Convicted felons voting

Markwes Thu Mar 25, 2010 8:03 pm

http://www.mainjustice.com/2010/03/17/house-panel-hears-pros-and-cons-of-re-enfranchising-felons/

A House subcommittee Tuesday heard arguments for and against legislation that would assure that felons regain the right to vote once they have been released from prison.

Under the bill, the Democracy Restoration Act, states would have to permit felons to participate in federal elections once they have left prison.

That sounds nice doesn't it - Democracy Restoration Act? Until you actually see what it's about. A study was done by a University of Minnesota professor saying that Bill Clinton would have gotten 86 percent of the felon vote in 1992 and 93 percent in 1996. Is that possibly why Democrats like this proposal so much?

**Cincy Fan 44** Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:58 pm

I don't know Markwes...if I got convicted of a felony..."paid my debt to society" and was released, why shouldn't I have the right to vote?

Markwes Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:19 am

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:I don't know Markwes...if I got convicted of a felony..."paid my debt to society" and was released, why shouldn't I have the right to vote?

I can understand that, but why not continue to let states decide whether or not they can vote? Is there some reason it needs to be a federal act? The oldest political trick in the book is to grant a right to groups that you know are going to return the favor in future elections.

**Cincy Fan 44** Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:50 am

Maybe sometimes you need the Feds to step in to even things out...(can't believe I just typed that!). What if Indiana said, "OK, if you're an Ohio State fan and live in Indiana, you're not allowed to vote in our elections." Granted that's an extreme example, but I think when it comes to voting, every U. S. citizen should be playing by the same rules, no matter what state they live in.

Scooby01_98 Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:13 am

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:Maybe sometimes you need the Feds to step in to even things out...(can't believe I just typed that!). What if Indiana said, "OK, if you're an Ohio State fan and live in Indiana, you're not allowed to vote in our elections."

I think that would be a perfectly good law. Obviously shows the voter lacks intelligence. Razz

IrishGuy Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:29 am

I don't think it's that difficult to go through life without being a felon. It's a right you should lose if you are a felon, imo.

Markwes Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:25 pm

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:Maybe sometimes you need the Feds to step in to even things out...(can't believe I just typed that!). What if Indiana said, "OK, if you're an Ohio State fan and live in Indiana, you're not allowed to vote in our elections." Granted that's an extreme example, but I think when it comes to voting, every U. S. citizen should be playing by the same rules, no matter what state they live in.

Scooby beat me to it! Very Happy

Really though, did you read this part of the article?

The measure is sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and 29 cosponsors — most of them members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The findings section of the bill notes that “state disenfranchisement laws disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minorities” and that, “given current rates of incarceration, approximately one in three of the next generation of African-American men will be disenfranchised at some point during their lifetime.” Hispanics are also disproportionately disenfranchised, according to the findings section of the bill based upon their disproportionate representation in the criminal justice system.

So they are really trying to appeal to two groups here - felons and minorities. Hey, how about trying to figure out why minorities are convicted of more felonies and fix that?

jcopetti Sat Mar 27, 2010 5:30 pm

IrishGuy wrote:I don't think it's that difficult to go through life without being a felon. It's a right you should lose if you are a felon, imo.

Respectfully disagree,if you pay for your crime you deserve the right to vote. Just curious, do we allow felons to serve in the armed forces?

Markwes Sat Mar 27, 2010 6:01 pm

jcopetti wrote:
IrishGuy wrote:I don't think it's that difficult to go through life without being a felon. It's a right you should lose if you are a felon, imo.

Respectfully disagree,if you pay for your crime you deserve the right to vote. Just curious, do we allow felons to serve in the armed forces?

And if I heard right there are 2 states that agree with you. Besides the president (unless I'm missing someone), every elected official represents the state or local level. So as I said before, why is there a need to take this away from the states? Obviously, 48 states think it's a good law.

Scooby01_98 Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:23 pm

jcopetti wrote:
IrishGuy wrote:I don't think it's that difficult to go through life without being a felon. It's a right you should lose if you are a felon, imo.

Just curious, do we allow felons to serve in the armed forces?

No they are not allowed to serve. Depending on what you did some misdemeanors will also keep you out of the service.

jcopetti Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:17 pm

Markwes wrote:
jcopetti wrote:
IrishGuy wrote:I don't think it's that difficult to go through life without being a felon. It's a right you should lose if you are a felon, imo.

Respectfully disagree,if you pay for your crime you deserve the right to vote. Just curious, do we allow felons to serve in the armed forces?
And if I heard right there are 2 states that agree with you. Besides the president (unless I'm missing someone), every elected official represents the state or local level. So as I said before, why is there a need to take this away from the states? Obviously, 48 states think it's a good law.

