Ex-Cons Say They Want to Vote

Fox News ^ | 10.01.02

[Enemy Of The State]

WASHINGTON

[Enemy Of The State]

The problem with this country..

[azhenfud]

It used to be that a felon lost privileges incurred as a citizen because they willfully acted AGAINST the society that insured those rights in the first place. That was a portion of the punishment....

[Enemy Of The State]

"Should we give the vote to nine year olds?"

They let Daschle vote dont they?

[CharacterCounts]

Thats part of the problem! The states powers are not mentioned but your rights are listed?

The 15yh Amendment does not list your rights to vote. It lists prohibitions against the States denying your right to vote. By simple process of deduction, if the prohibition is not listed the State can deny the right to vote unless other legislation is passed providing the right.

It doesn't take a constitutional amendment, just get a law passed.

[Tomalak]

The problem with this country is we have too many people voting already.

Sort of. In terms of the overall national interest, the real problem with giving 4 million ex-cons the vote is that already, too many people benefit from big government, soft-on-crime, welfare-based politics. Adding around 3,900,000 more of them would make the sort of constitutional, small government America most conservatives desire even harder to achieve.

---

---

[Tralfaze McWatt]

Unlike McCain's phony campaign finance reform legislation, real campaign finance reform would provide the death penalty for any convicted federal politician caught with his/her hand in the cookie jar.

[tickles]

From what I can see the key words are 'serve their time' Right?

I have no problem with them applying to have their right to vote returned to them after they have SERVED thier time....all of it, (if they get 20 yrs then 20 yrs shall have passed BEFORE they are eliliable to apply for reinstatement of their right to vote, in any state)

[Tralfaze McWatt]

Convicted felons are democrats at the very least in spirit. The core ethic of all democrats is that of a crook and a liar.

[FITZ]

Murder might be a good disqualification but with as many politicians in office who have admitted drug use it seems a bit odd that some can't vote for the same reason. And Clinton was a rapist and perjurer and he can vote.

[jude24]

It's constitutional -- the right to vote can be taken away after due process has been fulfilled in a trial.

If they don't like the fact they can't vote, too freakin' bad. They should have considered that before committing a crime.

No sympathy for criminals here.

[Mo1]

VOTE THE RATS OUT!!

DONATE TONIGHT. SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC

Donate Here By Secure Server

Or mail checks to
FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794

or you can use

PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD

[Congressman Billybob]

There is no such thing as an EX-CON. Convicts, or criminals, remain convicts after they have left prison, unless they are pardoned, which would wipe the slate clean.

The Supreme Court has long since ruled that states have the right to restrict the voting rights of serious criminals, which also restricts them from running for office. (That is because, to be a candidate in most states you must be qualified to be a voter.)

There is no "unfairness" in this, since as Robert Blake used to say, before he was charged with murder himself, "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime." Losing your voting rights is just one more consequence of committing a serious crime -- in some states, but not in others.

Congressman Billybob

Click for "Til Death Do Us Part."

Click for "to Restore Trust in America"

Click for "Death as a Political Strategy"

[joesnuffy]

X Cons want to vote ............ DEmocrat

[Congressman Billybob]

The "right to vote" is not "God-given." It is granted by the state in which you live. Reasonable restrictions on the right to vote were known to the Framers of the Constitution, and were allowed for in that document. The Supreme Court has, correctly, upheld that right for the legislatures of each state.

Your assertion is simply incorrect. If you review the records of the Constitutional Convention, or the Supreme Court cases on this subject, you will see that you are incorrect.

Congressman Billybob

[Xenalyte]

Ex-Cons Say They Want to Vote

I want a pony.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Considering the abuse of the felony laws by law enforcement and the courts, I'd agree that many felons should be allowed to vote.

[azhenfud]

"There is no such thing as an EX-CON."

In the word's literal sense, former congressmen qualify as EX-CONs....

[Zon]

On constitutional principle, you are right. All citizens who pay taxes should have the right to vote.

But if ex-felons are allowed to vote, it will hurt the Republican Party, and Democrats will gain greater support. My guess is that, perhaps 70 percent of ex-cons, may be inclined towards the Democrats.

Do you think laws should be based on political agenda or honest principle? Myself?... there's no if, and or but about it; laws should be based on honest principles.

[Bikers4Bush]

Guess they should have thought about it before they comitted the crime.

If you are convicted of a felony you lose the right to vote plain and simple. Don't come crying about it later when you put yourself in the position in the first place.

[jpl]

Seems to me that it would be unconstitutional to take away the rights of anyone to vote.

It's no more unconstitutional than the various restrictions and requirements of parole. It's also no more unconstitutional than Megan's Law, which requires a convicted sex offender to register with their local police department, even if he moves to a new location.