Sarge Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Lovely :doh: http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20060112-102122-5757r.htm RICHMOND -- Gov. Mark Warner, whose last day as Virginia's chief executive is tomorrow, ends his four-year term with the distinction of having restored the voting rights of 3,414 felons -- more than any other governor in state history and far ahead of the totals in 12 of the 13 other states that deny convicts the right to vote. "We have restored more voting rights than four previous governors combined," Mr. Warner told The Washington Times. "We want to encourage people to [apply] who have served their time and had some ensuing period where they had stayed out of trouble. We want to reintegrate them fully into society, and part of that means getting your voting rights back." Most of the restorations were granted to nonviolent offenders. Mr. Warner, a Democrat with presidential ambitions, has also denied 195 petitions. With just hours left in the outgoing governor's term, several political action groups, including MoveOn.org, are urging Mr. Warner to grant blanket restorations to more than 240,000 felons -- a request the governor will not grant, although he has not issued a formal response. Warner spokeswoman Ellen Qualls questioned the accuracy of the 240,000 figure. She said it is not clear how the group reached that number because it is difficult to track the number of felons who have not gotten their rights restored who are still in Virginia. Gov.-elect Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat who will take office tomorrow, supports the streamlined petition process started by his predecessor and intends to follow in Mr. Warner's footsteps, said press secretary Kevin Hall. Mr. Hall, former deputy press secretary for Mr. Warner, noted that Mr. Warner cleared a 732-application backlog. "When we came in, there were boxes of unopened requests," he said. Most states automatically grant felons voting rights upon completion of their sentence. There are 14 states that deny felons the right to vote, and Virginia is one of six states -- the others are Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky and Nebraska -- that permanently bar felons from voting, holding public office and serving on juries. In Virginia, felons must petition the governor after a waiting period that ranges from three to five years to have those rights restored. Even if the rights are granted, the ex-convicts cannot possess a firearm or carry a concealed weapon. Virginia has restored the rights to at least 6,480 felons since 1982. Republican political strategist Chris LaCivita said he was not surprised that Mr. Warner's total was higher than previous governors. "Of course it is, he's a liberal," said Mr. LaCivita, who has run campaigns for former Virginia Gov. George Allen, now the state's junior Republican senator. Mr. LaCivita said the numbers will "clearly" be used against Mr. Warner during a presidential campaign. Political scientists and researchers said felons are disproportionately black and tend to vote Democratic. "Felony disenfranchisement definitely does have racial undertones," said Sabrina Williams, a spokeswoman for the Advancement Project, a national civil liberties group petitioning Mr. Warner to take further action. Miss Williams said 52 percent of the 240,000 eligible for rights restoration are black, and one in six black Virginians cannot vote because of a felony. "Felony disenfranchisement laws across the board have vestiges in slavery, and it's all about power," she said. "It's time to eliminate this Jim Crow-era scheme and give blanket restoration." Efforts to restore rights automatically in Virginia and other states have been supported largely by Democrats, but President Bush signed into law a Texas initiative to automatically restore rights to felons when he was governor. Mr. Warner's Republican predecessor, Gov. James S. Gilmore III, restored the rights of 238 felons. Mr. Allen, who served as governor before Mr. Gilmore, restored the rights of 460 ex-convicts. Florida has restored the rights of 48,000 felons since 1998, but that state has a different process for granting petitions, said Ryan King, a research associate for the Sentencing Project, a District-based criminal-justice advocacy group. The Advancement Project earlier this week released a poll of 500 likely voters showing six in 10 Virginians favor restoration of rights to felons who have served their full sentence. Miss Williams noted that the group plans to ask Mr. Kaine to grant the blanket restoration. "It's the right thing to do," she said. "These are not rapists and murderers, not all of them. You can be a felon for something as small as writing a bad check." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cactitle Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 The process for having your voting rights restored is a lengthy one. A convicted felon must serve his entire sentence, then wait 5 years form the end of the sentence(including probation or parole) before they can be considered. The right to own a firearm can never be restored unless a felon is pardoned by the govenor or the President. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chomerics Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 What's wrong with giving people the right to vote? If they have paid their debt to society, then they should be allowed to assimilate into society and voting is a large step. Let me ask you a question Sarge, which bothers you more a felon voting or getting a FID card? