

Proper presidential pardons needed, now


Proper presidential pardons needed, now
The Issue
Won't you please use, but, don't abuse, or under use, commutations and pardons. Recent presidents may have given this special power a bad name, but pardoning used to be a routine business of the presidency and sometimes hundreds of grants were made every year, without fanfare, to ordinary people. Pardons can be used to correct injustices and commutations can balance punishment with clemency. President Kennedy pardoned 472 people and commuted 100 prison sentences, but none have been granted since Mr. Obama took office. One person worthy of special consideration is Leonard Peltier, a Native American Leader, who has been in falsely imprisoned since 1977, and is in ill health. The unequal treatment of whites and blacks convicted of drug crimes, and the unfair application of "three strikes" laws, etc., also deserve presidential attention; now.

118
The Issue
Won't you please use, but, don't abuse, or under use, commutations and pardons. Recent presidents may have given this special power a bad name, but pardoning used to be a routine business of the presidency and sometimes hundreds of grants were made every year, without fanfare, to ordinary people. Pardons can be used to correct injustices and commutations can balance punishment with clemency. President Kennedy pardoned 472 people and commuted 100 prison sentences, but none have been granted since Mr. Obama took office. One person worthy of special consideration is Leonard Peltier, a Native American Leader, who has been in falsely imprisoned since 1977, and is in ill health. The unequal treatment of whites and blacks convicted of drug crimes, and the unfair application of "three strikes" laws, etc., also deserve presidential attention; now.

118
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on December 31, 2009
