GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Create a “Devil’s Advocate” to speak against pardoning people

Thursday, November 13, 2025

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/11/trump-on-why-he-pardoned-binance-ceo-are-you-ready-i-dont-know-who-he-is/

Trump on why he pardoned Binance CEO: “Are you ready? I don’t know who he is.”
Trump family business could benefit from pardon of crypto ex-con Changpeng Zhao.
Jon Brodkin – Nov 3, 2025 2:15 PM

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President Trump says he still doesn’t know who Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao is, despite having pardoned Zhao last month.

CBS correspondent Norah O’Donnell asked Trump about the pardon in a 60 Minutes interview that aired yesterday, noting that Zhao pleaded guilty to violating anti-money laundering laws. “The government at the time said that C.Z. had caused ‘significant harm to US national security,’ essentially by allowing terrorist groups like Hamas to move millions of dollars around. Why did you pardon him?” O’Donnell asked.

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After the Biden fiasco of autopen pardons, @realDonaldTrump should create a “Devil’s Advocate” to speak against pardoning people.  Maybe we could get Judge Judy to chair a TV trial with a retired judge to act as the Devil’s Advocate versus the lawyer who thinks his client deserves one.  

Put it on Pay Per View for a few buck to defer the expense.  It’d make Survivor or the Bachelor look tame by comparison.  Judge “Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It’s Raining” Judy Sheindlin could hear both sides and then issue a recommendation to the President.  Of course, that recommendation meeting could be on PPV too where the President could sign it for all to see.  

I love this idea.  (Who doesn’t love their own “baby”?  No matter how ugly.). Your comments welcome.

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CRYPTO: BITCOIN provides a “financial parachute”

Thursday, March 17, 2022

https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/surviving-off-crypto-when-cash-fails/?ftag=CAD-04-10aai6g&bhid=28093491592028715072518150828614&mid=13749287&cid=2046605583

Surviving Off Crypto When Cash Fails
Many Ukrainians and Russians lost access to their bank accounts in the days following Russia’s invasion.
Daniel Van Boom  
March 15, 2022 5:27 p.m. PT

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Fedosov is one of approximately 5.5 million Ukrainians who own cryptocurrency. His ability to live off bitcoin and ether is music to the ears of cryptocurrency proponents. They point out that situations like Fedosov’s, when the financial system stutters or fails, are the precise reason bitcoin was created. Using a cryptocurrency wallet — as opposed to going through an intermediary exchange like Binance — holders can access their cryptocurrency with nothing more than an internet connection and a 12-word seed phrase.

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I find this story is a warning to everyone.

It costs a little in opportunity costs, but it could be a life saver.

How about a “flat tire in a strange place” without a credit card machine?

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