Law Florida Restores Right To Vote For Felons

[irish_thug]

I was initially charged with a felony for pulling a wheelie on a motorcycle. I don’t think many understand what they are basing their strong opinions on. Just a vague sense of “omg felons + democrat votes!”

Are you from Florida by chance?

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

I think voting rights should be restored once you've paid your debt to society.

I also think some service to society should be required to earn the right.

 

[carlos cadona]

Good, you shouldn't be able to take away the civil rights of an American citizen because they've been convicted of a crime after they've already done their time.

 

[nhbfan8080]

It's ridiculous that anybody would be for citizens to lose their right to vote, especially when you really think about what a 'felony' is.
A felony doesn't just mean murder or rape.

Felonies include but are not limited to the following
................
................

Felony possession of marijuana is an amount over 20g (less than 3/4 of an oz) in Florida. Florida has the highest per capita felons. Wouldn't surprise me if blacks and coloreds are disproportionately targetted for marijuana offenses in Florida as well.

 

[TheComebackKid]

I think voting rights should be restored once you've paid your debt to society.

I also think some service to society should be required to earn the right.

Since when does a free man have to earn the right to determine his own future?

 

[oldshadow]

What about buying a gun? How many felons can buy guns versus vote?

This.

If the left wants to return voting rights because they paid their debt then why not return all rights.

I’m for returning rights on a case by case basis.

 

[japman40]

I was initially charged with a felony for pulling a wheelie on a motorcycle. I don’t think many understand what they are basing their strong opinions on. Just a vague sense of “omg felons + democrat votes!”

That must have been a mean ass wheelie

 

[skold]

OMG DEM VOTERS!!! REEEE

Oh shut your fucking mouth, Republicans have no problem with letting tax frauds and war criminals off the hook, but petty shoplifters or weed enthusiasts they'd hang from the highest tree.

 

[MiniCraque]

That must have been a mean ass wheelie

Must've been worth it, too.

 

[skold]

Only retards think this is some ploy to " get more Democrat votes". This is a basic human rights issue. Has nothing to do with politics.

^^

 

[7437]

So any reason from the right on why these people shouldnt be allowed to vote? any at all?

 

[woodguyatl]

Travesty.

Another example of how spineless and morally bankrupt the Democrats have become in their fervent pursuit for more votes.

Restitution of that debt pays for freedom, not for the restoration of once-given rights. That's a squandered right.

Why should a felons lose their Constitutional right to vote but not Free Speech, Assembly, Privacy, Due Process, or other enumerated rights? What is unique about the right to vote?

 

[MicroBrew]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/us/florida-felons-voting-rights.html

Dems setting themselves up for 2020? Or will the felons be turds who probably didn’t care about voting in the first place? Watch for other states to follow suit just to possibly skew the voting towards democrats.

They did their time, so why shouldn't they have the right to vote re-instated?

 

[Amerikuracana]

Should be 10 years after debt to society paid. You go 10 years without a charge and all rights are fully restored. This applies for what jobs can be attained and everything.

There are people out there with misdemeanors serving life sentences of sorts, and it's ridiculous fkn bullcrap.

 

[InternetHero]

Well, we have to face this question of how much we can continue to punish people after their actual sentence has been carried out (and in what ways). Parole, for example, can be seen as an extension of a punishment. In my opinion, felony status is essentially an excuse to deprive the right to vote. Like, they need more punishment so let's take away... uh... what do we got... voting! That'll do it. I don't buy that it's actually about the felonies at all, really, but a way to rhetorically and legally create social and class barriers (in my opinion). Permanent second-class citizen status, if you will. I say this as someone who recognizes that voting is our most fundamental right, the very bedrock of our entire government and way of life. Not being able to exercise that right means you have no representation as a person under an elected government. Taking that away permanently is antithetical to my understanding of what it means to be an American. I get that plenty of my fellow Americans may disagree with this, and that's their prerogative. For what it's worth, we should take a moment to think about how the citizens of Florida just voted to ensure that their fellow citizens can exercise their right to vote as well.

Well heck, I'm convinced.

 

[August West]

They did their time, so why shouldn't they have the right to vote re-instated?

I agree, but what about firearm ownership as well? Liberals(and most everyone else) balk at returning that to the released felon. Why? They paid their debt to society, their rights should be restored.

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

You should put this question to every inmate who is about to walk out of the door of a prison. After all, if there is no difference, then I'm sure they wouldn't mind turning right around. I'm willing to bet they'll be able to navigate the nuance to find the true outcome.

They're plenty free.

Physical freedom from physical confines doesn't equate to rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

It's view points like yours that created a system with the high rayes of reoffending. Just mindless punishments without rehabilitation. Voting rights are the easiest way to reintegrate someone.

 

[MicroBrew]

The GOP , and by extension the right , like to tell us government is overbearing and places too much restrictions on us, yet here we are ....

 

[MicroBrew]

I agree, but what about firearm ownership as well? Liberals(and most everyone else) balk at returning that to the released felon. Why? They paid their debt to society, their rights should be restored.

I am ok with that as well.

 

[JDragon]

They did their time, so why shouldn't they have the right to vote re-instated?

The core issue itt is the basic thinking about sentences, which is quite different in the U.S. and Europe. In the U.S., focus is on punishment. Rehabilitation and reintegration is secondary at best. The result is a high level of recidivism. Discussing that will likely lead us off topic, but you can see it in @Madmick's reaction who seems legitimately upset with this.

Three strikes and you are out.
Capital punishment.
Multiple life sentences.
Perpetual loss of civil rights.

These are all instances of a culture focused on punishment instead of achieving beneficial outcomes for society. And in a way, that is okay because individual responsibility is stressed much more in U.S. culture.

I think it is a problem, however, when people get punished after serving their time. You should get probation as a last chance before going to jail. Once you are out, you should be able to build a new life.