Background Briefing: October 6, 2022

On By gram

 

Biden Will Pardon all Federal Offenses of Simple Marijuana Possession

We begin with President Biden’s announcement today that he will pardon all federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. Joining us is John Hudak, deputy director of the Center for Effective Public Management and a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. His research focuses on presidential power and public policy as well as on state and federal marijuana policy. He is the author of Presidential Pork: White House Influence over the Distribution of Federal Grants and Marijuana: A Short History and we discuss how Biden’s move will only pardon those convicted of federal crimes and not the vast majority who have been convicted under state laws. However today’s move towards decriminalization has overwhelming bipartisan support and it will be a winning campaign issue in races like the US Senate race in Pennsylvania where the Democrat John Fetterman has championed legalization of personal possession of marijuana and the unfairness and injustice of the disproportionate conviction of minorities.

 

The Breathtaking Hypocrisy of the GOP’s “Christian” Base Doubling Down in Their Support of a Brazen Liar and Serial Sinner

Then we look into the breathtaking hypocrisy of the so-called “Christian” evangelical base of the Republican party who are doubling down with their support for a brazen liar and a serial sinner, Trump’s candidate for the US Senate in Georgia, Herschel Walker, and speak with Anthea Butler, the Geraldine R. Segal Professor in American Social Thought and Chair of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of a number of books including The Rise of the New Religious Right and her most recent book is White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America.

 

Calls to Cut Ties With Saudi Arabia After MBS and His Mentor Putin’s “October Surprise”

Then finally we assess what appears to be this election year’s “October Surprise” with the Saudi Crown Prince MBS and his mentor Vladimir Putin, colluding to raise the price of gas ahead of the midterm election to hurt Biden and the Democrats and help bring back Trump to the presidency in 2024. Joining us from the UK is David Hearst, the Editor of Middle East Eye who formerly was the chief foreign leader writer of The Guardian, former Associate Foreign Editor, European Editor, Moscow Bureau Chief, European Correspondent, and Ireland Correspondent of The Guardian. We discuss calls from Senator Murphy and Congressman Malinowski to cut ties with our so-called ally Saudi Arabia for actions “designed to hurt the United States and our allies and to help Russia, despite President Biden’s overtures.”