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When will President Obama start acting like President Lincoln when it comes to the clemency power?

By Douglas A. Berman

This CNN reporthighlights that President Obama is already moving fast during his second work week, having already "signed a memorandum Monday requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider an application by California to set more stringent auto emissions and fuel efficiency."  In addition, as detailed at this official page, President Obama has already acted on abortion issues, ethics issues and GITMO/terror war issues.  In light of all this activity, I think it is now no longer too soon to start complaining about the new President's failure to start using his clemency power. As noted hereby PS Ruckman, President Lincoln was proactive in his use of the clemency power, and there is every reasons for the new President to consider following his lead: Despite the fact that he was riding thin electoral support and had a Civil War on his hands, Abraham Lincoln took the time and, to some extent, the political risk, to grant pardons to almost 400 individuals in just over four years [which is] more than both George H...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on January 26, 2009 (boomark / email).