Should felons have the right to vote?

[Catherine Vincent]

I am catching up on my Washington journal shows from last week and this was the question Sunday before last. Almost every repuke caller that called in said that it will benefit Democrats. The moderator asked one of them if he thought only Democrats go to prison. The caller didn't really answer. I know the moderator asked that because he was probably tired of the repuke callers assuming that felons only vote for democrats. One caller said the felons do it because they are looking for sympathy.

This is just another example of republicans not getting the point. Dumb bastards!

[movonne]

1. Yes!!!

[jay-3d]

8. yes

Drug addiction is a disease not a crime.

[bryant69]

2. It is an interesting question

but under pinning it is the underlying racism in our judicial system that punishes blacks harshly and often gives whites the pass.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[JHB]

3. Those who have served out their sentence...

...have all their other rights of citizenship restored, so why should voting rights be denied?

[Caution]

23. Not true.

If you are convicted of a felony under federal law, you are no longer able to own or possess a firearm.

[catmandu57]

4. Yes

If their sentence is complete there is no reason to keep a person disenfranchised. Besides, if * can have a bunch of felons in his govt. then it's double the reason to give them the vote.

[Abe Linkman]

5. And, what exactly is YOUR point?

Your question could lead to other equally absurdities. Like:

* Should only landowners have the right to vote?

* Should only white males have the right to vote?

* Should only smart people have the right to vote?

* Should only people who DON'T watch TV have the right to vote?

Get the idea, girly cat?

[prodigal_green]

7. Chill out bro

She was quoting a question she saw on television and freeper reactions to it.

[HFishbine]

19. Not an absurdity at all

since in some states (most, I believe) felons cannot vote.

[prodigal_green]

6. If someone has "paid their debt to society" then of course

Are we stripping them of citizenship? Essentially, yes. That is screwy. Once a sentence is served and they are released, then their previous record should no longer be an issue.

I do not believe that felons should be able to vote WHILE in jail though.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. NOOO!! They absolutely should not!!!

It's a proven fact that most child molestors and serial killers vote Republican!!

[7th_Sephiroth]

11. your wrong

most serial killers and child molesters RUN as republicans

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. I don't think our points are mutually exclusive

After all, I'm sure they have voted in the past and will likely vote for themselves.

[Zinfandel]

10. Absolutely, no question YES!!!! There are millions of non violent, pot

and drug related felons, who've "paid their debt to society" (which is bullshit logic in the first place) and deserved to be treated as everyone else. not ostracized from society and everyday life of a citizen.

[Auntie Bush]

20. Yes, felons should be able to vote after they have paid their debt

to society.

Republicans don't want Felons to vote because more poor go to jail than rich...and most poor are Democrats. That's simplistic...but you get the idea! That's why they disenfranchised thousands of felons in Florida for the 2000 election...knew they'd vote Democrat.

[Roaming]

13. After debt to society is paid, absolutely they should be allowed

to vote. Even Chuck Colson of the Christian Coalition supports this position.

[Ysabel]

14. yes - n/t...

[Zinfandel]

15. This is the difference between liberal progressives and moderates and

conservatives. A clear distinction: Liberals would of course be open to saying they paid their dues, let them live and have the rights of everyone else. The moderates are not sure, but will lean against it, and the conservatives will say absolutely not, ostracize them, they are usually poor so fuck them.

[Red State Rebel]

16. Playing devils advocate....

Would you trust someone to vote who, in their past, showed such bad judgement as to commit a felony?

Just because they finish their sentence doesn't mean the record goes away - it stays there for a reason. I don't know if I trust someone who cannot make good and rational judgements for their life to make judges in the ballot booth that would effect my life.

[Bridget Burke]

21. Yes.

If the right to vote depended on "good judgment" very few would be able to vote. Quite a few who've committed felonies are never convicted. Does being rich enough to hire a hot-shot lawyer demonstrate "good judgment"?

Most ex-felons do have their right to vote restored anyway--even in Texas, two years after the end of incarceration/parole/probation. Since you want to deprive a large number of people of their vote on this one criterion--do you have any more?

[Red State Rebel]

30. I like the idea of a waiting period....

If they have truly changed and stay out of trouble for 2 years then I agree they should have their voting rights restored. Here in Missouri they don't get them back - period.

[HFishbine]

22. There are all sorts of measures of "bad judgement"

What of someone who gets a ticket for speeding in a school zone? Certainly bad judgement, although not a felony. What about someone who goes bankrupt from bad investments? Another example of bad judgement. What about someone who gets divorced after six months of marriage? If bad judgement is the reason why someone should not be allowed to vote, I'm afraid we'd all be excluded eventually.

[Red State Rebel]

29. What you say may be true, however

Felony conviction is a higher level of conviction. Most people plea down to a misdemeanor if they can. To actually be convicted of a felony means they were convicted of a serious offense. That does not compare to divorce, speeding, etc.

Daily lapses in judgement are one thing, the lack of judgement that leads to a felony conviction is a whole different thing.

[Catherine Vincent]

27. A person does change. Yes they should be allowed to vote.

"I don't know if I trust someone who cannot make good and rational judgements for their life to make judges in the ballot booth that would effect my life."

There's plenty that aren't felons that don't make good and rational judgements that vote. So what?

[ulysses]

17. of course. n/t

[Joanne98]

18. Should people with bad credit get their credit back if they pay off their

bills?????????????? YES And with all the fundies crawling around in the prisons these days, I wouldn't be sooooo sure they would all vote for Democrats when they got out.

[buddhamama]

24. yes.

they're citizens therefore they should be allowed to vote.

[corporatewhore]

25. after probation is done ex felons can vote in TX

i do think ex felons should be enfanchised

[Crachet2004]

26. I have always thought it was just another way for the GOP to

disenfranchise people...mostly minorities, mostly black-percentagewise. The GOP does better with low turnouts.

Why should someone convicted of a felony when they are eighteen, and who are out by the time they are twenty-five, never be allowed to vote?

If you do the crime, do the time...but there should be a clean slate waiting, having done that. Here you are, trying to get excons worked back into society and be good citizens, but they cannot even vote!

What kind of message does that send?

No, it is simply a republican ploy to hold down vote totals among potential democratic constituencies.

Nothing but a dirty trick.

[havocmom]

28. ambivilant about voting but think they shouldn't hold office

Hear that all you Iran-Contra thugs in DC?

[eridani]

31. Restoration of rights varys by state--check here for info

See http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/restorevote/restorevote.htm for set of PDF and HTML files for each state. Note: THE MOST CRITICAL THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT YOUR VOTING RIGHTS AS AN EX-FELON ARE DETERMINED BY THE STATE IN WHICH YOU NOW LIVE, NOT THE STATE IN WHICH YOU WERE CONVICTED OF A FELONY.

The right to vote is an important civil right in a democracy as well as a civic responsibility, and yet many persons who have been convicted of a crime do not know whether they are eligible to vote. For both federal and state elections, the right to vote is controlled by the law of the state in which you live. Some states restrict the right to vote for persons who have been convicted of a crime. This pamphlet is intended to help you determine whether you are eligible to vote in the state in which you live, and if so, what steps you must take to be permitted to vote.

[onethatcares]

32. yes, yes, yes yes yes yes yes

If you serve the time you should have your civil rights restored upon completion of jumping thru all the hoops you have to. The right to own/posess/transfer firearms should be regulated to non violent offenders only. Sheesh, a guy gets busted with an ounce of pot and he has to give up voting for life. Something is wrong with that picture.