Okay, once again, President Obama did not have the power to commute Troy Davis' sentence.

[NaturalHigh]

The Troy Davis murder case was a state crime, not a federal one. The Constitution does not allow the president to pardon or commute any sentence in the country he chooses. This is usually covered in junior high civics classes and high school government classes, but judging by some posts on DU tonight, I thought a refresher might be in order.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I will point this out

Federalism is not really covered any more... until Junior College.

Or if it is... it really does not register. No seriously... hubby is taking Poli Sci 101 right now and is shocked at how much these HS graduates, as in recent ones, DO NOT know.

ARGGG I wish it was different... so keep at it.

[NaturalHigh]

2. Really?

I taught it to high schoolers, but that was over ten years ago. It's sad how little kids are actually taught about government. Many years ago, a friend of mine, a few years older than me, didn't know that states had their own legislatures. :banghead:

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Really... instructor

used questions from the citizenship exam (the easy ones) and most kids would not have passed. Hubby missed one, and it was badly written by INS.

Been writing a course for whenever the economy gets better... and I know that having to teach this will not be easy.

[NaturalHigh]

4. Yes, it's pretty sad that people who have oved here from other countries...

know more about our history and government than many (most?) Americans do.

[WinkyDink]

16. There IS such a thing as "reading on one's own."

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Sadly it is not really taught

or people don't pay attention. Also we have developed an idea that the President IS a king. If he were. then he could... but we don't elect leaders (my pet peeve), and he is not a king... If he were, especially an absolute monarch, then he could.

[tblue]

6. My sympathies are with Troy and his loved ones tonight.

Our President will be fine.

[Bluebear]

7. So he felt compelled to utter not one word about it.

[NaturalHigh]

8. That's a completely different discussion, Bluebear.

My point was just that he did not have the power to stop the execution.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

9. There is only one thing that could have been done and it hasn't been done in a century

The US Marshals could have taken Troy Davis into federal custody, the death sentence would still stand but they wouldn't have been able to execute him in the federal lockup in Atlanta.

This of course probably would have ended in a shoot-out between the US Marshals, prison guards and State Police.

[NaturalHigh]

10. Wow, I've never even heard of that happening!

[NYC Liberal]

12. Has this actually been done to prevent an execution?

Do you have any details? I'm very curious.

[hack89]

15. On what grounds could the federal government hold him?

he broke no federal laws.

Was Troy Davis really worth a Constitutional crisis and an impeachment?

[EFerrari]

11. Obama's inaction is the least of it and predictable.

The crux of this atrocity isn't that one person didn't make a comment but that there was failure at every level, local, state and federal, and that the system recognized this and pressed on with this murder regardless.

[zewaterwhite]

13. Well ,how do you think of Obama?

Well ,how do you guys think of Obama?

[Cirque du So-What]

14. 'You guys?'

Are you not one of us? If not, then WTF *are* you then?

[WinkyDink]

17. Fix your comma usage and we'll talk.

[jberryhill]

18. Still, "how" instead of "what" is an interesting word choice

I was going to say "with my mind" but we'll see if it lasts long enough to clarify.

[fishwax]

25. huh?

:shrug:

[GeorgeGist]

19. President Lincoln didn't have the power to emancipate the slaves ...

but he supported a civil war to prove otherwise.

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. Perhaps we read different histories

But the SOUTH started the shooting and the Emancipation Declaration was not a moral decision but part of total war...yes it was economic, why in Marykand, part of the Uniin, it was still legal in 1865. I realize this is the trivia that is not taught in school.

But re-read it if you don't believe me...'thing about states currently in rebellion.

[Bandit]

20. The President does indeed have the right to pardon anyone at any time.

I know that is different than commuting a sentence or ordering a stay of execution but he does have the Power.

[fishwax]

26. how do you figure?

The constitution only refers to pardons for crimes against the United States. So where does the president get the right to pardon anyone at any time?

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. That has committed a FEDERAL offense

Small, but critical qualifier.

[A wise Man]

21. That's a lot of bull and you know it

When States rights were hanging Blacks in Georgia..Miss...Ala. Texas..Isenhower moved in. When States rights were against Intergration the Fed. Gov. stepped in. When the Marches in the South were going on..the fed gov. stepped in...when kids in Selma Ala. were killed in a bombing...when the State refused to do anything the Fed. Gov. sent in the FBI. DON'T GIVE ME THAT BS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT CAN'T INTERVENE DAMMIT HE CAN HE JUST DIDN'T. Gov. Deal claimed that he had no authority to stop the execution. This is the South people they hate hate hate hate anyone that isn't white or pro South.

[Bluebear]

22. +

[TwilightGardener]

23. You are talking about lynchings and murders vs. a man who was

arrested, tried by a jury of peers, convicted, and had been through years of appeals, even to the United States SC. No matter what one thinks of the Davis case, he did have his day in court. Completely different situation from what you are describing.

[NaturalHigh]

31. Your post doesn't match your user name.

Ask any lawyer you might know. The president absolutely did not have the authority to stop the execution. By the way, I'm from the South, and I don't hate people for the color of their skin. Your post exhibits a lot more emotion (anger, hatred) than common sense.

[pintobean]

24. And here's why he didn't make a statement

[Shagbark Hickory]

27. Oh! Like we're supposed to remember junior high civics!

Gee :silly: whiz!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

30. But, he vociferously spoke out against the murder of Troy Davis..didn't he?