The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday it is fair that convicted felons in Florida must pay off all fines and fees associated with their sentencing before having their right to vote restored, siding with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the Republican legislature.
This in a state that once had an admitted felon as its governor.
Poor Florida.
Voting is a privilege that should not be taken lightly
Voting is a right, not a privilege. It is the term used in the Constitution.
If Bloomberg and Steyer want to do something better with their billions, pay off the debt for all of the former felons so they can vote.
And here I was feeling sorry for people in the Panhandle, who still have not recovered from hurricanes, but still love them some rump. Florida, we want to love you, you have gorgeous beaches, stop being such an asshole.
Florida: Where only rich felons get to vote.
That’s actually a damn good idea…
Republicans can’t win elections in most states without limiting the franchise. Pure and simple. This is why they spent the past fifteen years (remember ALEC?) focusing on taking over state legislatures. We’ve seen the fruit in state after state where voting rights and access to polling places are being curtailed for anyone who might not vote Republican.
And hopefully will once again
George Steinbrenner in 1989 just after he was pardoned by Reagan for Nixon era campaign finance violations had his right to vote restored almost immediately. No Jimmy Crow for him.
So speaking of DeSantis have any reporter stuck a microphone under his nose and asked him how well he knew Lev and Igor?
Oh look McCarthy got in a pix too.
Our system of justice is corrupt.
I wish originalists like the governor would have the same reverence for the 15th Amendment as they overall pleasure themselves to the 2nd.
Courts in blue counties in Florida are forgiving ex-felons past court fees, except for victim restitution. Red counties are not. You do the math. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/01/florida-felon-voting-rights-amendment-4-counties-poll-tax.html
Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Discobot insisted.
Floridaman, now sitting on the Florida Supreme Court.
Sue the B*stards for violation of Amendment XXIV
Section 1. 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 any poll tax or other tax.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The 24th Amendment Ended the Poll Tax
January 23, 1964
Many Southern states adopted a poll tax in the late 1800s. This meant that even though the 15th Amendment gave former slaves the right to vote, many poor people, both blacks and whites, did not have enough money to vote.
The 14th Amendmennt specifically allows states to deny criminals the right to vote. Nowhere does it say if/how criminals can get that right back. States decide that.
But we’re not talkin g poll tax here
Gosh…right after I got done ranting about the unprecedented attacks we’re about to witness begin on voting rights in another thread…
American democracy is nothing but a pantomime.
