Jack Kemp Says Ex-Felons Should Be Able to Vote

AP ^ | 10/18/05

[cripplecreek]

Unlawful blood alcohol level. There are lots of drunk driving charges for judges to mix n match. In Michigan the drunk driving record doesn't disappear from my record after 10 years, it stays there forever so even an open intox ticket could send me to prison. NOBODY drinks in my car EVER.

Personally I support very stiff sentences for drunk driving.

[ExGeeEye]

I am one of those few who believe that if you commit a crime, and fulfill your complete sentence (not paroled or released early*, but complete), you should then be legally indistinguishable from those who have not offended. If you're not ready to return full rights, including voting, to someone who has done all his time (or paid all the fine/restitution/community service/what have you), the sentence wasn't long enough.

*Upon reflection, change to "got to the end of the sentenced period without re-offending, even if the last few years were served as a parolee".

Flame-retardant suit on, just in case.

[Black Tooth]

I thought Kemp, after demonstrating illegal aliens were his best friends, moved to Mexico?

[Non-Sequitur]

Jack Kemp, the former Republican vice presidential candidate and HUD secretary, urged Congress on Tuesday to require states to restore voting rights for felons once they complete their sentences.

Kemp is obviously opposed to using the words "states" and "rights" in the same sentence.

[newzjunkey]

I think Kemp took one too many hits playing football and they've caught up with him!

[Joe 6-pack]

I believe that voting rights should be restored once the sentence is served.

Every November we are bombarded with PSAs that tell that exercising the right to vote is a sign of good citizenship and a critical element of civic responsibility. If we expect a released convict to rejoin society and become a responsible citizen, it makes no sense why that person should be denied the opportunity to participate in a socially responsible activity. If there is an expectation that the individual can not exercise that right responsibly, the sentencing guidelines should be reconsidered....either the person has paid their debt to society or they haven't.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Not according to the NRA that regard themselves as 'keepers of the 2A'. PHUI

[TravisBickle]

Thanks, ExGeeEye.

I am one of those people that would qualify for your redemption. And I don't think anyone here at FR would object to my voting pattern. I have not voted for a DEM since I have been restored to full rights, and in Missouri I am allowed to vote.

[Protagoras]

I have to agree with this. If you commit a crime and pay your debt to society, upon payment of that debt you should have all of your rights restored to that of any other citizen.

Bears repeating. Kemp is spot on.

[giobruno]

Jack, latch onto a real issue or stay gone.

[ExGeeEye]

I have been restored to full rights

Guns? Hope so.

And in case anyone's wondering, I would not benefit for what I advocate. Yet. And by God's grace, never.

[hole_n_one]

If we expect a released convict to rejoin society and become a responsible citizen, it makes no sense why that person should be denied the opportunity to participate in a socially responsible activity

Just don't let 'em near the local senior citizen's Tuesday night bingo game.

[WildTurkey]

Jack Kemp Says Ex-Felons Should Be Able to Vote

'Ex-Felon'. I read the article. Kemp is too smart to say that. (this is not a defense of Kemp's statements but a comment on the person that wrote the headline.)

[TravisBickle]

My gun rights are gone forever, but I don't seem to mind. Never owned one, never used one, never wanted one. But I am a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment.

[madprof98]

I remember one college class in which my best student mentioned that he had never before taken much interest in politics and civic events because he couldn't vote. Seems he had committed a serious crime about 10 years before in another state, and even though he had done his time, his voting rights were taken away. In conversations later, I found out that he had turned his life completely around, had married a long-time girlfriend and was a devoted father. He was also working his way up in a job with a future.

It seems to me that people in his situation should be able to have their voting rights restored, but it should not be automatic. As I recall, there was a process in place whereby he could petition for it, but I don't know the details.

[R.W.Ratikal]

The former Buffalo football player, Jack Kemp, is off his meds. He wants to give the vote to ex-felons. Next he will want to give the vote to ex-football players.

We must stay alert however. Democrats, having lost the average American must now depend on blacks, legal and illegal aliens, tombstones, unions, trial lawyers, government workers, socialists and other groups as a constituency.

It would take a slow learner to have missed the fact that the Democrat party has evolved into the equivalent of the British Socialist Labor Party.

The problem for Democrats is that all of the bloc voters do not add up to enough to win the Oral Orifice. Dems must have morons like Kemp to help them with massive voter fraud if they are to win office.

I am quite serious when I say that I would not be surprised if Democrats attempted an armed coup to overthrow the American government.

The great mystery is why people who are not a part of the groups mentioned above vote Democrat?

[deputytess]

but only for him

[cripplecreek]

Personally I believe that a crimminal reforms because he or she becomes more conservative and thinks of things as right or wrong.

In Michigan a felon can vote as long as they aren't incarcerated, on parole or probation. I think the law is OK but I would support having a "clean period" of a few years before a felon could vote.

I'm opposed to the law in Maine that allows prison inmates to vote. In that situation the inmates will vote for shorter sentences and candidates from both sides of the aisle will pander for those votes. In the end it's an individual states right to choose how their voting laws are.

[R.W.Ratikal]

The former Buffalo football player, Jack Kemp, is off his meds. He wants to give the vote to ex-felons. Next he will want to give the vote to ex-football players.

We must stay alert however. Democrats, having lost the average American must now depend on blacks, legal and illegal aliens, tombstones, unions, trial lawyers, government workers, socialists and other groups as a constituency.

It would take a slow learner to have missed the fact that the Democrat party has evolved into the equivalent of the British Socialist Labor Party.

The problem for Democrats is that all of the bloc voters do not add up to enough to win the Oral Orifice. Dems must have morons like Kemp to help them with massive voter fraud if they are to win office.

I am quite serious when I say that I would not be surprised if Democrats attempted an armed coup to overthrow the American government.

The great mystery is why people who are not a part of the groups mentioned above vote Democrat?

[R.W.Ratikal]

The former Buffalo football player, Jack Kemp, is off his meds. He wants to give the vote to ex-felons. Next he will want to give the vote to ex-football players.

We must stay alert however. Democrats, having lost the average American must now depend on blacks, legal and illegal aliens, tombstones, unions, trial lawyers, government workers, socialists and other groups as a constituency.

It would take a slow learner to have missed the fact that the Democrat party has evolved into the equivalent of the British Socialist Labor Party.

The problem for Democrats is that all of the bloc voters do not add up to enough to win the Oral Orifice. Dems must have morons like Kemp to help them with massive voter fraud if they are to win office.

I am quite serious when I say that I would not be surprised if Democrats attempted an armed coup to overthrow the American government.

The great mystery is why people who are not a part of the groups mentioned above vote Democrat?