Current Events > FL lawmakers looking to block felon re-enfranchisement, despite 64% vote

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-lawmakers-might-not-restore-voting-rights-to-felons-2018-12?

Florida lawmakers might not be ready to put Amendment 4 a measure approved by 64.5% of Florida voters that would give voting rights back to most felons who have completed their sentences into action.

According to WFTV 9, a local news station in Florida, the state has put enforcement of the amendment on pause until the new governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, is sworn in. WFTV reported that lawmakers are waiting to see if the Florida Legislature might need to weigh in on the measure. The amendment, which would restore voting rights to more than 1.5 million felons, does not call for any involvement of this kind.

In Florida, 23% of African-American adults cannot vote due to a previous felony conviction. Amendment 4, the measure that would change that, received wide support among residents in a state with strict clemency laws. It was scheduled to take effect on January 8.

Now, Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles told WFTV that "it could be that the new governor and secretary of state have a new direction" regarding the establishment of the measure.

"So, it's just going to be a wait and see," Cowles said, adding that state lawmakers have put a pause on checking any packets of information about the measure since December 1.

Last week, Florida's Secretary of State Ken Detzner, a Republican, told reporters that it would be "inappropriate" for the state to "to charge off without direction from" the legislature. The ballot language, he argued, is unclear. Democratic state Sen. Darryl Rouson, a former prosecuting attorney, told the Florida Phoenix that he "would dislike the Legislature from taking any steps that might be perceived as thwarting or slowing down the voter's intent."

For his part, DeSantis, who opposed the measure, told the Palm Beach Post that the amendment should not be put into effect until after the he and the state legislature approve "implementing language." The 60-day legislative session in the state begins March 5.

"There's no way you can go through this session without implementing it," he said.

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Bio already made this topic on the 14th. Gotta keep up or he's gonna replace you as the "posts news stories without comment" guy.
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Do democratic legislatures go out of their way to hobble the will of the voters as frequently as republican ones do?
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A_Good_Boy posted...

Do democratic legislatures go out of their way to hobble the will of the voters as frequently as republican ones do?

No. Democrats don't cheat the system to the degree that Republicans do that the democrats generally care about public opinion on policies more.
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Tmaster148 posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

Do democratic legislatures go out of their way to hobble the will of the voters as frequently as republican ones do?

No. Democrats don't cheat the system to the degree that Republicans do that the democrats generally care about public opinion on policies more.

Democrats will vote for literally anything if 51% of Americans support it.
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DarkRoast posted...

Tmaster148 posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

Do democratic legislatures go out of their way to hobble the will of the voters as frequently as republican ones do?

No. Democrats don't cheat the system to the degree that Republicans do that the democrats generally care about public opinion on policies more.

Democrats will vote for literally anything if 51% of Americans support it.

Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work?
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A_Good_Boy posted...

DarkRoast posted...

Tmaster148 posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

Do democratic legislatures go out of their way to hobble the will of the voters as frequently as republican ones do?

No. Democrats don't cheat the system to the degree that Republicans do that the democrats generally care about public opinion on policies more.

Democrats will vote for literally anything if 51% of Americans support it.

Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work?

Yeah. In an actual democracy.

Tyranny of the majority etc etc
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DarkRoast posted...

Democrats will vote for literally anything if 51% of Americans support it.

You'd think they'd be more in favor of universal healthcare and legalizing pot, then.
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Antifar posted...

DarkRoast posted...

Democrats will vote for literally anything if 51% of Americans support it.

You'd think they'd be more in favor of universal healthcare and legalizing pot, then.

They really should be.

They were so close to getting actual UHC passed, but then shit the bed at the last moment. I'm still salty.

But too many of them are in deep with big pharma and insurance companies.
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DarkRoast posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

DarkRoast posted...

Tmaster148 posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

Do democratic legislatures go out of their way to hobble the will of the voters as frequently as republican ones do?

No. Democrats don't cheat the system to the degree that Republicans do that the democrats generally care about public opinion on policies more.

Democrats will vote for literally anything if 51% of Americans support it.

Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work?

Yeah. In an actual democracy.

Tyranny of the majority etc etc

Where's the tyranny in allowing felons to vote after their sentences are completed?
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A_Good_Boy posted...

DarkRoast posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

DarkRoast posted...

Tmaster148 posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

Do democratic legislatures go out of their way to hobble the will of the voters as frequently as republican ones do?

No. Democrats don't cheat the system to the degree that Republicans do that the democrats generally care about public opinion on policies more.

Democrats will vote for literally anything if 51% of Americans support it.

Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work?

Yeah. In an actual democracy.

Tyranny of the majority etc etc

Where's the tyranny in allowing felons to vote after their sentences are completed?

I support it.

Thought we were talking about "parties" and "democracy"
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DarkRoast posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

DarkRoast posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

DarkRoast posted...

Tmaster148 posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

Do democratic legislatures go out of their way to hobble the will of the voters as frequently as republican ones do?

No. Democrats don't cheat the system to the degree that Republicans do that the democrats generally care about public opinion on policies more.

Democrats will vote for literally anything if 51% of Americans support it.

Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work?

Yeah. In an actual democracy.

Tyranny of the majority etc etc

Where's the tyranny in allowing felons to vote after their sentences are completed?

I support it.

Thought we were talking about "parties" and "democracy"

I'm not sure at all how your point even relates to my original comment. You drunk?
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Whatever jeez relax.

"Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work?"

"Yes in a democracy"

-explodes-
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god forbid the majority get their way in a democracy

Fam_Fam posted...

god forbid the majority get their way in a democracy

1.) I agree that they should have their voting rights restored, but this idea that public policy votes should always be respected is ridiculous. There's a reason we have representatives:

The tyranny of the majority (or tyranny of the masses) is an inherent weakness of majority rule in which the majority of an electorate can and does place its own interests above, and at the expense of, those in the minority. This results in oppression of minority groups comparable to that of a tyrant or despot, argued John Stuart Mill in his 1859 book On Liberty.[1]

A representative's job is to weigh the will of his or her electorate with the good of the country and all people within it. They often do clash.
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DarkRoast posted...

1.) I agree that they should have their voting rights restored, but this idea that public policy votes should always be respected is ridiculous. There's a reason we have representatives:

Which instances are you even talking about?
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DarkRoast posted...

Whatever jeez relax.

"Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work?"

"Yes in a democracy"

-explodes-

You're trying to hard. When your gimmick is insufferable contrarian, the good bait will show itself
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Look man, your argument is that it's wrong to go against the will of the people in a democracy. My argument is that our system was deliberately designed to allow it.
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Holy shit 23%
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But if republicans did what the people wanted how would they ever get in power?
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DarkRoast posted...

Fam_Fam posted...

god forbid the majority get their way in a democracy

1.) I agree that they should have their voting rights restored, but this idea that public policy votes should always be respected is ridiculous. There's a reason we have representatives:

The tyranny of the majority (or tyranny of the masses) is an inherent weakness of majority rule in which the majority of an electorate can and does place its own interests above, and at the expense of, those in the minority. This results in oppression of minority groups comparable to that of a tyrant or despot, argued John Stuart Mill in his 1859 book On Liberty.[1]

A representative's job is to weigh the will of his or her electorate with the good of the country and all people within it. They often do clash.

then they can and should vote against people that vote against their interests and then get someone new into office that will do what they'd like