Home› A Moving Train

Curious as to the opinions here

unsungunsung Posts: 9,487
edited September 2013 in A Moving Train
Should convicted felons, that have fully served their sentences, have their right to vote restored?
Post edited by Unknown User on
«1

Comments

  • BentleyspopBentleyspop Posts: 10,770
    unsung wrote:
    Should convicted felons, that have fully served their sentences, have their right to vote restored?

    That's an awesome question
    I for one don't have an opinion on the subject but might just do some research into it and get back to you

    Bet this will generate some real educated and thoughtful responses
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    Good question indeed.

    My first thought is no; that right is rescinded for life upon conviction.
  • g under pg under p Posts: 18,196
    hedonist wrote:
    Good question indeed.

    My first thought is no; that right is rescinded for life upon conviction.


    I would say no but maybe they should be put in an probationary time period of 10-15 years. If they can stay out of trouble for that period of time then they can petition themselves to get reinstated to vote once again.

    Peace
    *We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti

    *MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
    .....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti

    *The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)


  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,958
    edited September 2013
    unsung wrote:
    Should convicted felons, that have fully served their sentences, have their right to vote restored?
    Yes, I think they should. I thought they had paid their debt by going to prison and serving their time. Why do they continue to be stripped of their rights after they have done that? It is not at all helpful to anyone to keep them from voting and being involved in the society that they have reentered.

    In Canada current prisoners are even still allowed to vote by special ballot, because the thinking is that ALL Canadian citizens have the right to vote no matter what, and prisoners are not stripped of their citizenship. Them not being allowed to even after they have served their sentence in the US seems ridiculous to me. As if those felons who have served their time aren't real US citizens anymore.
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    sure. vote up a storm. at least it shows they are trying & are giving a hoot about their city, state & country. a felon could a non violent individual, just sayin. heck a great number of folks never in trouble a moment in their lives do not give a darn about voting.

    you do not even need be a felon but rather a simple guy who drove drunk or got busted for smoking a joint & you are not going into canada. i have several friends who can not visit canada.

    let x cons vote.
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."
    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    hedonist wrote:
    Good question indeed.

    My first thought is no; that right is rescinded for life upon conviction.
    interstate marijuana trafficing gets a guy a felony. ooops, he a real criminal. weren't folks keeping him in business, all the good grass users baking brownies & bong rips?
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."
    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,958
    chadwick wrote:
    sure. vote up a storm. at least it shows they are trying & are giving a hoot about their city, state & country. a felon could a non violent individual, just sayin. heck a great number of folks never in trouble a moment in their lives do not give a darn about voting.

    you do not even need be a felon but rather a simple guy who drove drunk or got busted for smoking a joint & you are not going into canada. i have several friends who can not visit canada.

    let x cons vote.
    Totally agree.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    chadwick wrote:
    hedonist wrote:
    Good question indeed.

    My first thought is no; that right is rescinded for life upon conviction.
    interstate marijuana trafficing gets a guy a felony. ooops, he a real criminal. weren't folks keeping him in business, all the good grass users baking brownies & bong rips?
    Guess I was thinking more along the lines of rapists, pedophiles, murderers and the like. Those folks...yeah, not so keen on reinstating that right.
  • Last-12-ExitLast-12-Exit Posts: 8,661
    chadwick wrote:
    hedonist wrote:
    Good question indeed.

    My first thought is no; that right is rescinded for life upon conviction.
    interstate marijuana trafficing gets a guy a felony. ooops, he a real criminal. weren't folks keeping him in business, all the good grass users baking brownies & bong rips?
    Doing a bong rip isn't a felony, unless you have a 16oz bowl.
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,958
    hedonist wrote:
    chadwick wrote:
    hedonist wrote:
    Good question indeed.

