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Why Can't Prisoners Vote?

anti american fascist right wing party are only 15-20 percent of the population therefore they must assume their platforms suck and should never be in control of anything no matter if they all vote.
 
calamity said:
Yeah. Although I am not surprised by those who poo-poo the idea, I am a little disheartened at the lack of logic used in their arguments.
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I just got my 2021 ACLU membership card, so my views on this subject are predictable.

Razoo said:
your reason being ...........
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Because Dayton is a fascist who opposes the civil rights of everyone who isn't as fascict as he is. Ask him about his former Nazi avatar.
 
Since rural communities can pad their census counts, giving them a greater political voice, with incarcerated residents, they should have the right to vote.
 
Lisa said:
I just got my 2021 ACLU membership card, so my views on this subject are predictable.


Because Dayton is a fascist who opposes the civil rights of everyone who isn't as fascict as he is. Ask him about his former Nazi avatar.
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No. I oppose the civil rights of those who do not obey the rules of our civil society. At least not those who commit felonies.

Yeah the ACLU is known for standing up for the most despicable members of our society so you are indeed predictable.
 
Ikari said:
Counting them as in terms of the Census? I have thought about that too, I'm not sure they should be counted on the Census for decisions that go towards States getting money and that. Prisoners aren't there by choice.
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Prisoners require services: housing, food, medical, library, a chance @ GED or other educational possibilities, counseling, & so on. The census is about political apportionment of Congress, but also about directing fiscal resources to areas by population. Given that the incarcerating state still has expenditures for each prisoner, it's reasonable for that state to qualify for per capita funding for prisoners, if there is any money in that category.
 
Dayton3 said:
No. I oppose the civil rights of those who do not obey the rules of our civil society. At least not those who commit felonies.

Yeah the ACLU is known for standing up for the most despicable members of our society so you are indeed predictable.
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Irony
 
southwest88 said:
Prisoners require services: housing, food, medical, library, a chance @ GED or other educational possibilities, counseling, & so on. The census is about political apportionment of Congress, but also about directing fiscal resources to areas by population. Given that the incarcerating state still has expenditures for each prisoner, it's reasonable for that state to qualify for per capita funding for prisoners, if there is any money in that category.
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They are counted in the district where incarcerated, those town already receive state funds to house prisoners. It’s double dipping.
 
Curious our friends on the left would be calling for those who violated the Capitol on January 6th to be allowed to vote while (hopefully) serving their sentences.
 
Lisa said:
Voting is a right for all American citizens and not a privilege based on good behavior so anyone in jail or prison should be able to vote. Theey have their religious rights in prison, which are a 24-7-365 idea, so the idea that they cannot vote by absentee ballot twice a year doesn't pass the laugh test.
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Hmm... maybe we should let US citizen convicts decide whether they would rather lose the right to roam freely among us or the right to vote and see which one they choose as being more important. ;)
 
calamity said:
As noted below, this did not pass, but one has to ask. Why?



Ok, Fred broke a law and now sits in jail. So what? He should still be allowed to vote, IMO. Why do we accept disenfranchising those who are incarcerated?

BTW, we actually double down on this injustice by transporting the prisoner, often a person of color, out of his neighborhood to be counted in the census where he is incarcerated, giving predominantly white areas of the country higher representation than they justly deserve.

If you count them, you should let them vote.
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They should. Prison systems would become more rehabilitiative than punitive and the conditions wouldn't be so damn bad.
 
Razoo said:
your reason being ...........
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Because he is a fascist. Ask him about his former Nazi avatar.
ttwtt78640 said:
Hmm... maybe we should let US citizen convicts decide whether they would rather lose the right to roam freely among us or the right to vote and see which one they choose as being more important. ;)
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When has that ever been on the ballot? All direct issues, unlike the election of candidates, are subject to judicial review because of constitutionality.

1.)Do you not remember that the courts overturned Prop8 and DOMA that the citizens voted on?

2.) Did you sincerely think that the citizens outside of prisons and jails would be overruled by those who are incarcerated? Critical thinking isn't illegal yet. 🤦


NatMorton said:
Curious our friends on the left would be calling for those who violated the Capitol on January 6th to be allowed to vote while (hopefully) serving their sentences.
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Why would I have a problem with it?
 
