Reply #35: Uh, no.

[Eloriel]

We need to understand that all our concerns are of equal importance and should be addresses as such.

I disagree primarily because:

You care more about felons being disenfranchised because they are more likely to vote your way, I care more about illegals voting twice because they hurt my side.


I don't believe these problems are equivalent -- I don't believe there are that many "illegals" voting, and certainly not voting twice. I also don't believe that that's purely a Dem "problem," to the extent it's a problem at all. FL has had its share of, shall we say, interesting voting patterns among immigrants, and in fact some of the Cuban population are FAMOUS for vote fraud.

And how dare you accuse me of caring about voting rights of only those who vote "my" way. But I'll take YOUR word for why you're concerned that ex-felons not vote any more than they absolutely have to.

Are you as concerned that felons lose their 2nd amendment rights?

Tell ya what. I promise to be just as outraged as you'd like next time an ex-felon tries to hold up a convenience store at the end of a ballot. 'Kay?

How about trying to get a good job with a felony on your record?

What about it?

Shouldn't we be as concerned with keeping young African-Americans off the felon roles to begin with and out of the criminal justice system all together?

What makes you think I'm/we're not? Speaking of which:
Unfortunately there are proportionately more felons in the African-American community. I believe that this is due to issues of class and the breakdown of the family structure then due to race.

IOW, their fault. Poverty and several hundred years of institutional racism has NOTHING to do with it. I see.

Currently there is a breakdown in some African-American communities where a lack of role models has contributed to more societal disorder.

Oh, you mean like those 1 in 4 black males in prison? No doubt the lack of role models is a contributing factor but I worry that you overstate the case for this one in your own mind. Put another way: decent education and job opportunities (so crime doesn't seem like the best choice for a career? and moms and dads don't have to work 3 jobs so they're never there?)

Most felons do not even serve jail time. They simply get probation.

MOST? You got some stats for that? I'd especially like to see them broken down into race and ethnicity. I can NOT believe over 50% of convicted felons get ONLY probation. And I'm about 110% sure the lucky probationers aren't black or Hispanic or Native American.

I want felons who have served their sentences in states that prohibit their voting to be provided with easy and free, fair access to reinstate their rights.

Well, now we're talking. Why didn't you say so? That's the LEAST that should happen, but I'd be satisfied with that as a start in those states that don't have automatic re-enfranchisement.