Posted on 10/24/2018 6:44:49 AM PDT by T Ruth
The 2018 midterms are being built up as “The most important election of our lives,” but the issue that could fundamentally change the political atmosphere in one of the most important swing states in America is barely getting any play, roughly two weeks from election day.
Amendment 4 in Florida would restore the right to vote for all felons, with an exception for those who have been convicted of murder and rape. The initiative has the support of major interest groups on both the right and the left, including the ACLU and Americans For Prosperity.
“There’s strong recognition that this is good bipartisan public policy whose time has come,” said Reggie Garcia, a clemency lawyer and author who lives in Tallahassee.
There are currently 1.7 million convicted felons in Florida, the vast majority of whom would gain the right to vote if this initiative passes. There are concerns that this could shift the political landscape in the sunshine state. Still, the issue has barely even come up in tight races for governor and Senate in the state.
During Sunday night’s CNN gubernatorial debate between Republican Ron Desantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum, the amendment was not even mentioned once.
Ballot initiatives tend to fly under the radar because most are thought of as local issues. With how competitive the state of Florida is, Amendment 4 is one that could have national implications and one that could turn the state of Florida blue for the foreseeable future. President Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in Florida by just over 113,000 votes in the 2016 presidential election ***. A look at recent statewide elections in Florida makes it clear that restoring voting rights to 1.7 million convicted felons could fundamentally alter the outcomes of battleground elections. ***
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
I will not give the Democrats 1.7 million new voters...............
It’s DOA. Requires a 60% majority to be ratified, and that’s just not going to happen.
Does it restore their right to vote after or before they have “done their time”? I couldn’t find that in the article though maybe it’ down there somewhere.
“The 2018 midterms are being built up as “The most important election of our lives,””
Apparently, they missed the 2016 presidential election.
Interesting isn’t it, 1.7 million felons in just Florida. What does that say about society?
After their time is served including probation..........
I hope you're right.
I’m voting yes on 1, 2, 5, and 12. That’s it. Everything else is a steaming pile. I disdain how everything in Florida is being pushed as a “Constitutional amendment” when the special interests can’t whip legislative support.
John Morgan is the worst offender of them all!
Just vote “NO” on all of the FL amendments.
>>After their time is served including probation..........
And only if they get their 2nd amendment rights restored at the same time. If they can’t be trusted with a bullet, they can’t be trusted with a ballot.
I am a retired correctional officer. I have known some younger inmates, no matter the crime, who have learned a hard lesson. They will straighten their life out and become productive citizens. The older fraudsters and thieves ALWAYS look for the opportunity to manipulate,cheat, and steal. These individuals would use anybody, anything, including their vote in false way.
The headline is always what they wish was true.
I suspect the purpose of such initiatives is not to get them passed, at least at first, but rather to get out the liberal-but-unmotivated vote, in this case the friends and relatives of felons.
On the other hand, nothing is ever settled until it is settled the way the liberals want it settled. This initiative will fail next month, but it will be put on the ballot again and again until it finally passes, because that is the way the liberals want it settled.
And that is why the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Recidivism is a major problem that is under-reported.
50% of the people sentenced to a Florida Prison have been in a Florida Prison before.
The current system to restore a felon’s civil rights that was implemented by Gov. Rick Scott is working.
Under Gov. Scott’s leadership less than 1% of the felons, who had their civil rights restored, committed a new crime and were sentenced for that new felony.
Under Gov. Charlie Crist’s leadership more than 30% of the felons, who had their civil rights restored, committed a new crime and were sentenced for that new felony.
Vote NO on Amendment 4.
The current system for restoring felon’s civil rights is working and there is no need to change it.
Important to remind voters that the dems want the Felon Vote.
Power hungry as sin!
I’m voting no on all of them. I really don’t see all of them needing to be amendments to the constitution.
The criminal must pay all financial obligations to the courts BEFORE their rights can be restored. The criminal thinks after he serves time in prison that should be enough. No on Amendment 4! I used to work with victims.
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