Lisa said:
Because he is a fascist. Ask him about his former Nazi avatar.

When has that ever been on the ballot? All direct issues, unlike the election of candidates, are subject to judicial review because of constitutionality.

1.)Do you not remember that the courts overturned Prop8 and DOMA that the citizens voted on?

2.) Did you sincerely think that the citizens outside of prisons and jails would be overruled by those who are incarcerated? Critical thinking isn't illegal yet. 🤦



Why would I have a problem with it?
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Relax, I was just being pro-choice. ;)
 
Lisa said:
Voting is a right for all American citizens and not a privilege based on good behavior so anyone in jail or prison should be able to vote. Theey have their religious rights in prison, which are a 24-7-365 idea, so the idea that they cannot vote by absentee ballot twice a year doesn't pass the laugh test.
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Freedom of religion is a right guaranteed by the constitution, not everyone in the U.S. may vote, making it a privilege.

Voting is a right, but it is also a privilege. Not everyone in the United States may vote. As a general matter, only those who have reached a certain age, are mentally competent, and are American citizens, are allowed to vote.”

May 7, 2007 - Roger Clegg, JD
 
No people currently in jail should not be given the opportunity to vote. They have proven themselves unable to operate in a civilized society and respect the rules that society deems important to follow. They have shown they are unable to make reasonable choices and understand the consequences of their actions. Now once their debit to society has been paid and they have been determined able to be part of society agian and a willingness to follow the rules they should be allowed all rights any other citizen has.
 
calamity said:
They are counted in the district where incarcerated, those town already receive state funds to house prisoners. It’s double dipping.
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It depends on the locality. TX, for instance - a case I'm aware of - years ago capped public school expenditures for Special Education - without telling the public - @ 8.5% (as I recall) % of ISD student population, regardless of any need beyond that in the school population. There was hell to pay once these caps were discovered & publicized. TX was required to fully fund any expenditures required for students who qualified for Special Education, with no regard to the ISD's budget. I don't know if that agreement (a consent decree?) is still in place or not, but the moral for parents of Special Education students in TX is quite clear.
 
poweRob said:
You know most sentences aren't for life right? So they are coming back out into society right?
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Almost no life sentences are actually for "life". I have no interest in coddling prisoners and hoping they will be "rehabilitated".
 
Dayton3 said:
Almost no life sentences are actually for "life". I have no interest in coddling prisoners and hoping they will be "rehabilitated".
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Great example of why conservatives should never be in charge of anything. Their brains can't seem to reach beyond retaliation. Which explains Trump's entire presidency.
 
calamity said:
As noted below, this did not pass, but one has to ask. Why?



Ok, Fred broke a law and now sits in jail. So what? He should still be allowed to vote, IMO. Why do we accept disenfranchising those who are incarcerated?

BTW, we actually double down on this injustice by transporting the prisoner, often a person of color, out of his neighborhood to be counted in the census where he is incarcerated, giving predominantly white areas of the country higher representation than they justly deserve.

If you count them, you should let them vote.
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Felons can't vote because it's an insanely-easy group to disenfranchise.
 
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poweRob said:
Great example of why conservatives should never be in charge of anything. Their brains can't seem to reach beyond retaliation. Which explains Trump's entire presidency.
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There is a point with many criminals, where rehabilitation is no longer on the table, because they have shown no ability or inclination to rehabilitate. When rehabilitation is impossible, what is left is punitive. Nothing unconstitutional. Eliminate imprisonment for drug only charges, get serious on habitual violent offenders.
 
NatMorton said:
Curious our friends on the left would be calling for those who violated the Capitol on January 6th to be allowed to vote while (hopefully) serving their sentences.
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Since I'm not a fascist, my first point of order isn't to remove the right to vote from everybody who isn't like me. In a democracy, people who are not like you can vote. In a non-stable democracy, the right to vote is removed from as many groups as possible that are not like you. This gets to the heart of why Republicans have given up on democracy -- they no longer want to share power with people who are not like themselves.
 
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