Appeals Court: FL Must Allow Ex-Felons Too Poor To Pay Back Court Fees To Vote | Talking Points Memo

[txlawyer]

What’s next? Miss your car inspection renewal and you can’t vote.

Don’t give 'em any more ideas, okay?

More seriously, before the Voting Rights Act, states used all kinds of bullshit eligibility requirements to help make sure that only the right kind of people were able to participate in democracy. A vast amount of our national history has been expended on efforts to expand or retract the franchise. The battle in Florida pits the voters of the state (who overwhelmingly think that those who have paid their debt to society should be eligible to participate in it) against the politicians of Florida (for whom the voters are inconvenient barriers to the continued holding of political power). I expect this to go back and forth for quite some time.

[ozziecat]

I don’t give a damn if the Republicans howl about it. It has to be done.

There are very few countries with as few Supreme Court Justices as we have:

List of supreme courts by country

I looked at just a few countries at random. Bhutan does have fewer than we do, with five, but Belgium has twelve and Costa Rica 22 (with plenty of substitutes available). Austria’s constitution mandates a minimum of seven, but in practice they have over 70! Not much room for personality cults in that field.

[zlj2011]

What’s next? Miss your car inspection renewal and you can’t vote.

Don’t give 'em any more ideas, okay?

More seriously, before the Voting Rights Act, states used all kinds of bullshit eligibility requirements to help make sure that only the right kind of people were able to participate in democracy. A vast amount of our national history has been expended on efforts to expand or retract the franchise. The battle in Florida pits the voters of the state (who overwhelmingly think that those who have paid their debt to society should be eligible to participate in it) against the politicians of Florida (for whom the voters are inconvenient barriers to the continued holding of political power). I expect this to go back and forth for quite some time.

No doubt. I wonder if this phenomenon is unique to American democracy. This is an excellent example of the modern day corrupting influence of slavery on society and democracy (obviously, there are others).

[caltg]

A federal appeals court on Wednesday sided with ex-felons who sued Florida over a recent GOP law that undermined a 2018 constitutional amendment giving ex-felons the right to vote in the state.

GOOD! The overturned law was little more that a thinly veiled poll-tax. But then, Rethuglicans have no shame, no shame whatsoever.

[tigersharktoo]

I don’t see how this passes a prohibition on Ex post facto laws. Article Nine, Section Three of the US Constitution.

If pay back of fees was not a condition of your conviction, how can it be imposed after you have served your term? Perhaps years later? And what about Due Process?

[jootjoint]

This is wonderful news!

Vote until your heart is content, my fellow brothers and sisters!!!

EXERCISE YOUR DAMN RIGHTS!!!

[tena]

Along those lines:

‘Democrats are angry’: Polling shows a ‘massive blue wave’ is rising in...

[lamitatron1]

This is a MUST READ! Please read!

Stonekettle Station

[lamitatron1]

You’ll love this read. You scolded me once (rightly so) for lack of blog etiquette.

Stonekettle Station

[iamsmall]

I often think about retiring to FL - then I see and here about their horrific state government - and change my mind.

Come on down we could use you. I live in Tampa which is blue enough, but wished I lived in Val Demmings area. The impeachment showed her to be a vibrant, articulate representative, possibly presidential material.

[epicurus]

I’m sure the top law enforcement officer in the nation will deem this decision outrageous and really, really wrong and order it reversed.

Silly me; I always believed the Attorney General to be the nation’s “top law enforcement officer.” Thanks, President Trump for clearing that up for me…delusional and dangerous. I’m still hoping for that stroke or a massive heart attack.

[steviedee111]

As we all know, the overriding principle of the latest batch of federal judges is “fuck poor people.”

Thankfully a myriad of factors and circumstances largely out of their control renders them powerless to do anything significant about their plight. Otherwise the rest of us would have to compete with them for various resources. But Jesus still loves them.

[fgs]

I’m reminded of the adage that if the adulterer spent half the energy being good to their spouse as they spend lying, sneaking and chasing around after a new honey, their marriage problems would be solved and everyone would win.

In this telling, it’s Republicans who should discern good policies that actually benefit their voters, instead of always trolling to own the libs, they won’t need this vote suppression shit.

[eggrollian]

Florida – authorities overtly shaping election outcomes since forever.

[nobiru]

Very interesting. Spending so many resources on thwarting the will of the people. They’ll get really desperate when ex-prisoners add to the majority.

[enn]

they won’t need this vote suppression shit.

It is about power but also that “those” people shouldn’t be able to vote.

[clr]

What is an “ex-felon”? You’re an ex-convict once you’re released from prison. Aren’t you a felon forever once you’ve been convicted of a felony? (Unless your conviction gets overturned…)

Note: I do think felons should be able to vote.

[sickneffintired]

Very interesting. Spending so many resources on thwarting the will of the people. They’ll get really desperate when ex-prisoners add to the majority.

How are we supposed to win if we can’t cheat, they complain

[gr]

OT, but encouraging: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/18/democrats-launch-ad-campaign-michigan-pennsylvania-wisconsin-115739

[skippyflipjack]

This is such an asshole law.