Should Convicted Felons get Voting Rights Back?

[KingsGambit]

I'm not too sure that allowing convicted felons the right to vote made them less likely to be rearrested. I tend to think that it might be more likely that those who have decided to turn their lives around and become productive members of society are more likely to vote as they have decided that they have a stake in society.

Another possible correlation is that they're more likely to have jobs and thus cars, and thus it's easier for them to get to the polling place.

[seasanctuary]

Sounds like he's saying "not enough people vote, so let's give the vote to felons, cause then it will be a REAL democracy!

(yeah, I'm being somewhat facetious, but I think that's a dumb justification for restoring voting rights to felons)

Agreed. I would like to see everyone interested in voting being able to vote and everyone uninterested staying out of it.

[Cow Poke]

Agreed. I would like to see everyone interested in voting being able to vote and everyone uninterested staying out of it.

Even to the point of "get out the vote" type drives? To me, they tend to "push" people to vote who really have either no interest, or not enough information.

[KingsGambit]

Even to the point of "get out the vote" type drives? To me, they tend to "push" people to vote who really have either no interest, or not enough information.

I've always had misgivings about these for the reasons you mentioned. Those people who are well informed about what's going on already probably know when it's time to vote.

[Cow Poke]

I've always had misgivings about these for the reasons you mentioned. Those people who are well informed about what's going on already probably know when it's time to vote.

I'm all for encouraging them -- EQUALLY -- like employers giving time off to go vote, and any "get out the vote" campaign that doesn't smack of partisanship on EITHER side.

[Sparko]

Why do they let politicians vote? Half of them are felons who just haven't been convicted yet.

[Jedidiah]

Even to the point of "get out the vote" type drives? To me, they tend to "push" people to vote who really have either no interest, or not enough information.

Yeah, that.

[seasanctuary]

Even to the point of "get out the vote" type drives? To me, they tend to "push" people to vote who really have either no interest, or not enough information.

Aren't those about raising interest? They still have to choose to go vote instead of whatever else. I'm ok with that. What I don't want is the equivalent of tracking everyone down, giving them a ballot, and saying, "Here, put a mark in one of these squares so that we have a fully functional democracy of everyone voting."

[KingsGambit]

Aren't those about raising interest? They still have to choose to go vote instead of whatever else. I'm ok with that. What I don't want is the equivalent of tracking everyone down, giving them a ballot, and saying, "Here, put a mark in one of these squares so that we have a fully functional democracy of everyone voting."

I'm frankly surprised that compulsory voting is a thing in as many countries as it is.

[Cow Poke]

Aren't those about raising interest?

In my experience, it's been more about "getting MY guy elected at all costs".

They still have to choose to go vote instead of whatever else. I'm ok with that.

No, I'm talking about the "evangelistic partisans" who hit the nursing homes, senior centers, housing projects, etc, and pretty much scare them into "if we don't keep our guy in office, you'll lose all this" kind of stuff.

What I don't want is the equivalent of tracking everyone down, giving them a ballot, and saying, "Here, put a mark in one of these squares so that we have a fully functional democracy of everyone voting."

What's WORSE, imohbao, is tracking down only your "own kind", and giving THEM a ballot and saying "here, remember your 'stuff' is at stake".

[KingsGambit]

Interesting article from today. Apparently Rand Paul has made it a big issue of his own.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/19/politi...3A+Politics%29

[Cow Poke]

Well, yeah, then there's this... I thought this was a really DUMB "summary"....

[cite]
So here's the thing: Felons who are out of prison have largely served the punishment prescribed by the judicial system. Shouldn't that be enough? Penalizing them further by taking away their right to vote is not just unfair to them, it's bad for us. We'll be lucky if 40% of eligible voters cast a ballot on Nov. 7. What kind of a democracy is that?

Read more: Why Can't Felons Vote? - TIME http://content.time.com/time/nation/...#ixzz2tDYr3kXK
[/cite]

People are free NOT to vote - we don't force them. Sounds like he's saying "not enough people vote, so let's give the vote to felons, cause then it will be a REAL democracy!

(yeah, I'm being somewhat facetious, but I think that's a dumb justification for restoring voting rights to felons)

(I sure do miss the cite tags!)

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testing without argument
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Source: yada yada yada

testing with argument

© Copyright Original Source

Comparing to quoted post to see if those cite tags start working.

[Paprika]

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testing without argument

Sneakily necro-ing threads, are we?