Democrats just love breaking precedent to meet their short-term political needs. Democrats went from abusing the filibuster to block judicial nominees to nuking it so Republicans couldn’t do the same. But Senate rules are small beans compared to the other ways Democrats have broken precedents.
While the power of the presidency has certainly expanded over the years, Barack Obama took things to a new level when he decided that if Congress couldn’t or wouldn’t pass the legislation he wanted to sign, he’d just do it himself, Constitution be damned. When Congress couldn't pass the DREAM Act, Obama achieved the same objective with his DACA program, created via executive action. Not even treaties were immune from Obama's wrath. When it was clear that the Senate wouldn't ratify the nuclear treaty with Iran or the Paris Climate Treaty, he just pretended they weren't treaties and signed them unilaterally.
There's almost nothing that Democrats won't destroy for their own objectives. They've destroyed the reputation of the Justice Department by turning it into a partisan weapon. They've weaponized committee assignments, impeachment, and even the electoral process by trying to boot Trump from the ballot in various states. It's an endless cycle of broken precedents—and there are perhaps too many to list in this article.
Last week, Joe Biden broke another precedent when he issued a blanket pardon to anyone who has used or possessed marijuana, regardless of whether they were charged or prosecuted. "Criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities," Biden said in a statement. "Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It’s time that we right these wrongs."
The pardon reads:
Therefore, acting pursuant to the grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who, on or before the date of this proclamation, committed or were convicted of the offense of simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana, regardless of whether they have been charged with or prosecuted for these offenses on or before the date of this proclamation…
It may not be the first blanket pardon, but it's arguably the biggest one. I have no idea how many Americans have used and/or possessed marijuana at at least one point in their lives, but I know it's a lot. Biden's act was a whole new ballgame. It's been reported that Trump considered a blanket pardon of the January 6 rioters—but it wasn't clear if he actually could do that, especially before anyone had been charged.
"Trump’s consideration of preemptive pardons quickly hit a wall," Politico reported last year. "It was unclear how he could pardon an entire class of people that hadn’t been charged. 'You didn’t know who the FBI was going to arrest down the road,' the first adviser said."
"At the same time, the White House counsel’s office was forcefully telling Trump what he could not do as president, this person said," the report continued.
Well, Joe Biden's blanket pardon changes everything—and not just for January 6 rioters who have had their due process rights violated. Imagine what blanket pardons (including for those who haven't been charged with a crime) could do for those whose Second Amendment rights have been violated. Imagine what they could do for gun manufacturers that have been targeted by the government.
Democrats would be outraged, of course, but since when do they consider the consequences of their actions?
