Russ Feingold and Jack Kemp: Restoring Democracy

[babylonsister]

Restoring Democracy
While Maryland now allows former felons to vote, the battle isn’t over
by Russ Feingold and Jack Kemp


Last year, The Sun told the story of Damond Ramsey, a man who, after serving an 18-month prison sentence, went to work for an HIV testing and education program. But without the right to vote, he said he didn’t feel like a full citizen.

“That change cannot be complete unless I can vote,” he said. “My vote will make a difference in the lives of my children.”

Fortunately, Maryland is one of several states that have restored voting rights for people who want to move on with their lives and integrate back into society. Last year, 52,000 people became eligible to vote after Gov. Martin O’Malley signed the Voter Registration Protection Act.

In 2006, the people of Rhode Island approved a constitutional amendment allowing formerly incarcerated people the right to vote upon leaving prison. And we have also seen progress toward voting rights restoration in Florida, which traditionally made it very difficult for people with felony records to regain the right to vote.

But even as voting restoration grows, we have a long way to go. In addition to the 11 states that continue to deny voting rights to people with felony convictions after they have completed their sentences, 35 states deny the right to parolees, and 30 states deny the right to those on probation. In a few states, including Virginia, felons are disenfranchised for life, with no appeal.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/15/7081/

[Winterblues]

1. Giving felons the right to vote would defeat the Republicans entire Crack scheme.

Make Crack by a very cheap freebasing technique by using baking soda and introduce it into the inner cities to sell really cheap. $5.00 a rock. Then make penalties for Crack cocaine twice that of regular cocaine so being convicted of a felony is a given. Put the black man in prison for long time and deny him a vote forever..The beauty of the whole thing was to use the receipts to fund the Contras which were killing Nicaraguans. Republicans are quite the schemers...The very last thing on earth they want is for the black man to have a voice. Having one become President will probably send them over the edge..