Indiana allows felons to vote as long as you are not incarserated, correct?

**Cincy Fan 44** Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:43 pm

jcopetti wrote:
Markwes wrote:
jcopetti wrote:
IrishGuy wrote:I don't think it's that difficult to go through life without being a felon. It's a right you should lose if you are a felon, imo.

Respectfully disagree,if you pay for your crime you deserve the right to vote. Just curious, do we allow felons to serve in the armed forces?
And if I heard right there are 2 states that agree with you. Besides the president (unless I'm missing someone), every elected official represents the state or local level. So as I said before, why is there a need to take this away from the states? Obviously, 48 states think it's a good law.

Indiana allows felons to vote as long as you are not incarserated, correct?

Or a fan of the Buckeyes evidently... Laughing

jcopetti Sat Apr 03, 2010 8:29 am

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:
jcopetti wrote:
Markwes wrote:
jcopetti wrote:
IrishGuy wrote:I don't think it's that difficult to go through life without being a felon. It's a right you should lose if you are a felon, imo.

Respectfully disagree,if you pay for your crime you deserve the right to vote. Just curious, do we allow felons to serve in the armed forces?
And if I heard right there are 2 states that agree with you. Besides the president (unless I'm missing someone), every elected official represents the state or local level. So as I said before, why is there a need to take this away from the states? Obviously, 48 states think it's a good law.

Indiana allows felons to vote as long as you are not incarserated, correct?
Or a fan of the Buckeyes evidently...

Huh? My husband and I are both IU graduates.

floridafun Sun Apr 04, 2010 10:28 am

as i recall felons are allowed to serve in our military, think as of early 2008..under bush and probably still are.

irish on your comment about going thru life without being a felon..i would say its true for some, but its just a crap-shoot on whether you got caught for alot of folks.

Scooby01_98 Sun Apr 04, 2010 11:23 am

floridafun wrote:as i recall felons are allowed to serve in our military, think as of early 2008..under bush and probably still are.

Bad memory on your part, they started to allow selected misdemeanor, never felons. They also have lowered the age requirement back to the original age. Right now they are not even allowing misdemeanors. Recruitment is high and the services are actually cutting military strength. Air Force cutting 5K by sept. Marines cutting 3K. Coast Guard cutting 3K.

IrishGuy Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:46 am

floridafun wrote:
irish on your comment about going thru life without being a felon..i would say its true for some, but its just a crap-shoot on whether you got caught for alot of folks.

I dunno. I've experencied alot in my relatively young lifetime so far and I haven't done anything that would be close to being considered a felony. It seems rather simple to me. Don't kill people, don't steal shit and don't do meth...generally a good code to live by.

Pez Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:52 am

IrishGuy wrote:
floridafun wrote:
irish on your comment about going thru life without being a felon..i would say its true for some, but its just a crap-shoot on whether you got caught for alot of folks.

I dunno. I've experencied alot in my relatively young lifetime so far and I haven't done anything that would be close to being considered a felony. It seems rather simple to me. Don't kill people, don't steal shit and don't do meth...generally a good code to live by.

I agree, I think the only "crap-shoot" I might have ever engaged in would be the few times I have driven home after having too much to drink. I think even if a pedestrian jumps out in front of your car in a suicide attempt, if you are over the limit you end up in jail. God-forbid, of course. I'm a lot wiser than I used to be.

floridafun Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:32 am

Scooby01_98 wrote:
floridafun wrote:as i recall felons are allowed to serve in our military, think as of early 2008..under bush and probably still are.

Bad memory on your part, they started to allow selected misdemeanor, never felons. They also have lowered the age requirement back to the original age. Right now they are not even allowing misdemeanors. Recruitment is high and the services are actually cutting military strength. Air Force cutting 5K by sept. Marines cutting 3K. Coast Guard cutting 3K.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/more-convicted-felons-allowed-to-enlist/20080421173209990001

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251917,00.html

Scooby01_98 Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:11 pm

floridafun wrote:
Scooby01_98 wrote:
floridafun wrote:as i recall felons are allowed to serve in our military, think as of early 2008..under bush and probably still are.

Bad memory on your part, they started to allow selected misdemeanor, never felons. They also have lowered the age requirement back to the original age. Right now they are not even allowing misdemeanors. Recruitment is high and the services are actually cutting military strength. Air Force cutting 5K by sept. Marines cutting 3K. Coast Guard cutting 3K.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/more-convicted-felons-allowed-to-enlist/20080421173209990001

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251917,00.html

I stand corrected just thought it was misdemeanors. The rules are back now though. I was out on the ANG base last week, they aren't even accepting recruits right now and telling them to check back monthly to see if they have began accepting again.

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