Flordia's Governor restores felon's right to vote

[imported_Shivetya]

Felons to get right to vote back sooner than before.

"If we believe people have paid their debt to society, then that debt should be considered paid in full, and their civil rights should in fact be restored," said Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, who called a special meeting of the Executive Clemency Board he chairs, which passed the rule on a 3-1 vote.



This is good news for all Americans. It does not allow those currently serving time to vote, only those whom have been released as having done their time. It also does NOT restore their right to own or possess a firearm. It does allow them to obtain professional licenses. Florida was one of the few states that still didn't allow this!

Unforatunately the rate for returning to prison is 45%, perhaps this change will lower that statistic.

 

[Moonbeam]

For years politicians have pandered to hate and fear that people have about being victims of crime while the News sells ads by attracting eyeballs to stare at all manner of phony horror. We have become a country hell bent on beating ourselves to death until the moral improves. We have more people in jail than any other country than China.

Perhaps as the prisons reach in and pull away more and more of our family and neighbors, the bills for jails keep mounting, the crime keeps coming, we are beginning at last to question and wonder if our psychosis maybe isn't killing us. Maybe it's time to start thinking of crime as a sickness instead of the work of a devil that needs to be punished. Humanity is deep in a hole, but maybe slowly moving into a better position to climb out.

 

[Drift3r]

I have no problem if they get the right to vote back. Really it's a no brainier to bring these people back into the fold with the rest of society if they have done their time and shown that they can stay out of trouble. Now restoring the right to own a firearm to a felon is a totally different subject IMHO. I don't have a problem with law abiding people owning guns but no felon or mental patient should have access to any firearm period. I know that goes against the NRA mantra that "EVERYONE" has a right to own and keep a firearm but oh well.

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: Shivetya
Felons to get right to vote back sooner than before.

"If we believe people have paid their debt to society, then that debt should be considered paid in full, and their civil rights should in fact be restored," said Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, who called a special meeting of the Executive Clemency Board he chairs, which passed the rule on a 3-1 vote.



This is good news for all Americans. It does not allow those currently serving time to vote, only those whom have been released as having done their time. It also does NOT restore their right to own or possess a firearm. It does allow them to obtain professional licenses. Florida was one of the few states that still didn't allow this!

Unforatunately the rate for returning to prison is 45%, perhaps this change will lower that statistic.

Well said.
:thumbsup:

 

[International Machine Consortium]

Flordia? Where the hell is that?

 

[imported_Shivetya]

Originally posted by: International Machine Consortium
Flordia? Where the hell is that?

somewhere near Xanth last time I checked

 

[ayabe]

I'm against this for violent offenders, sex offenders, etc. I support this for drug felons however.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Originally posted by: Drift3r
I have no problem if they get the right to vote back. Really it's a no brainier to bring these people back into the fold with the rest of society if they have done their time and shown that they can stay out of trouble. Now restoring the right to own a firearm to a felon is a totally different subject IMHO. I don't have a problem with law abiding people owning guns but no felon or mental patient should have access to any firearm period. I know that goes against the NRA mantra that "EVERYONE" has a right to own and keep a firearm but oh well.

2nd Amendment restoration requires that a paroled felon appear before the parole board. The general restoration of civil rights for felons convicted of violent crimes still requires appearing before the parole board.

It still seems kind of a stupid step considering the same rationale for restoring rights (felon has paid debt to society) should apply regardless of your crime. Further, the same parole board that oversees a 45%+ recidivism rate is unlikely to be any better at determining which violent felons deserve the right to vote.

 

[jrenz]

It's currently on a case-by-case basis... this would make it automatic... bad idea IMO.