286. Should Donald Trump be pardoned?

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Following events at Capitol Hill on confirmation day, as well as the many misdemeanours in which the US President has engaged in beforehand, both during and before his presidency, Joe Biden is being asked to consider a presidential pardon in the fashion of that issued by Gerald Ford to Richard Nixon. The rationale is to heal the nation and allow it to move on, united. This would be a grave error. Trying Mr. Trump, both in impeachment proceedings and likely a number of times in the courts, is not about retribution, but about justice and morality. A pardon would give him and those of his nature carte blanche, send the message that democracy, rule of law and society’s integrity are fair game and can be attacked with impunity. Where Trump may have failed, others will succeed. I have written about appeasement before, and its historical failures. Trump has become what he is because he has, through life, got away with it (whatever ‘it’ was). Getting away with it again will not change him 

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Location: Hereford, UK

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