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 14, 2006 Author Share Posted January 14, 2006 What's wrong with giving people the right to vote? If they have paid their debt to society, then they should be allowed to assimilate into society and voting is a large step.Let me ask you a question Sarge, which bothers you more a felon voting or getting a FID card? You'd have to tell me what a FID card is first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaddogCT Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Good thing those ex-felons in Hawaii can vote upon release from prison. Less paperwork. :logo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 14, 2006 Author Share Posted January 14, 2006 Good thing those ex-felons in Hawaii can vote upon release from prison. Less paperwork. :logo: Probably why things are so ****ed up over here in the territory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 14, 2006 Author Share Posted January 14, 2006 Anyone? A "FID"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Anyone? A "FID"? http://www.ci.boston.ma.us/police/mace.asp firearms identification card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 15, 2006 Author Share Posted January 15, 2006 What's wrong with giving people the right to vote? If they have paid their debt to society, then they should be allowed to assimilate into society and voting is a large step.Let me ask you a question Sarge, which bothers you more a felon voting or getting a FID card? I know it's a strange concept to you libs, but there's these things in the real world called "consequences" and "punishment". You break the law, you get punished. The consequences are that you lose your right to vote among other things. Unless, it appears, you have a liberal governor and commit crimes in Va Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCRunner Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I cannot even imagine why anyone would oppose the right to vote. I actually have never viewed voting as a right. Rather, it is a duty of every citizen. I would like to see persons on parole or probation be required to vote and fulfill all of their civic responsibilties as a condition of that probation or parole. Marginalizing persons by denying them their franchise only encourages their non-participation in the community. You want to encourage convicted persons to resume productive lives in the community as soon as possible. You do not want to set up barriers to that participation. Getting these people back into the mainstream of society is the best tool against recidivism. Preventing further illegal behavior has to be the goal - not punishment for life. Why are some people seemingly incapable of forgiveness? Treating people with the attitude and policy of "once a criminal always a criminal" is just a self-fulfilling prophesy. It's mean spirited at best and short sighted and dangerous at worst. Anyway, my heart is broken and despite their various sins, I forgive the Skins and eagerly await their redemption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkLadyRaven Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 Anyone? A "FID"? You are the one that started the thread so Id assume you would know what rights are being restored? Why get upset at Warner if you dont really know what he restored was it major or was it trivial? You cant be upset if you dont know what your upset about The devil is in the details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 You are the one that started the thread so Id assume you would know what rights are being restored? Why get upset at Warner if you dont really know what he restored was it major or was it trivial?You cant be upset if you dont know what your upset about The devil is in the details DLR - I think your the one that is confused: Warner restored the Right to Vote in Virginia. What Chomerics was referring to was some weird Bostonian Firearms Identification Card in addition to the drivers license. I can see a concealed permit... Soooooo, his question from Hawaii about Virginia voting and being sidetracked with a Boston FID was actually never in the details... In Virginia I'm pretty sure you DON'T get firearms back after a felony exept for pardon... Thats what the wife/husband is for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Jones Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I would classify this as simple whining by the right. I guarantee that people in this post have committed crimes in their life, but have never been caught. Just look back at your youth. So, keep sitting there on your high horse claiming that you are better than everyone else. People on the right just piss me off sometimes. These people paid their debt and now get to vote. That is it. They are not pardoned, can't carry a firearm and still have to check felony on their job application. Theses people also can't hold any type of clearance. Yes, they are still serving their time. These people are also not violent felons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistymjohnson Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 Come on people... A convict can range from any numerous violent or non-violent acts... Grotesque down to the absolutely absurd (how did this even make it to court)! If they serve their time, and are considered to have "Paid their debt to society"... Why wouldn't you restore their right/duty to vote? I think the by the government not giving them their privilges back is a reflection on what they themselves believe about our penal system. It is flawed, and our prisons suck! If you believed it worked, why wouldn't you grant them back their privileges... being rehabilitated and all. *smirks* (I do however believe that they should not be issued a firearm w/out a pardon!) And I do think our prisons suck, but it is all we have... So, I guess I can't complain. Some people really do learn their lesson though, and it is NOT fair to them that they have to continually feel those bars closing in on them... even after they are released. It simply is not fair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redphoenix Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I stopped reading when I found out he was