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Florida high court sides with governor on felon voter rights

Let me explain the reasons for this ruling. When a person goes on Probation, instead of going to prison, they are charged court fees and probation fees. We have many probationers that finish probation, but don't pay their court costs and fees. These are the people who will not be able to vote, until they pay off their debt to the state. These fees help lower YOUR TAXES. If someone is on probation, should they pay for that or should your tax dollars pay for it?
 
ttwtt78640 said:
What else could something which is conditionally granted (restored?) by the state be called other than a privilege?
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Yep. That's the conflict I see.

It's a right, but the government seems to be treating it like a privilege - and now is even calling it as such.
 
Moot said:
Voting is a protected right as per the 14th amendment and a body of legislation and statutory law. All fines must be paid before being allowed to vote is little more than a poll tax.

Seriously, civics lessons with passing grades should be mandatory for anyone even considering running for office or taking a high position in government.
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And the 24th might seem to address this.
 
Cardinal said:
The problem is that it establishes a poll tax. That’s quite specifically unconstitutional.
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No it doesn't establish a poll tax.

As they are fined during their sentencing period.
in order to get their voting rights back they must complete their sentence.

part of their sentence are fines if any.

a poll tax is something completely different.
they are not paying to register to vote.

They are completing a mandated sentence by the state.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
What else could something which is conditionally granted (restored?) by the state be called other than a privilege?
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Do you have 100% first amendment rights in prison? No, you do not. They can be conditionally granted or amended in prison. So are you saying the first amendment is a privilege?
 
swing_voter said:
I imagine that most felons won't vote anyways. I'd like to see a study.
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Irrelevent trash. It's a RIGHT. Not a privilege. This is a mask slip; republicans WANT it to be a privilege - for the wealthy and the white, only.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
What else could something which is conditionally granted (restored?) by the state be called other than a privilege?
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Voting is an enumerated right. Of course republicants would want to restrict who can and cannot vote.
 
ludin said:
No it doesn't establish a poll tax.

As they are fined during their sentencing period.
in order to get their voting rights back they must complete their sentence.

part of their sentence are fines if any.

a poll tax is something completely different.
they are not paying to register to vote.

They are completing a mandated sentence by the state.
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Voter ID, by definition, is a poll tax.
 
gino said:
Let me explain the reasons for this ruling. When a person goes on Probation, instead of going to prison, they are charged court fees and probation fees. We have many probationers that finish probation, but don't pay their court costs and fees. These are the people who will not be able to vote, until they pay off their debt to the state. These fees help lower YOUR TAXES. If someone is on probation, should they pay for that or should your tax dollars pay for it?
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If you are a felon i seriously doubt you are just going to have probation and some court costs and fees.
if you are a felon you have probably served time in prison. if you are convicted of a felony then you lose the right to
vote in many places FL is one of them.

Part of their sentencing is fines etc ... to complete their sentencing that should be paid.
 
Chomsky said:
Yep. A privilege easily denied.
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only if you are a felon are you denied a right to vote.
i have pretty much voted in every election since i was 18.
 
Praxas said:
Do you have 100% first amendment rights in prison? No, you do not. They can be conditionally granted or amended in prison. So are you saying the first amendment is a privilege?
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Nope, I am saying that rights can be (and often are) severely restricted, converted to privileges or completely removed after a criminal conviction (due process of law).
 
Chomsky said:
Source: (AP) Florida high court sides with governor on felon voter rights

I saw this bit of news come across CTV, and decided to do a little research. Not research into the substance of the ruling, but rather research into the celebratory victory Tweet Governor DeSantis did in response to the ruling.

The DeSantis Tweet segment in question, is the last quote in my O.P. Here it is again below, with my adding emphasis to the part I'm focusing upon:

Voting is a "privilege"? This is the attitude of the FL Republican governor? Whether Fruedian slip or not, I find this statement appalling.
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Quite easily explained, really.

twump supporters gleefully wallow in pig-ignorance in emulation of and worshipful respect of their king.
 
Chomsky said:
Yep. A privilege easily denied.
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Correct, and one they still control to this day. They fear democracy because democracy holds them to account. Thus they must dismantle it at every possible turn.
 
Chomsky said:
Right is inherent. Privilege is granted.
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See, this is why I consider you the last rational liberal on this site! The left doesnt believe in inherent rights, so you may want to keep that sort of heresy to yourself. Id hate to see you get cancelled lol
 
Obscurity said:
Voter ID, by definition, is a poll tax.
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please look up poll tax.
then get back to me. i know leftist hate definitions and this is why.
it blows their stupid arguments out of the water.

This is not a poll tax.
if part of their sentencing they have to a 200 fine then that is part of their sentence.
to get their voting rights back they must complete their sentence.

that is not a poll tax. we do not have poll taxes in florida. they are unconstitutional.
 
Obscurity said:
Voting is an enumerated right. Of course republicants would want to restrict who can and cannot vote.
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Life and liberty are also enumerated as rights but can be taken away by due process of law.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
Nope, I am saying that rights can be (and often are) severely restricted, converted to privileges or completely removed after a criminal conviction (due process of law).
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And that is wrong IMO, at least when they get out of prison/jail and serve their probation. If a person serves their time and parole, they should have ALL their rights completely restored. If they are a danger to society that full rights cannot be restored, they shouldn't be let out then. FYI before some people come in, that includes 1st, 2nd, all amendment rights as well as voting rights.
 
ludin said:
only if you are a felon are you denied a right to vote.
i have pretty much voted in every election since i was 18.
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You may agree with disenfranchisement, but I don't. I would not abridge the right to vote for any citizen. I might have some qualms with those adjudged mentally incompetent, but even there I'm not sure. Sorry, but I believe prisoners have their rights.
 
ludin said:
please look up poll tax.
then get back to me. i know leftist hate definitions and this is why.
it blows their stupid arguments out of the water.

This is not a poll tax.
if part of their sentencing they have to a 200 fine then that is part of their sentence.
to get their voting rights back they must complete their sentence.

that is not a poll tax. we do not have poll taxes in florida. they are unconstitutional.
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If you conservatives REALLY cared about voter ID, you wouldn't care if the state paid for it. Alas, it isn't voting IDs you are concerned with but keeping the poor from the polls.
 
Praxas said:
And that is wrong IMO, at least when they get out of prison/jail and serve their probation. If a person serves their time and parole, they should have ALL their rights completely restored. If they are a danger to society that full rights cannot be restored, they shouldn't be let out then. FYI before some people come in, that includes 1st, 2nd, all amendment rights as well as voting rights.
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I agree, but would add complying with any court ordered victim restitution/fine included in a sentence.
 
Apparently some believe that a debt to society can still be paid even though there are outstanding debts to society.

So is the logic that voting should be restored to those who have paid their debt to society, or not?
 
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