VANITY: Do you think felons should be allowed to vote?

me

[yonif]

A friend of mine was wondering about this topic and discussed it with me.

Do you think felons (those in jail and those who are "reformed") should be allowed to vote (not felons convicted of voter relating crime)?

There are those countries, such as Israel, which allow felons to vote (both in and out of prison, as long as they were not convicted of voter related crimes).

What do you think? Why is it a good or bad idea?

[yonif]

oops...should be:

(not felons convicted of voter relating crime)?

Correct: (not felons covicted of voter related crimes)

[Tijeras_Slim]

Violent criminals no.
Two or three time losers no.
Someone who has done their time and demonstrated that they are a memeber of civil society again, perhaps.

[Rodney King]

No, because most felons are repeat criminals, and you don't want repeat crimianls voting for politicians who decide how tough law enforcement should be. Theoretically if you had someone who did one crime,and was otherwise a law abiding person, I would not mind if that person voted. Of course, its impossible to really make that distinction, so we are better off just preventing felons from voting.

[I got the rope]

Not those in jail, but those who have paid for their crimes yes.

[CindyDawg]

IMO once you have paid your debt to society you should have no restrictions. (voting, jobs, weapons etc.) If a person is considered too high a risk then maybe they shouldn't be on the streets. Here in America, we lately tend to hand out felonies like candy and all it does is keep people down.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Why allow more Democrats to vote when we don't have to?

[Doctor Stochastic]

No. Require them to get a pardon or otherwise have their voted restored by the court system.

[yonif]

Playing divel's advocate,

Not those in jail

Why not those in jail? What happens if someone for a drug offense (marijuana) is placed in jail, and he wants to vote for a candidate who would make his crime of smoking marijuana nollified?

[eabinga]

I think unless the voting rights are explicitly revoked by a judge upon sentencing, the felon should be able to vote upon completion of his sentence. Otherwise, I just see it as an implicit punishment that wasnt part of sentencing.

[Melas]

Bet you didn't know that felons can vote in most states in the USA. Here in Texas, a felon regains voting rights 2 years after the sentence is served en toto.

[EGPWS]

Perhaps if one is inclined to savor their "right to vote" privilages then maybe not giving a felon the right to vote would impress a mindset to would-be felons to think twice about their wayward intentions.

[isthisnickcool]

People should have to pass an IQ test (in English) and be somewhat above a moron to be able to vote. This would stop most felons from voting. most Hollwood actors, Al Franken, Michael Moore and everyone at Democratic Underground. Just to name a few.

[God luvs America]

No...and impreached x-presidents should also have their voting rights rescinded!

[boris]

Loss of the franchise is part of the punishment for committing a felony. Therefore felons should never be permitted to vote. A felony is a breach of the social contract. A felon has placed himself outside of the civilized society and should be kept there. We need no votes from felons. The Democratic Party, recognizing that felons will vote 100% Dem, are all in favor.

--Boris

[winker]

Absolutely NOT! Criminals cannot be allowed to form and expand voting Blocks. Society must be protected at all costs. Felons have abdicated their rights they were born with and their memories should be enough to remind them of what they have lost!

[I got the rope]

Because once you have broken the laws that society has passed down, you are no longer part of that society. In order to have a civilization there must be standards. Those in jail have already set themselves apart from the group. The only way they can get back in is by taking their punishment and reforming to the standard.

[yonif]

So you believe they shouldn't both in jail and after they finish their sentence?

[tessalu]

After the prisoner has paid his debt to society, he should be allowed to vote, and to become a productive citizen.

[steplock]

FELONY = NO VOTE

No If-Ands-or-Buts

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