Staff Reports
President Biden has evidently decided to spend his remaining days in office doing a bit of sentence-slicing, reminiscent of a deli worker under pressure. In a bold stroke of “now or never” determination, Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. The grandstanding move seems to be aimed at reshaping the narrative around criminal justice, but it also raises eyebrows about the motley crew that the Left may consider “the deserving ones.”
In a classic display of selective standards, Biden has now set a presidential record for the most individual pardons and commutations issued. By rehashing the tired argument about “disproportionately long sentences,” he invokes the age-old debate over crack versus powder cocaine — the nuances of which seem to matter more to progressives than to average Americans worried about their neighborhoods. The push for clemency is painted as a noble act of righting historic wrongs, yet it’s hard to ignore the fact that this is merely the latest chapter in the Left’s ongoing crusade against the supposed injustices of the justice system.
President Joe Biden announced Friday that he was commuting the sentences of almost 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, using on his last days in office to nullify prison terms he deemed too harsh.https://t.co/TNUpQZB9B1 pic.twitter.com/HWXAU3LMMu
— Voice of America (@VOANews) January 17, 2025
While Biden assures the nation that this initiative allows these “long-suffering” individuals to reunite with their families, one can’t help but ponder what message is being sent. Those who broke laws, often at the cost of their communities, are being given a free pass while law-abiding citizens are often left to bear the consequences of crime. The irony of Biden’s rush for redemption is that his actions could embolden more drug-related issues that only serve to deepen the unrest in America’s cities.
Yet, the thrill isn’t over just yet, as Biden hinted at even more clemency actions before the incoming Trump administration settles in. This rules-ahead mentality practically invites speculation about secretive deals and back-room maneuverings. It wouldn’t be a stretch to consider that Biden might even consider additional pardons for friends as a way to cement loyalty ahead of stakeholders that he fears Donald Trump might prosecute. It certainly seems that the former Vice President learned a thing or two about political survival during his years in the Obama administration.
On the topic of unusual justice, let’s not forget the striking similarity between Biden’s and Trump’s last-minute clemency blitzes. Trump, while walking away from the White House, also indulged in a flurry of pardons, including a few that made headlines in a rather absurd way—who knew that rappers and political strategists would become a part of history’s pardonee page? But unlike Trump, whose clemency decisions were often met with mockery or praise depending on the viewer’s lens, Biden’s seemingly altruistic intentions could easily come off as a desperate attempt to seal his legacy before the final curtain drops on his presidency.
As Biden navigates this clemency minefield, it remains clear that the spectrum of justice continues to bend to political will. The future of America’s streets and communities is not about to be reshaped by whimsical reckonings with the past but by a commitment to law and order that secures the safety of all citizens. As the Biden administration continues down this road of selective justice, conservatives are left wondering if there will be a price to pay for those who too easily slip through the cracks.
