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Gary Johnson: I'd Consider Pardoning Snowden, Chelsea Manning (vocativ.com)
An anonymous reader writes from a report via Vocativ: [Vocativ reports:] "The U.S.'s most popular third-party presidential candidate says he would 'consider' pardoning the highest profile convicts of computer-related crimes in the country, including Chelsea Manning, Ross Ulbricht, and Jeremy Hammond. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, a former governor of New Mexico, also reiterated his possible willingness to pardon Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency analyst who gave a cache of agency documents to journalists in 2013." "Having actually served as a governor and administered the power to grant pardons and clemency, Gary Johnson is very conscious and respectful of the need for processes for using that authority," Joe Hunter, Johnson's communications director, told Vocativ in a statement. "However, he has made it clear on numerous occasions that he would 'look seriously at' pardoning Edward Snowden, based on public information that Snowden's actions did not cause actual harm to any U.S. intelligence personnel. Likewise, he has said he would look favorably on pardoning Ross Ulbricht, consistent with his broader and long-standing commitment to pardon nonviolent drug offenders, whistleblowers, and others imprisoned under unjust and ill-advised laws," Hunter said. When Vocativ asked specifically about Chelsea Manning, Jeremy Hammond, Barrett Brown, and Matthew Keys, Hunter responded: "The same goes for the other individuals you have mentioned -- and hundreds, if not thousands, like them. Gov. Johnson finds it to be an outrage that the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the developed world, and announced in 2012 that, as President, he would promptly commence the process of pardoning nonviolent offenders who have done no real harm to others." The Green Party candidate Jill Stein has also shared her thoughts on pardoning Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning. Not only would she pardon Snowden, but she said she would appoint him to her cabinet.
I'd pardon every single non-violent drug offender...
The idea that we put people into prison for being addicted to drugs is messed up...
We need drug treatment, not prison...
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Of course I'd also pardon anyone convicted for prostitution as well, that is another stupid thing to make illegal, so long as it is completely voluntary on the part of everyone involved. Making it legal would also make it easier for abused women who are held against their will to go to the police for help, without fear of arrest...
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What else would I do?
I have a list, a long list, if anyone cares... Which I doubt they do! :)
Lets see... (some of these items might require I be King, not President, but lets see if anyone wants me...)
I'd change Copyright to 25 years, the current laws on that are stupid... Patents would be restricted, also set to 25 years, but no more patenting stupid things... Such as the shape of a phone... Or an icon...
I'd reset income taxes to 20%, flat across the board, no exceptions, no deductions whatsoever... To compensate poor people, I'd put into place a $500 a month food stamp benefit for adults, $200 a month per children, no exceptions, to ensure everyone has at least something to eat. Yes, I know this will push up food prices somewhat, but people eat already and that won't change much, and the poor need to eat, or they turn to crime.
Food in schools would become free, the idea that we have kids in school that go hungry is fucked up. I'd also put into place a school voucher system, you can send your kids to any school you like, schools will compete for your business.
All sales taxes nationally go away, replaced with a 10% VAT, the price posted is the price you pay, period. No exceptions to VAT whatsoever.
Al Gore was right about the Lock Box thing, SS needs to be secured against stupid Congress people who keep spending it...
This probably sounds petty, but car ads have to tell the truth... The monthly price they quote in the ad has to be the PRICE YOU PAY. As it stands now, it isn't even CLOSE... They want big downpayments, don't include TT&L, etc. They say $299 a month, but it is usually a lease with $3K-5K up front, so really it is closer to $500 a month.
Government gets the hell out of the marriage business, you can marry whoever you want, in whatever service you want. Civil unions will be handled by the government by anyone who wants one, under simple contract law. Want to marry your dog, good for you, it just isn't a civil union. Want to marry 5 guys? Go for it, if they are consenting adults, you can even get a civil union, knock yourself out. Now you have health care rights and survivorship rights.
I would abolish the death penalty, the government has killed too many innocent people and shouldn't be in the murder business.
I would abolish abortion beyond the first trimester. If you get pregnant and you find out within the first month, that's fine, but if you're 6 months into it, you're having a baby...
I would triple the gas tax, that hasn't been raised in a long time and we need the funds to improve our roads. I would abolish toll roads, they hurt poor people and roads should be paid for by everyone.
I would tax carbon... Not much, small to start, but with a 50 year schedule to slowly increase it each year, to make it clear that we have to cut that back, but understanding that it won't happen tomorrow. This gives everyone time to adjust and for new technology to come out to deal with that problem...
I would build a HUGE wall on the Mexican Border... yes, I really would, and no, Mexico wouldn't pay for it... :) I would, however, deploy the Army to the southern border, if we don't have a secure border, we don't have a country...
I would not attempt to throw out 11 million illegals, that isn't reasonable and would cause riots in the streets. I would create a path to citizenship for those who want it, but they would pay