Posted on 04/25/2007 6:14:33 AM PDT by sickoflibs
Felons who have completed their sentences will be able to register to vote in Maryland under a new law signed by (newly elected) Gov. Martin O'Malley yesterday.
The law, which takes effect July 1, was one of 178 measures the governor signed, including legislation to require stricter emissions limits on new cars and protect the diamondback terrapin.
The bill was one of four that Republican legislators called on O'Malley, a Democrat, to veto. Republicans argued that some crimes, such as rape and murder, are so heinous that perpetrators forfeit their rights to be a part of society. Theoretically, Republican legislators argued, a person could be convicted of treason and then be allowed to vote.
"If they're career violent criminals, do you want them coming out the day they walk out of prison and casting a vote for the state's attorney who may have prosecuted them or for the chief law enforcement officer, such as the sheriff of a county, or for the governor for that matter?" said Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the House minority leader from Southern Maryland.
Kimberly Haven, executive director of Justice Maryland, a Baltimore-based advocacy group, said that regardless of how many people register, restoring voting rights is a key symbolic step to re-integrating ex-convicts into society.
Haven, who spent time in prison for a white-collar crime, said she would not be eligible to vote until 2009 without the new law.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Now they can vote as soon as they walk out of prison, previously voting was restored after completion of sentence for first felony, permanently disfranchised for at least some second felonies:
They have just loosened the rules a bit. Currently 47 states allow felons to vote. At least one allows incarcerated felons to vote.
http://www.patrickcrusade.org/FELONS_VOTING_RIGHTS.html
Three states have passed laws allowing it since this was published.
I’m assuming that felons will now also have their second amendment rights restored as well.
Being a Marylander I can tell you that I didnt vote for this SOB. He was elected by the same batch of low life liberals and yellow dog democrats that have been electing Democrat crooks for years in Maryland.
We had a good Governor and he was turned out because he wasnt corrupt enough to suit the career politicians and their corrupt money boys. Now we have this Dingleberry and Mike Miller running the state and believe me we will pay for it.
Republicans are making gains in the state and hopefully we can void some of these things when we get back in.If there is anything left of it when they get through.
...also known as the Anti-Michael Steele law.
The machine is bound and determined to keep Maryland “blue” by all means necessary, fair or unfair...
This is just the Maryland Democrat party's way of ensuring that a Republican never has a chance to "accidentally" elected to any statewide office ever again.
Maryland is rapidly becoming Massachusetts South.
I am a convicted felon. My felony was having a hand gun on me. Not threatening anybody, not brandishing it but never the less a felony in Illinois. I must be a liberal because the conventional wisdom is that all felons are.
Damn libs are cheating again.
I also have a friend who is a felon. He was convicted three time for DUI when he was 20 years old. He didn’t cause any injuries in the commision of his felony and he hasn’t had an alcoholic beverage in 40 years but he’s still a felon.
The elected liberal democrats are certainly convinced that most felons vote democrat. Furthermore, there are no exceptions here, treason, child molestation, etc. Are these the best people to make all types of decisions over our lives as the government does?
Decisions on who may vote are left primarily to individual states and I have no problem with that. A few years ago politicians in California were mulling over the idea to let 14 year olds vote. I don’t like that idea but I don’t live in California either.
What exactly is your point? That Republicans are felons and will benefit from this law? That we need to give felons voting rights because we disagree with some laws, and we break the laws we disagree with? Are DUI and illegal possession of a firearm Republican crimes in your view? What’s the connection between your two examples?
Maryland is run by what is said in the Washington Post.
If they're so heinous then keep them in jail. Once a man completes his sentence (including parole), that's it. The state has said he is allowed to again be part of society by releasing him.
I see more voters supporting tax increases, just what we need.
I remember growing up where a kid in High School got caught selling dope from his house and NY State paid for his full college tuition including room and board. The rest of us had to pay back college loans and taxes to his tuition. Furthermore, keeping them in jail costs lots of tax $$$$$.
Felons vote in 47 states, it pisses you off. Get over it.
“Republicans are felons and will benefit from this law? “
Determining that someone has paid their debt to society, and is this eligible to regain the benefits of citizenship should fall outside the bounds of which party could conceivably benefit. I say, “should” because there seem to be people whose partisan hatred is boundless.
Not sure what you mean by hatred. I know liberals believe in themselves having power over our lives more than the suicidal Islamic terrorists beleive in their causes. They will do anything to get power to control our lives, to them (Liberal) Man is God that can create heaven on earth, as long as they have ultimate power over our lives. The other bill they tried to pass that got stuck was tuition discounts for illegal aliens (in Maryland.)
They will go to court to have service-men denied the right to vote (in 2000) but insist on the right of felons to vote. It’s all about power. Yes, I know some Republicans are power crazy too, but its not their base belief.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.