Posted on 04/28/2016 8:36:23 AM PDT by GIdget2004
Last week, Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia used his executive power to restore voting rights to more than 200,000 felons, circumventing the Republican-run Legislature and overturning a Civil War-era provision in the state's constitution aimed, he said, at disenfranchising black Americans.
And why would he do something so radical?
"People have served their time and done their probation," said McAuliffe. "I want you back in society. I want you feeling good about yourself. I want you voting, getting a job, paying taxes."
And who would be against that? Well, Republicans in Virginia for starters. They accused McAuliffe, a Democrat, of "political opportunism" and "a transparent effort to win votes." A better question that few seem to want to ask is why laws barring those who have paid their debt to society from voting are still on the books.
Only two states, Maine and Vermont, have no voting restrictions on felons (in fact, you can vote in those states while in jail); Virginia was among four -- the others are Kentucky, Florida and Iowa -- with the harshest restrictions. Compared to other nations, the United States stands out in denying voting rights to nonincarcerated felons.
For a felon to regain voting rights in Florida, that person must petition the governor and Cabinet for clemency, a cumbersome process that can take years. The state has a current backlog of more than 20,000 clemency cases.
In 2007, in a move similar to McAuliffe's, former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist persuaded the Clemency Board to restore, automatically, the voting rights of nonviolent offenders who served their time. During his four-year term, 155,315 ex-felons received the right to cast a ballot.
When Rick Scott was elected governor, however, Florida reverted back to the bad old days.
(Excerpt) Read more at tbo.com ...
I think I just read someplace that U.S. AG lala wants to make that nationwide.
We should do like Mexico and most of central America does with their ex-felons. We should send them to another country.
I can't wait for the DoJ to push for restoration of 2nd Amendment rights for felons.
I would say they deserve their right to carry arms first. If you won't do that first, you aren't doing it for the right reasons.
If they should get their voting rights back, they should also get their 2nd Amendment rights back too. How well do you think that would go over? Well, with the dems it might be ok. The only people they seem to have a problem with having guns are law-abiding citizens.
The democrats are releasing 40,000+ prisoners in California.
If there was any monetary restitution required as part of their sentence, every penny of that should have to paid as well before getting any rights back. Too many convicts have the notion that getting out of prison wipes their slate clean.
If the “ex-felon” also happens to be an illegal do they get to vote twice?
Just keep them in jail.
Could it be that the majority of felons are Democrats?
Actually agree with the libs on this.
If a felon has completed their sentence, they should be able to vote. Own firearms too.
Felons on parole should not be eligible.
If they’re such a danger to society, why let them out?
and we should give them their rights to guns back too.
Exactly.
They have served the time for a particular crime, but they remain proven reprobates until formally rehabilitated.
I agree that there is no such thing as an ‘ex-con’.
I ask:
“What was the crime that initiated incarceration?”
IF the CRIMINAL was imprisoned for any bodily injury or death, then there CANNOT be any restoration of voting, driver’s licenses, or 2A rights, because they forfeited those rights, when that act or acts, were committed.
IF the CRIMINAL was imprisoned for major vice, ditto, because they WILLINGLY chose those pursuits, whther it was drugs, alcohol, or humans.
Lastly, since FIREARMS and WEAPONS are used in a majority of crimes, any discussion of ‘restoring the 2A rights of felons’ is insane, absurd, and downright stupid.
Since when does an EXECUTIVE ORDER change a state Constitution???
I say this is bogus and needs an immediate challenge.
With all the plea bargaining done in this country for the past 40 +++ years, today’s ‘felons’ are hardened criminals. They should NEVER get to vote again while they are alive in the USA.
If they should get the right to vote, their 2nd amendment rights should be restored as well.
If someone can't be trusted with a firearm after they are released from prison, then they should not be released at all. Restore all rights to those who have served their sentences and hold parole boards responsible for any crimes committed by those they release.
Yes of course they should if you want self declare enemies of society controlling your life and cancelling out your vote.
How about this: Those convicted of lowest level felony lose voting rights for two year after the next general election. Next worse felons lose vote for two years after second general election; B felons lose vote for two years after the third general election and those convicted of Class A felonies get back their voting rights two years after the fourth general election. Fair enough?
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