Comments on: Judge Orders New System Of Restoring Felon Rights

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 04:23:31 +0000

REGARDING:
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude”

Notice none of those reasons listed in the 15th Amendment are cited under denial due to felonies. Just trying to keep matters straight.

David for living straight
and voting regardless

By: jerry

jerry — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 02:30:28 +0000

“The US Constitution stated in Amendment XV, which was ratified by the states in 1870: “Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude”

No one should be able to take away someones right to vote . Just like the gun guys quote the constitution about being able to own guns . It doesnt say ” you can vote unless we dont feel like letting you “

By: Same-O-Same-O

Same-O-Same-O — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 02:12:47 +0000

My parents were devoted Democrats…Dixiecrats. The party of FDR and the old southern politicians helped them out of the depression ( with the help of WWII.) I am a registered Republican. The fight continues, and will not be settled in my lifetime. I am also a retired LEO, and I feel the in- your- face attitude of a majority of the “ex-felons” will cause them to seek the party, or vice versa, that will give them the most benefits, earned, or not. This will be a real catch-22 for the future of our nation and grandchildren.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:17:36 +0000

REGARDING:
“The whole point of incarceration is supposed to be rehabilitation/restitution to society. If this wasn’t true then why do we have life sentences/death penalty?”

The whole point of incarceration is not supposed to be rehabilitation/restitution to society — although that CAN be part of it. In fact the fact that we DO have life sentences and the death penalty shows that fact. Locking a man up forever is pointedly NOT worrying about restoring him to society. Killing a killer is NOT rehabilitating him. They are removing a threat to society.

The idea that you might get people to repent of evil and turn to good is a relatively recent addition to the thinking and it has not worked as well as was hoped.

That said, the simplest solution to restoring voting rights is to not take them away in the first place. Let the murderers, rapists, drug dealers and thieves vote. Shoot, let them serve on juries. They would bring a unique perspective to the matter.

There is no such thing as an ex-felon since a felon is “a person who has been convicted of a felony” whether that felon has been incarcerated or not, is on probation or not, was convicted yesterday or 80 years ago. They may vote unwisely or not, but so do the rest of us.

Besides, Governor Scott may need his civil rights someday too.

David for treating as we would like to be treated

By: c

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:05:32 +0000

Not sure I follow you there Tabby. The whole point of incarceration is supposed to be rehabilitation/restitution to society. If this wasn’t true then why do we have life sentences/death penalty? Those people did something so bad that society cannot forgive and they must never return. To force these people who have served their time for lesser crimes to wait even longer, just to vote, is hateful, as well as unconstitutional. When they walk out of prison they should get their rights back, otherwise, just don’t let them out. It doesn’t have to be complicated

By: retired

retired — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 13:44:37 +0000

they knew the consequences if they committed the crime. NO RESTORE OF VOTING RIGHTS, CAN’T TRUST THEIR JUDGEMENT

By: Grand Locust

Grand Locust — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 12:13:43 +0000

The bill of rights protected each of us from government and monarchy. The British systematically exploited the American public with courts and convictions able to at will convict colonist with felonies.

Do they take the right of a felon to speak under the 1st? Do they take the right of a felon to buy property under the fifth? Does the military now get to house troops in a felon’s house under the 3rd? Can the British troops just arrest a citizen without due process under the 4th where no longer they need probable cause or a warrant to enter a felon’s home? Do we now allow the British troops to take a felon out to the public whipping pole and give out cruel punishment under the 8th?

Nope. We take their vote and guns which are protected rights under the bill of rights, Why have a bill of rights? Where in our constitution does it say a felon lose their citizenship? Quite the contrary the 8th amendment forbids what we are doing to our citizens.

By: Tabby

Tabby — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:58:29 +0000

While I appreciate Judge Walkers views and partly agree that once a convicted felon finishes their sentence, they should have rights restored, it’s not that simple. There shouldn’t be an automatic reset button. The sentence for their crime and the responsibility to society are two separate animals altogether. They violated the trust of a law abiding society who had no constraints on them to start with. To get back that trust, it MUST BE earned. That is the only way society as a whole can trust a felon again. If the felon was true to his plight, he would appreciate that fact.

By: No Sympathy Here

No Sympathy Here — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:16:34 +0000

These convicted felons can always move to another state that will restore their voting rights quickly – how about California!