The GOP hates democracy.
It would be nice to know if there is a potential court remedy to this.
You get what you vote for. Except when you don’t. But then again, you did. It’s all so confusing.
We’ve got a lot to clean up when we get control of things again.
Human dignity is somewhere near the top of the list.
The republicans simply cannot win on a level playing field in most states, but through voter suppression, reducing and/or moving polling stations, purging voter rolls, major gerrymandering, they gain electoral victories and thus minority rule. It is like political apartheid, particularly the gerrymandering.
“Apartheid” is exactly the word that has been ricocheting around my head recently. We’re governed by a small class of rich white guys who are trying to amass more and more money and power while completely ignoring the wants and needs of the populace, from sensible gun control to a higher minimum wage to clean water and bridges that don’t fall down.
Can’t the Tom Steyers of the world just pay all the fines? Probably a lot more bang for their buck than all his impeachment ads are buying.
I’m just a poor DC lawyer, but there’s something about this that sounds awfully like a poll tax. According to the 24th Amendment to our Constitution,
The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax.
The release of these former felons was not conditioned on their payment of any fines or fees, and if all they want to do is live their lives and not vote, they also don’t have to pay any fines or fees. The only instance in which these fines must be paid is if they register to vote.
Let’s ask Don Jr., he’ll know.
I am unsullied by any legal education or experience, but it seems to me that, if voting is the only “privilege” or government benefit of government service affected by unpaid fees, it seems very hard to argue that it isn’t a poll tax. The GOP argument will be that they are just clarifying the definition of “completion” of all terms of their sentence. That will probably fly with most GOP judges.
I wonder if the fees can be discharged in bankruptcy.
The modern day version hates it.
Where are Soros and Steyer when we actually need them?
Jinx
I would think that unless the restitution and court costs were part of the original sentence that the new law does run afoul of due process and poll taxes.
Well, it is Florida after all…
Eating babies and summoning demons, or so Fox tells me.
Funny how nationwide the GOP see themselves as the party of capitalism and free enterprise, yet they do all they can to stifle competition in the marketplace of ideas. They can’t compete in this arena with their ideas, so they rely upon government regulation. Pretty damned ironic.
Great solution. Maybe we should all go to his website and suggest it.
But a GOP-majority house with a GOP-majority SCOTUS guarantees that’s the only way it would be dispensed with.
It’s a poll tax. It won’t survive Court challenges, even with our warped courts.
Can’t you hear it now?
“It isn’t a tax, it’s a feeeeeee.”