrong there. Not ever.

If the denial of such a pardon is the norm, then finally the Obama administration’s getting something right.

Stoic Patriot on November 26, 2012 at 8:39 PM

Don’t tell Obama.

It might spoil a putt.

profitsbeard on November 26, 2012 at 8:40 PM

Well,
Holder already has his, undated copy, in his safe, right?

ProfShadow on November 26, 2012 at 8:42 PM

He’s saving them all for his entire admin in 2017.

OldEnglish on November 26, 2012 at 8:44 PM

He’s saving them all for his entire admin in 2017.

OldEnglish on November 26, 2012 at 8:44 PM

I think it’s cute how many people still believe Obama will voluntarily relinquish power in January 2017.

Washington Nearsider on November 26, 2012 at 9:04 PM

Obama also has deported more illegal immigrants than any other president.

Notice how this was never brought up during the campaign.

CurtZHP on November 26, 2012 at 9:05 PM

The one thing that I’ve always known is that Obama would never do anything whatsoever to help me, as an American, should I be in need here at home or abroad. I knew this BEFORE Benghazi.

He cares NOTHING about anyone but himself.

Any Obamabot, who thinks that Obama would demonstrate the slightest modicum of mercy, deserves to find herself in the same situation as those in Benghazi did. The words “stand” and “down” will be ever more so clear than “hope” and “change” ever were.

Resist We Much on November 26, 2012 at 9:10 PM

It’s not that he has anything against pardons. He’s just too busy playing golf.

The Rogue Tomato on November 26, 2012 at 8:37 PM

Maybe the people who are asking for pardons should say instead that they want to take a mulligan.

malclave on November 26, 2012 at 9:13 PM

and Gitmo, rendition, and drone attacks.

CW on November 26, 2012 at 9:13 PM

The quality of mercy is not strain’d,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence ‘gainst the merchant there.

Portia rightly attributes unstrained mercy to God and understands the connection of mercy to justice.

Obama isn’t interested and knows little of either one.
(Mercy is a foreign concept to any person who would let a baby die. That one aspect of his personality is a window into the man.)

INC on November 26, 2012 at 9:36 PM

The Rogue Tomato on November 26, 2012 at 8:37 PM

Heh. +1

GWB on November 27, 2012 at 9:37 AM