a scumbag democRAT.Figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redphoenix Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I would classify this as simple whining by the right. I guarantee that people in this post have committed crimes in their life, but have never been caught. Just look back at your youth. So, keep sitting there on your high horse claiming that you are better than everyone else. People on the right just piss me off sometimes. These people paid their debt and now get to vote. That is it. They are not pardoned, can't carry a firearm and still have to check felony on their job application. Theses people also can't hold any type of clearance. Yes, they are still serving their time. These people are also not violent felons. Do you honestly think the governor really believes that felons should vote or is this just a political tactic to gain more votes when and if he runs for president.Cmon stop sucking on the Liberal "poopie". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I would classify this as simple whining by the right. I guarantee that people in this post have committed crimes in their life, but have never been caught. Just look back at your youth. So, keep sitting there on your high horse claiming that you are better than everyone else. People on the right just piss me off sometimes. These people paid their debt and now get to vote. That is it. They are not pardoned, can't carry a firearm and still have to check felony on their job application. Theses people also can't hold any type of clearance. Yes, they are still serving their time. These people are also not violent felons. Most of the restorations were granted to nonviolent offenders... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Jones Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I stopped reading when I found out he was a scumbag democRAT.Figures. Thanks for the well thought out response. Confirms my earlier post about whining people on the right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkLadyRaven Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 DLR - I think your the one that is confused: Warner restored the Right to Vote in Virginia. What Chomerics was referring to was some weird Bostonian Firearms Identification Card in addition to the drivers license. I can see a concealed permit... Soooooo, his question from Hawaii about Virginia voting and being sidetracked with a Boston FID was actually never in the details... In Virginia I'm pretty sure you DON'T get firearms back after a felony exept for pardon... Thats what the wife/husband is for. Sarge should be the one to know that along with the specifics of the rights restored ALL of them before he complians. If he does not know the specifics of VA then he should not complian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 ONOS a governor is looking at things on a case by case basis and providing postive motivation! Someone should tell him he's scaring the binary republicans. All this grey area makes their little heads hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsFTW Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 ONOS a governor is looking at things on a case by case basis and providing postive motivation! Someone should tell him he's scaring the binary republicans. All this grey area makes their little heads hurt. What could possibly be motivating by giving criminals the ability to vote again other than motivating them to vote for Democrats? Seriously. I personally think they should feel lucky to be out of prison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redphoenix Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 Thanks for the well thought out response. Confirms my earlier post about whining people on the right. Im not Republican or DemocRAT , I vote for what I think is right.This last election , with John Scumbag Kerry ,revealed to me that the left are nothing more then a bunch of power hungry scumbags of the earth that has no bottom when it comes to trying to win an election. Furthermore if their were any Democrats like we had 30,40,50,years ago I would vote them in hands down.But the ones out their now are scumbags.Nothing more nothing less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadets08 Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 He could care less about these felons. All Warner wanted to do here is restore the voting rights to these ex-cons so that they will vote Democrat during the Senate relection this year. Typical Lib move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 What could possibly be motivating by giving criminals the ability to vote again other than motivating them to vote for Democrats?Seriously. I personally think they should feel lucky to be out of prison. Is this a serious question? The only way to have your rights restored is to serve all your time and then go 5 years crime free. Giving people a good reason to live on the right side of the law and rewarding them for doing so promotes positive action. Anything you can do to encourage people to not break the law again is a good thing. Treating them like ***** for the rest of their lives has the opposite effect. But then again it's not about justice for some is it....it's about punishment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 He could care less about these felons. All Warner wanted to do here is restore the voting rights to these ex-cons so that they will vote Democrat during the Senate relection this year. Typical Lib move.That's a stupid thing to say....but I understand why you need to believe that. Sadly, if you bothered to pull your head out and look around you'd notice that what warner is doing is very VERY well received among democrats. It's not for votes...it's what the people he represents WANT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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