Posted on 06/19/2008 10:10:22 AM PDT by kingattax
A new state rule in Florida calls for more than 115,000 former felons who complete their sentences to be given back their civil rights, including the right to vote, hold public office, serve on a jury, and obtain state and local licenses for certain types of work.
The rule by the state’s Board of Executive Clemency ends a policy that, until now, required a panel to act individually on every restoration of rights requests.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist – attending a two-day summit of state officials, lawmakers, community activists, prison ministers and others brainstorming ideas for keeping former inmates from returning to crime after they are freed – says the decision to restore civil rights to ex-felons is based on fairness and being a part of a democratic society.
"Once somebody has truly paid their debt to society, we should recognize it," explains Crist, a Republican who had initially pushed for a broader clemency program.
“We should welcome them back into society and give them that second chance,” he told a crowd of law enforcement officials and advocates for prisoners’ rights in Tallahassee. “Who doesn't deserve a second chance?"
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
Quaint, 115,000 Obama voters.
The problem with felons is that the majority have more than one offense.
Fair enough. Probably adds more Dems to the rolls, but that’s not the point.
Fair enough. Probably adds more Dems to the rolls, but that’s not the point.
I didn’t know that Florida had a RAT governor.
If the debt is paid, the collateral held is returned.
Part of the debt to society is relinquishing those rights. So by having the rights restored, that means that the debt hasn’t been repaid and nver will be.
Florida goes to obama.
>>”Once somebody has truly paid their debt to society, we should recognize it,” explains Crist, a Republican who had initially pushed for a broader clemency program.
From the article:
The change doesn’t include the right to have a gun, which still isn’t restored automatically for people with felony convictions.
If they can’t be trusted with a gun, they can’t be trusted with a vote. This is obviously less about giving people a second chance than about padding the voter lists with Obama supporters.
Don't we have enough felons holding public office already? /semisarc
And I surely hope this doesn't apply to all felonious crimes but only the lesser evils.
Confidential to governor suntan: they won't vote Republican out of gratitude, they'll vote RAT for the victimhood designation. Nice move, you idiot.
Sure looks like Florida is going firmly into the (D) column.
With the geriatric vote and the ex-con vote, hussein has it all sewn up.
“Once somebody has truly paid their debt to society, we should recognize it,” explains Crist, a Republican who had initially pushed for a broader clemency program.”
Does Crist realize that criminals in general are overwhelmingly Democrats? (and not just the ones that hold elected office)
It’s not like they weren’t already voting, even if they didn’t know it.
you said it.
well, at least 115,000 times in the next couple of days gun dealers will be happy I guess.
"State Corrections Secretary Jim McDonough says the agency will do what it can to find individuals through system records to tell them they now can have their rights restored quickly and easily."
We'll have to wait and see what he can do.
Crap, my tagline comes back to haunt again....
Yes, the Democrats need the Criminals to help them win in Fla.
We are sooooo screwed! (I’m going to be using that line a lot over the next few months)
And a whole lot of criminals ought to get consecutive sentences.
I couldn't agree more.
Gotta wonder how many will actually ever know this? Even less will actually vote I suspect.
BS, you sound like an elitist.Thats like saying if you caused one traffic accident you will no longer be allowed to drive. Or, just because you screwed up on a loan 10 years ago and had a car repooesed means you can never finance another one.What would the incentive be for going straight if you knew you could never regain your civil rights. I feel the same way about gun ownership. Once a felon has completed his punishment all rights should be restored.
Well now my exhusband, who lives in Florida, can’t complain to me because he is a convicted felon for child abandonment about how he can’t vote or own a gun anymore.
As if he needs to do either, but whatever.
Your last sentence needs some attention. “All rights” you say?
Whoa. If a felon is a pedophile, I think some controls should be in place and that goes for a lot of other crimes too.
I really agree with you.
But maybe we can meet in the middle with this, first time felon, rights restored. Second time felon, lost for life.
How’s that?
The Dems will do outreach to these felons. They will tap them all they can.
Just a thought ... I wonder just what % of the 115,000 committed crimes with victims that deserve restitution ...
They dont call us the Stupid Party for nothing.
WTF
Crist is a scumbag. A vote of a law abiding citizen being equal to a convicted felon ? Sorry. Convicted felons should lose their right to vote and hold office FOR LIFE.
As another poster stated, some crimes should hold lifetime punishment.If some one spends 20 years in prison for murder, when he is paroled it should be for life along with other crimes as you stated. There is a very wide spectrum included under the coviction of “felon”.
The debt is NOT paid. The punishment has been applied. Let them live their lives without getting in further trouble THEN apply for restoration.
See my post 35. Also, many reformed ex felons are not democrats.They tend to lean further to the right than what you might think, key word “reformed”.
I think people should serve their full sentences unless there is some extenuating circumstance(s).
But, as you say, “felon” covers wide turf.
Are the non-violent felons now permitted to own a gun as per their constitutional rights?
If not, then why are the other rights restored that are not enumerated in the Constitution?
Thats what the article says, after they complete thier punishment. If some one is sentenced to 20 years in prison but gets out in ten, he still has ten years to fulfill his punishment in the outside world while on parole.
I hope this doesn’t mean voting rights.
If the government can take it away, is it a right? Or a privilege?..................
A very good reason why Crist is absolutely unacceptable as VP nominee.
That is if they can figure out how to vote.
The DNC will celebrate...
The votes of the honest, hard working and tax paying citizens are again rendered less effective.
The concept of the vote as a RIGHT — was the fundamental lie that led to the destruction of this Republic..
John Adams was right.
The privilege of the vote should not be given to the undeserving.
Do you have no clue as to how easy it is to be convicted of a felony and you suggest the death penalty, absurd.
The people of Florida are learning more and more that Charlie Crist is an idiot.
He’s done a terrible job as governor.
I may be of minority opinion, but if you serve your time, you’ve paid your dues. Let ‘em vote (even if most votes will be for the ‘rats).
McCain is comfortably ahead here. The odds of Obama winning florida are very small. I would be surprised if it is in play on October 15. We have retirees, cubans, military, and Jewish voters, not to mention the northern part of the state which is solid GOP. Obama will do worse than Gore or Kerry with all the above groups.
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