    My first thought is no; that right is rescinded for life upon conviction.
    interstate marijuana trafficing gets a guy a felony. ooops, he a real criminal. weren't folks keeping him in business, all the good grass users baking brownies & bong rips?
    Guess I was thinking more along the lines of rapists, pedophiles, murderers and the like. Those folks...yeah, not so keen on reinstating that right.
    I don't really care about what the crime was here. I see no value in preventing EX-cons from voting. Unless the goal is to ensure that they feel ostracized from society and are reminded of it every election. I would imagine the only result from that is to make them even more likely to re-offend than they would be if they could vote. Seems like a really illogical and completely emotional law. And that doesn't seem good to me.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    Having fully served their offences means they have paid their debt to society.

    They should be permitted to vote and also encouraged to live as a regular, law-abiding citizen.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • JimmyVJimmyV Posts: 19,172
    I think they should, yes. If they have served their sentences I see no reason why the right to vote should not be restored.
    ___________________________________________

    "...I changed by not changing at all..."
  • CosmoCosmo Posts: 12,225
    Convicted felon... serves his/her full term... should have his/her right to vote. The debt to society, as deemed by our courts, has been repaid and the person is living in our free society.
    ...
    But... I believe the Federal Law that prohibits them from owning or in possesion of a firearm should remain in place.
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,052
    Excellent question, unsung.

    Without thinking about it a great deal my answer is yes. But my answer is based on thinking about the only felons I know very well personally who are good people who either made bad choices when they were younger or who were wrongly accused. Besides that, I think once someone has paid their dues, having certain rights restored might go a long way to keeping that person on track. It's not like we'd be letting them have guns or drugs or whatever it is they were busted for.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    Are most convicted felons that passionate about being able to vote? And if yes, so passionate they'd feel the need to commit further crimes because of that?

    Would parole play a role in this?

    I don't know those answers, myself.

    I get I'm in the minority on this (and that's fine) and am as usual open to arguments on the other side. I just see that right, that privilege, as being pretty low on the totem pole.

    And again, not talking about small-timers or the ones we can feel for.
  • PJPOWERPJPOWER Posts: 6,499
    I see no societal or rehabilitative benifit in banning them from voting...
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,052
    Maybe a case by case review would be better than a single "yeah" or "nay". For example, I once knew a woman who is a convicted felon (and if I'm correct, always will be because felony raps never go away). She was busted for possession of cocaine. That's it. And when I knew her, she was doing everything she could to get a job in human services because she felt she was wronged by being given a felony rap and because of what she felt was a bad rap, she wanted to devote her life to helping others. But as a result of the felony and the way most systems are set up (not to mention stigma) she wasn't allowed to work in most (or almost all) human services agencies. Her's is a heartbreaking story. And maybe being given the right to vote seems like a minor deal in this case , directly or indirectly, human service agencies and the way they operate often exist or do not exist based on voting results and she is no longer allowed to have a say in that. Sadly, justice does not always prevail.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • ldent42ldent42 Posts: 7,859
    Sure, why not?

    This thread made me wonder which number is higher, the number of people living in this country who are 18+ & cannot vote, or the number of people living in this country who are 18+, can vote, but don't.
    NYC 06/24/08-Auckland 11/27/09-Chch 11/29/09-Newark 05/18/10-Atlanta 09/22/12-Chicago 07/19/13-Brooklyn 10/18/13 & 10/19/13-Hartford 10/25/13-Baltimore 10/27/13-Auckland 1/17/14-GC 1/19/14-Melbourne 1/24/14-Sydney 1/26/14-Amsterdam 6/16/14 & 6/17/14-Milan 6/20/14-Berlin 6/26/14-Leeds 7/8/14-Milton Keynes 7/11/14-St. Louis 10/3/14-NYC 9/26/15
    LIVEFOOTSTEPS.ORG/USER/?USR=435
  • Dirtie_FrankDirtie_Frank Posts: 1,348
    I think most made a few good point, if they paid their debt to society. Maybe if they were let out on parole they would have to wait until ahtever the full term is? I am not sure. I think it should be on a case by case, since nothing is simply black and white.
    96 Randall's Island II
    98 CAA
    00 Virginia Beach;Camden I; Jones Beach III
    05 Borgata Night I; Wachovia Center
    06 Letterman Show; Webcast (guy in blue shirt), Camden I; DC
    08 Camden I; Camden II; DC
    09 Phillie III
    10 MSG II
    13 Wrigley Field
    16 Phillie II
  • backseatLover12backseatLover12 Posts: 2,312
    duska3419 wrote:
    Sure, why not?

