I have to disagree on this topic. What happens if someone beaks into a family's home and the father beats the intruder to death. That father is then convicted of a felony for using excessive force. Is he to lose his voting rights upon completing his sentence?
How about all of you people out there that drive after a few drinks with your buddies. It's pure luck that you haven't been busted for a DUI..which is a felony. Are you now ineligible to vote for the rest of your life?
I don't think anyone, save God (death), has the right to take away anotehr person's vote. I know that this may lean towards Dems, but what is right is right. It is not right for any of us to take away a person's right to vote when that person has served their punishment and paid their debt to society.
I think people who are incarcerated do not get to vote. You have lost your rights while you are serving your sentence. But once you have paid your debt (which the people have decided), then you get your right to vote back.
Now the obvious retort is, "oh it's okay for a murderer to get to vote". Well, if someone has committed that heinous of a crime, then they should have a sentence that prevents them from voting.
Not to mention bogus gun laws.
"I don't think anyone, save God (death), has the right to take away anotehr person's vote."
You've got to be kidding.
The laws of the US determine people's right to vote.
The right of felons to vote was taken away for a reason -- so they don't end up determining the winner in a narrow election.
For the 0.5% of the people convicted of felony offense, who may deserve to be given a second chance to vote, you want to give a blanket permission to all those who were convicted of felonies, which includes murderers and child molesters.
The article said, that in Nebraska, after 10 years, some felons could get a pardon, then they could vote. But now any felon can vote after two years of being out of jail.
'What happens if someone breaks into a family's home and the father beats the intruder to death.'
It might be excessive to hang his dead, bleeding body in an ornamental birch in the frontyard, but if the man of the house didn't shotgun the felon out a window while his family cowered in their bedrooms, then he's a liberal.
I don't drink and drive.
Your point about individual reformation is well taken, but I can't figure out what else you're trying to say, sorry; maybe I don't want my vote diluted by some ex-con who will probably take a Dumbocrat bribe. You wanna vote, own firearms, enjoy full citizenship rights, then behave yourself.
Viva Bush and Free Republic
Oh get a grip. Get pulled over for DUI and you get a slap on the wrist, not a felony conviction! It's typical for only a FOURTH DUI or DUI with injury that results in a felony DUI (laws vary by state).
Losing the right to vote is PART OF YOUR PUNISHMENT FOR COMMITTING A FELONY -- your punishment doesn't end when you get out of jail. If you take away that punishment, you are lessening the punishment on serious criminals. I say if you want to give felons the right to vote, tack an extra 20% onto their sentence to compensate.