Do Convicted Felons Deserve a Second Chance? Obama Thinks So.

Liberty and Pride ^ | January 27, 2010 | CSD

[csd]

Should convicted felons be given a second chance? Barack Obama thinks so, and he thinks the tax payers should have to foot the bill. He made his view on this issue more than evident during a town hall meeting in Elyria, Ohio on January 22nd. Here is a excerpt from this Ohio town hall meeting, where a 29 year old felon who has never had a job in his life asks Obama if he will help felons get a job:

Jerome the felon asks Obama: “I’m 29 years old, and I’ve never had a job in my life. I went to jail when I was younger. It’s like hard to get a job as a felon. Is this — any programs that hire people with felonies like something that — because it’s sad, it’s like — 29 years old, I’m 29.”

[csd]

Sorry I misunderstood what you where saying about your charges. I had a DUI as well, and it was a real pain to get everything straight.

p.s. Sorry I sent a link to you because I thought you were asking for a citation from me, these forums can get a little confusing at times. I didn’t realize you were talking to someone else. My apologies

[wally_bert]

These days defending yourself is a far worse crime than assaulting someone. Sad story about the moon-er.

[Pearls Before Swine]

The change in the way prison inmates are counted in the census appears to be a race thing as well.

Tell me a bit more. I don't know much about this.

[cripplecreek]

LOL I had a feeling you would ask.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2449029/posts

[driftdiver]

From that link “to take the tens of billions of dollars we pay banks to act as middlemen on student loans and invest that money in students who actually need it. We don’t need the middlemen — cut them out”

I’m not able to find the link related to firearm ownership.

[csd]

I thought you were asking for a link from the original post. Sorry

[csd]

I thought you were asking for a link from the original post. Sorry

[Pearls Before Swine]

Thanks for the link. The info is complicated... I’m not sure how it will be (ab)used from a first read.

[Elle Bee]

it's a step towards letting felons vote

They would love to absentee ballot every cell block

Who do you think they would vote for?

[politicalmerc]

I have to disagree with most of you on this one. Convicted felons who prove themselves ABSOLUTELY deserve a second chance. To think anything less is just to be a pompous ass. People make mistakes. People even make big mistakes. When they pay their dues, you give them a second chance. To do any less is to be arrogant.

[politicalmerc]

I too got a second chance. I think it shouldn’t even be legal to discriminate against a felon except in the area that he/she committed a crime. Obviously you don’t put a thief in charge of money or a pedophile in charge of children. But people inherently deserve a second chance in life. To say anything less is to be arrogant.

[cripplecreek]

Clean ex felons seem to make pretty good conservatives.

[politicalmerc]

I absolutely agree. People who break the law and suffer for it, who learn that they are at fault, learn that they have to make a better life and are CONSERVATIVE. I just hate to hear arrogant conservatives, most of whom are not “without sin” downing people who have made a mistake and OWNED IT. I would put myself in a higher category of life because I understand prison. I’m not proud of it, but I am a better person because of it. High five friend, we did it, survived, and came out better!

[ResearchMonkey]

It took me a third chance. I was having a bit too much fun some years ago, I got arrested for drugs and honorably accepted my fate, TWICE.

I’ve done well the last 15-years and I still hit issues that hold me back. I’m now well educated and some good jobs won’t accept my past. — Bah, I’m doing something now that doesn’t require much education, just a love for it.

I still can’t own fire arm in land where mountain lions live.

[cripplecreek]

I actually consider that time to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. Not that I want to repeat it but it took me away from many of my problems, forced me to deal with others, and gave me time to reflect on my life.

[cripplecreek]

I still can’t own fire arm in land where mountain lions live.

I guess we missed that "unless" in the 2nd amendment.

[csd]

you didn’t read the whole post. I am a convicted felon who has had a second chance, the point of the post was that tax payers should not have to pay for a convicted felons second chance..I am a firm believer in second chances but the felon has to take responsibility for himself, not rely on others to make his life better

[Rome2000]

Paid property tax?

Then he voted proud.

[svcw]

No he never voted, he was a felon.
Of all the things that he suffered because he screwed up not voting was the thing that upset him the most. He was politically savvy. Every election was painful. He paid the price for his crime.
He never did own a home but if he did he would have paid property tax.

[SeminoleSoldier]

While your sentiment is noble, how could felons be given a second chance? Most companies don’t want to hire them, do you think they should be allowed to do that? Would you hire on somebody to work in or around your home and/or kids who had crimes in their history?

For the record I’ve worked with Christian rescue programs and have worked with guys who had been in prison, just pointing out some of the practicalities of the situation.