    This thread made me wonder which number is higher, the number of people living in this country who are 18+ & cannot vote, or the number of people living in this country who are 18+, can vote, but don't.

    Great comment.

    And I don't see why anyone over 18 shouldn't be allowed to vote...
  • unsungunsung Posts: 9,487
    http://Www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/pos ... ng-rights/
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    unsung wrote:
    http://Www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/09/16/rand-paul-wants-to-restore-felons-voting-rights/

    :lol:

    Can't you... just once... put politics aside and discuss things without any agenda?

    Your country's current affairs must be absolutely consuming you.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • PingfahPingfah Posts: 350
    edited September 2013
    Right now the European Court of Human Rights is attempting to force the UK to allow serving prisoners to vote, I know that as soon as you are released from prison here you can vote again, but currently if you are IN prison you cannot.

    Personally I don't see any reason not to let prisoners vote, i'm not sure why the British government is making such a fuss about trying to stop them. Seems like a waste of time and money, I can't see any discernible benefit from stopping them. I believe Prison should not an easy ride, but I also believe it is helpful, if you expect people to rehabilitate into society when they are released, to allow them to feel like they still share some basic rights with the rest of us while contained. They should be allowed to vote, have access to education, stuff that will positively engage them.
    Post edited by Pingfah on
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    absolutely yes

    i don't really care if sarah palin was in favour of this ... i'd still agree with it ...
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    unsung wrote:
    Should convicted felons, that have fully served their sentences, have their right to vote restored?

    Yes.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • Hugh Freaking DillonHugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    yes.
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,958
    unsung wrote:
    http://Www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/09/16/rand-paul-wants-to-restore-felons-voting-rights/
    Great. If it were like this in Canada, the issue certainly would not make me vote for the likes of Rand Paul just because he supported it, but it would be nice if the more viable choices supported the same thing (I would imagine that the ONLY reason a democrat would not pick it up is because the Republicans would immediately accuse them of being soft on crime and criminals).
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    Last-12-Exit wrote:
    chadwick wrote:
    hedonist wrote:
    Good question indeed.

    My first thought is no; that right is rescinded for life upon conviction.
    interstate marijuana trafficing gets a guy a felony. ooops, he a real criminal. weren't folks keeping him in business, all the good grass users baking brownies & bong rips?
    Doing a bong rip isn't a felony, unless you have a 16oz bowl.
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."
    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • jethrojam420jethrojam420 Posts: 1,075
    Cosmo wrote:
    Convicted felon... serves his/her full term... should have his/her right to vote. The debt to society, as deemed by our courts, has been repaid and the person is living in our free society.
    ...
    But... I believe the Federal Law that prohibits them from owning or in possession of a firearm should remain in place.
    yes
    8/29/00*5/2/03*7/2/03*7/3/03*7/11/03*9/28/04*5/24/06*6/28/08*5/15/10*5/17/10* 10/16/13*10/25/13* 4/28/16*4/28/16*8/5/16*8/7/16 EV 6/15/11 Brad 10/27/02
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,447
    unsung wrote:
    Should convicted felons, that have fully served their sentences, have their right to vote restored?

    You know, this is a terrific question. I was tempted to react with a "NO!". But I don;t think that is right.

    I do wonder if its really appropriate to let someone that has killed another person have the right to vote back, etc...but then again if the justice system determined the sentence and they've served it, why shouldn't they?

    So, basically, my issue is with the justice system and making sure the sentences are appropriate. But to answer this question, I'll have to go with the premise that the justice system is doing it's job (or if it's not it is held accountable in a different way). So, my new answer is, "Yes". If they serve their sentence they should be able to vote. Perhaps it will help get them back into society fully if we see them as full members.
    hippiemom = goodness
Sign In or Register to comment.