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Originally Posted by Rebellion";p="
Many things from drinking age to criminal sentences are left to the states. Also, there were nearly as many felons who voted who were ineligible in Florida in 2000.
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The fact that some people were improperly allowed to vote does not balance out the cost to those who were improperly denied the right to vote. Two wrongs clearly don't make a right.
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It depends on the crime, there might be some lower levels of felony convictions were it is ok that they vote. Some should be banned for life.
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Perhaps, and in some states that's the way it works. But I fail to see the connection. I murdered someone when I was 20 and served 30 years in prison for my crime. When I'm released, theoretically I've paid my debt to society. What is the logic in denying me certain civil rights?
Lifetime punishment for wrongdoing strikes me as wrongheaded on many levels, from simple fairness to practical concerns: we place so many barriers in front of ex-cons, why are we surprised when they reoffend?
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And many have not completed their sentences and are still on parole or probation.
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Then they're still serving their sentence. I have little problem with restricting their rights in that case. It's lifetime, perpetual punishment that I find harmful to a free society.
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I don't think the direction of our country should be determined by someone who feels molesting children is an acceptable activity.
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Fair enough; I feel the same way about conservatives.
Seriously, people who feel that way already get to vote, as long as they haven't either offended or gotten caught. I still fail to see any compelling connection between their crime and their right to vote.
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Although the fact that democrat politicians want felons to vote speaks quite a bit to their constituency and core beliefs.
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An easy line, devoid of substance. I don't believe in "coddling" criminals, but nor do I believe in mindless, endless mini-punishments for people that have made mistakes. I believe such punishments do our society more harm than good, both morally and practically. If we don't hold out the hope of redemption to people who violate our rules, what incentive do they have to try to live within those rules?
But then "rehabilitation" is such a dirty word to the "build more prisons and (*)(*)(*)(*) the cost" crowd.