Posted on 05/11/2015 12:10:13 PM PDT by jazusamo
The senators, including 26 Democrats and presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), want Obama to take executive action to "ban the box," referring to a question on job applications that asks if an applicant has any convictions.
"We ask you to require federal contractors and agencies to refrain from asking job applicants about prior convictions until later in the hiring process," they said in a letter to Obama on Monday. "This policy would eliminate unnecessary barriers to employment for all job seekers and would give individuals re-entering the workforce the opportunity to apply for work based on their current merits rather than past wrong-doings."
In addition to Sanders, the letter was signed by Democratic Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Chris Coons (Del.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Al Franken (Minn.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Tim Kaine (Va.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Mark Warner (Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Patty Murray (Wash.), Tom Udall (N.M.), Tom Carper (Del.), Ben Cardin (Md.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Brian Schatz (Hawaii).
They note that federal employers would still be able to ask about past convictions or conduct a background check before making a final employment decision.
The senators said that actions by Obama would "restore hope and opportunity to those with criminal records who face substantial obstacles in their quest to be productive members of their communities."
The letter to Obama comes amid a larger push for criminal justice reform in the Senate. Cardin has introduced legislation that would restore voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) said earlier this month on ABC's "This Week" that he and other Republicans have "been working for the last several months on different proposals" addressing criminal justice reform.
This is such a trap and another reparations scam perpetrated by race hustler. One can’t ask on an application BUT they can ask later in the process of hiring. It is a statistical fact that blacks have more convictions than whites. Add that with the affirmative action rampant in government linked jobs and tuh-duh. Here’s a trial lawyers dream suing everyone for refusing to hire a black because of a felony conviction.
I’m all for hiring felons if they have changed their lives around. I have two machinists. But they have to come out and admit they paid their debts. Now. In the Obama era it will just be a free for all “they didn’t hire me ‘cuz I’m black” party.
I’m in favor of giving people a second chance - but if they have a felony conviction and I was an employer, I’d want to know about it.
Yup. I agree. I want people to be honest about their past.
Some of us have fared worse than others and I treat every one with respect.
But I don’t think employers should be forced to hire felons just because its the politically correct thing to do.
Agreed, I’d want to know about it up front.
It’s like the stupid laws about asking someone’s age. I can’t ask you your age, that is illegal, but I can ask you for your birth date! It don’t mean CRAP; but liberal loons get to “feel good” about themselves.
Now, color me different, but I happen to think that having a felony on your record should be ignored after some period of time. I know of people, within my family and some not, who spent lengthy prison terms due to young stupidity. But, upon release, have turned to a wonderful, Conservative lifestyle.
One I know owns his own business, has purchased 25+ acres of land and sent both his kids through two years of college. His daughter did 4 years in the Air Force and his son works for him.
He has been out for over 27 years, without anything other than a speeding ticket. But, he still can’t vote, he still can’t own a gun to protect his own family and property, and he still has to check the “felon” box when his company is bidding work for government/county/city/school projects.
That is wrong. If they did their time, and they are safe to be in public, then their past shouldn’t make a difference after 7-10 years. If you haven’t went back to crime in that much time, it is doubtful you ever will!
Flame On!
Once they "band the box", the next step will be to ban consideration of criminal records for jobs where the GOVERNMENT thinks it should not matter.
Observe how leftists work gradually but steadily. Striking down states laws against sodomy has led in a short period of time to federal recognition of gay marriage. Now the frontier has moved to the "transgendered".
An estimated 5.85 million people (as of 2010) with a felony conviction are barred from voting in elections - a condition known as disenfranchisement. Each state has its own laws on disenfranchisement. While Vermont and Maine allow felons to vote while in prison, nine other states permanently restrict certain felons from voting.
This info brought to you by a convicted felon who is allowed to vote, (Graybeard58) and I’m far from alone in that category at F.R.
For more info about your particular state, click here:
http://felonvoting.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=286
People are asking Obama to absolve people of their sins? I think that’s above his pay grade.
Always great to hear stories about people who turned their entire lives around.
But for the Grace of God I could have caught a few petty thefts In late teens.
As far as buying a gun, that doesn’t make sense, but I live in NYC/USSR and can’t buy a gun even with no record!!
Newest Liberal Buzzword: “Internalized Capitalism” the Root of all Jealousy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3288652/posts
If Republicans fail to press this in the upcoming election, they ought to be disqualified from waging Presidential campaigns. The late Lee Atwater would have had a field day with this.
The Washington Post Worries About the Black Mortality Rate
Rush Limbaugh.com | May 11, 2015 | Rush Limbaugh
Posted on 05/11/2015 2:37:34 PM PDT by Kaslin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3288700/posts
RUSH: This is from the “Monkey Cage” section of the Washington Post: “Blacks Die Sooner than Whites. How Many Votes Has This Cost Democrats?” This is an honest-to-God story by Dean Robinson...
Given your post, IMO, the timeframe specified is still 7-10 yrs. too long.
If they are again Citizens, they are no longer felons and thus must have their Rights restored. Else, they are a 2nd class citizens that is antithesis to our Constitution, where all are equal under the Law.
Unfortunately, we have those, even on the Right, that wish to continually punish those they wish didn’t exist or look down upon. If they are a menace, they should NOT be released.
IMO, govt should be held accountable for those they DO release that continue to prey upon their fellow Man. Of course, that means returning to the limits of the Constitution, personal responsibility, punishment that fits the crime and a term that is a punishment/deterent.
Well, he lives out in the country in upstate Mississippi. The closest police to him is 20 minutes away.
Yep, I know.
He moved to Mississippi, and because he was not convicted in that state, they allow him to vote without any special reinstatement.
Where he was originally living, he could NEVER get his voting rights back.
I agree with your entire post.
Thanks.
No. I mean it doesn’t make sense he can’t get a gun. Twenty miles? wow! over here there’s one at least 3 or 4 miles away. And a lot more crime :)
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