Is it a big deal to me? 0%. I don’t give a shit what happens to Hunter Biden. The only reason I care about this story at all is that it’s nice to see well-connected white collar criminals getting charges for once. If you’d replied to me asking how much this is worth as a scandal, or pointing out that what Matt Gaetz did was worse, then we could have had a nice agreeable conversation about yeah I agree with you on that. Instead you told me that he did “not really anything unlawful,” and that’s how we started talking.
I mean do you feel the same way about Trump’s trial for business fraud in New York? If someone said that in that venue he’s just guilty of being privileged and well off, not really anything unlawful, how would you feel about that?
I mean he’s not been convicted of anything yet. Only accused of rather common concerns of taxes owed. Nothing close to decades of fraud like trump. Yet it’s only in the headlines because republicans are desperate. I just don’t see Biden’s son being the white collar sacrificial lamb that matters.
Again why the “scandal”? At most his big unlawful behavior is a matter of owing money that can be paid. Meanwhile Jan 6… but yea everyone should be held to follow the law. So back taxes is where we draw the line?
I actually agree with you on the vast majority of what you’re saying. In particular, how Trump’s crimes are a grave threat to democracy in the US, whereas the allegations about Hunter Biden are basically harmless in the grand scheme of things (although, you didn’t answer my question on whether Trump’s New York business crimes are also basically harmless in your eyes.) And, I agree that at least to some degree Hunter Biden is being prosecuted specifically because of the Republicans wanting to weaponize law enforcement against their enemies.
But it sounds to me like you’re wanting to go further than that, into using that all as a reason to make the factually untrue claim that Hunter isn’t actually being accused of anything criminal (which, all the allegations could be false, but it’s hard for me to see the DOJ under Biden claiming that he didn’t file taxes for some year when he actually did, or otherwise go into the realm of the trivially disprovable just to harass him). And then when I list specific crimes, you start saying that allegations of those crimes are no big deal, because look at the Republicans!
Which is, of course, what the Republicans tend to do when their crimes are pointed out. In my opinion it’s crooked and dishonest when they use that whataboutism, which is why I don’t want to do the same for “my side”. More to the point, Hunter Biden isn’t “my side.” Neither is Jared Kushner. They’re both just mostly-private individuals who may or may not have done something wrong, and if they did something criminal and it can be proved in court, then they should be convicted. Why does it need to be more complicated than that? Why should anything on the Republican side mean that Hunter Biden gets a pass?
I feel like we’re going in circles a little bit so we may have to agree to disagree. But that’s how I see it, at least.
I agree. And I’m not trying excuse anything Hunter is involved with. Just saying you and I could get accused of tax issues. They got Marcus Garvey on Mail Fraud. If republicans want a scandal they could just as easily point one your ways based on “taxes.“ Regardless it’s not really a scandal.
Is it a big deal to me? 0%. I don’t give a shit what happens to Hunter Biden. The only reason I care about this story at all is that it’s nice to see well-connected white collar criminals getting charges for once. If you’d replied to me asking how much this is worth as a scandal, or pointing out that what Matt Gaetz did was worse, then we could have had a nice agreeable conversation about yeah I agree with you on that. Instead you told me that he did “not really anything unlawful,” and that’s how we started talking.
I mean do you feel the same way about Trump’s trial for business fraud in New York? If someone said that in that venue he’s just guilty of being privileged and well off, not really anything unlawful, how would you feel about that?
I mean he’s not been convicted of anything yet. Only accused of rather common concerns of taxes owed. Nothing close to decades of fraud like trump. Yet it’s only in the headlines because republicans are desperate. I just don’t see Biden’s son being the white collar sacrificial lamb that matters.
Again why the “scandal”? At most his big unlawful behavior is a matter of owing money that can be paid. Meanwhile Jan 6… but yea everyone should be held to follow the law. So back taxes is where we draw the line?
I think you forgot illegally purchasing and possessing a firearm.
Cool, so the same shit that a second amendment right erases? Any reasons why republicans are so concerned?
Any reasons this is a scandal? Any reason I should care about this beyond trying to overthrow democracy?
I actually agree with you on the vast majority of what you’re saying. In particular, how Trump’s crimes are a grave threat to democracy in the US, whereas the allegations about Hunter Biden are basically harmless in the grand scheme of things (although, you didn’t answer my question on whether Trump’s New York business crimes are also basically harmless in your eyes.) And, I agree that at least to some degree Hunter Biden is being prosecuted specifically because of the Republicans wanting to weaponize law enforcement against their enemies.
But it sounds to me like you’re wanting to go further than that, into using that all as a reason to make the factually untrue claim that Hunter isn’t actually being accused of anything criminal (which, all the allegations could be false, but it’s hard for me to see the DOJ under Biden claiming that he didn’t file taxes for some year when he actually did, or otherwise go into the realm of the trivially disprovable just to harass him). And then when I list specific crimes, you start saying that allegations of those crimes are no big deal, because look at the Republicans!
Which is, of course, what the Republicans tend to do when their crimes are pointed out. In my opinion it’s crooked and dishonest when they use that whataboutism, which is why I don’t want to do the same for “my side”. More to the point, Hunter Biden isn’t “my side.” Neither is Jared Kushner. They’re both just mostly-private individuals who may or may not have done something wrong, and if they did something criminal and it can be proved in court, then they should be convicted. Why does it need to be more complicated than that? Why should anything on the Republican side mean that Hunter Biden gets a pass?
I feel like we’re going in circles a little bit so we may have to agree to disagree. But that’s how I see it, at least.
I agree. And I’m not trying excuse anything Hunter is involved with. Just saying you and I could get accused of tax issues. They got Marcus Garvey on Mail Fraud. If republicans want a scandal they could just as easily point one your ways based on “taxes.“ Regardless it’s not really a scandal.