Gary Franks: Biden and Trump pardons overshadow Inauguration Day

I never thought that my column this week would be about anything other than the inauguration of America’s 47th president, Donald J. Trump, and his visionary quest to bring America into a Golden Age. But then we had the pardons. They were all historic in nature.

I am disappointed and surprised by Presidents Biden and Trump. I saw their actions coming, but I held out hope that both men would think twice.

I cannot support or be happy with any person who has attacked a police officer only to get a pardon or have their sentence commuted. However, the vast majority (over 1,000) of those pardoned by Trump do not fall into that category, and I applaud that.

I do not question the election results. But I have always been very suspicious of the whole Jan. 6 episode.

The liberal media is quick to proclaim conservative Republicans are fixated on “conspiracy theories.” Well, Democratic actions and Biden’s pardons cannot help but cause you to wonder if there are not alternative realities. Innocent people do not need pardons.

As a former member of Congress, I know the Capitol building, along with the Pentagon and White House, would rank as the most secure buildings in the world when protected properly. I have serious reservations.

Here is another test: Get about 2,000 of your friends and, without having a permit to march, try to march a couple of miles down the streets of Manhattan, Los Angeles, Chicago or any other city and see if you are not stopped. And all those cities, even after giving you a marching permit, would have a very large number of law enforcement officers observing your march.

Just days before his departure from office, Biden gave pardons to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and the Jan. 6 investigative gang. Something smells here. In the years ahead, maybe at least one of these folks will write a book or produce a movie series on the Jan. 6 event so we can truly learn why Biden pardoned them.

During his last minutes as president, Biden issued pardons to some of his closest family membersfor actions Biden has not referenced. Do these actions codify some of the conspiracy theories and rumors? At least with Hunter Biden, we knew part of the reason for the pardon since he had been arrested and convicted, but pardons for Biden’s brother and sister and their spouses? Come on, Mr. Biden.

This all takes “white privilege” to a whole new level. And it begs the question, would any Black or brown person be given a blanket pardon for events that occurred over many years to a decade? For that matter, would the average white person be given this benefit? Only the statutes of limitation absolve Americans from infringement of the rules, and this is applied fairly for all Americans.

Despite the return of Trump as the 47th president, for me, Inauguration Day was overshadowed by the pardons. I personally could care less about the past. I am most concerned about our future. I want Trump to work 24/7 toward bringing America into a Golden Age as he promised.

And Congress should work 24/7 on coming up with more tax revenue. Raising taxes is off the table, and spending cuts have their limits. Solution? Improve our workforce participation rate. That would result in the much-needed increase in tax revenue.

We must stop having annual budget deficits and rapid increases in our national debt. Both are simply not sustainable.