Posted on 06/24/2014 9:07:11 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has found an unlikely ally in U.S. Senate in Majority Leader Harry Reid, at least on a measure which would return non-violent felons their right to vote.
Paul has been pushing to restore the voting rights to non-violent felons in Kentucky, speaking to community members in West Louisville about the initiative and appearing in a state Senate committee meeting in February.
The legislation, which was drafted in the form of a constitutional amendment, was changed by state Senate Republicans in Frankfort, and never made it to a floor vote in the Senate.
In the United States Senate, Paul is expected to introduced legislation this week to restore the right to vote for non-violent felons and as Politico reports, he even wants to redefine some felony drug sentencing.
“This is a much bigger problem than anything else limiting voting right now. Nearly a million people can’t vote. And I want to help people get their right to vote back,” Paul told CNN’s Candy Crowley on Sunday.
As Paul noted in the interview with Crowley, a higher rate of African-Americans have felony convictions for non-violent drug crimes — even though statistics show that Caucasians abuse drugs at five times the rate of African-Americans according to the NAACP . And the NAACP notes that yet, African-Americans are sent to prison at 10 times the rate of whites for drug crimes.
On the floor of the U.S. Senate Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said he agreed with the need for the legislation, saying 15 years ago he too filed similar legislation.
“I so appreciate his suggestion and I’ll have more to say about that later and I hope I don’t get him in trouble with his Republican caucus for congratulating him on this,” Reid said.
(Excerpt) Read more at mycn2.com ...
Is Mitch going to put up with Grimey felons voting against him or the Kentucky Gov candidate?
Ah yes, anything to increase democrat voters.
Paul is an idiot.
I agree with this... If a person has paid their debt to society, why should they not be citizens again.
and own guns too!
“and own guns too!”
Yes...
When is Rand going to say something that makes sense? The idiot has lost me..
Randy Paul has gotten worse than Marco Rubio.
“and own guns too!”
Most felonies do not involve violence. There are tens of thousands of felonies at a state or federal level (you could have committed one today and not even realized it).
If a person is not ready to be released, then keep him/her in prison.
Hey, Democrats helped the establishment in Mississippi. We’re dealing with the Uniparty now.
They're still citizens, just ones that have lost the privilege of voting. So you're fine and dandy with letting some marxist left-wing activist who was convicted of voter fraud being allowed to vote again once they're patrolled?
Actually, I think his proposal has some potential. Someone convicted of a non-violent drug felony in their early 20’s should not lose their voting rights for the remainder of their lives if they have kept their nose clean. Maybe there can be some restrictions ....like a clean record for 10 years.
You don't believe in anything in between? It's either a 100% return, or life in prison?
Scooter Libby or Martha Stewart might go on a gun rampage. /s
Yes, it has potential to ensure Democrats win all future elections, which is why the Dems are pushing for this and illegal alien amnesty. Illegal aliens + convicted felons voting = DemonRats win. Study after study has shown that:
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/12/31/Study-Most-Convicts-Vote-Democrat
No, Paul is a turncoat.
How about restoring the right to keep and bear arms for non-violent felons?
Now now...we must vote GOP no matter what or we hate America and love Obama. I read that right here by staunch rock ribbed conservatives.
If they aren’t rehabilitated then perhaps they should stay in jail. Otherwise make em full citizens.
“So you’re fine and dandy with letting some marxist left-wing activist who was convicted of voter fraud being allowed to vote again once they’re patrolled?”
Name one person who has been convicted of that. (in your dreams)
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