Christianity and the Confusion. :: Freedom and Voting Reform

Freedom and Voting Reform

by Marty on Sat 19 Feb 2005 05:32 PM PST | Permanent Link | Cosmos

In the article “Getting Serious About Election Reform” it states this:

Today Senators Clinton, Boxer and Kerry, along with Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, held a press conference to unveil an ambitious and very comprehensive election reform proposal, which they want enacted in time for the 2006 mid-term balloting. Thank God they moved quickly on this idea, instead of letting the memories of a second straight presidential election nearly winding up in the courts fade.

The proposal itself is pretty far-reaching, including (1) making Election Day a federal holiday, (2) creating uniform rules for handling of provisional ballots, (3) requiring early voting opportunities, along with no-questions-asked absentee balloting, (4) boosting training for poll workers, (5) criminalizing voter intimidation tactics, (6) restoring voting rights for former felons, (7) requiring paper receipts for electronic voting machines, and (8) providing the federal funds to make sure this reform isn't as shoddily impemented as its predecessor, the Help America Vote Act.

In this poll we ask you to vote on each one point. If you vote no, could you please explain why.

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Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by blondiegoin on Sat 19 Feb 2005 06:37 PM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

I wasn't sure about #3, why should there be no questions ask about absentee ballots? I'm also just not sure about letting felons vote. I know they have served their time, but shouldn't there be some sort of permanent punishment for their crimes. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think if they feel like they have lost something precious as voting maybe they will really change. Maybe if they have been clean for 10 or 20 years then give them their vote back. But the rest I agree with, even if it is from Democrats like Hillary and Boxer.

Re: Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by Pet on Sat 19 Feb 2005 07:10 PM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

I voted yes on 8 but I do worry about giving blank checks. (3) "no-questions-asked absentee balloting" why? What are they hiding that they don't want any questions? I agree with you about the felons, I know this is just my prejudice, but aren't most felons Democrats? Is that why they want them to vote?

Re: Re: Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by Marty on Sat 19 Feb 2005 07:15 PM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

Sorry Pet, but you are wrong on the last one. Crime knows no party, but the question should be if they have served their time, why shouldn�t all their rights be restored? Some people even think that since they are still citizens that they should be able to vote from prison. What do you think of that?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by Pet on Sat 19 Feb 2005 07:18 PM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

No way! There is no way I would agree to that last thing! They are in jail for a reason and if they don't like it then they sould have thought about it before doing the crime!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by blondiegoin on Sat 19 Feb 2005 07:59 PM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

Right it would be too easy to corrupt the vote, how many cigarette does it take to get your vote?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by Marty on Sat 19 Feb 2005 08:47 PM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

Oh, you are getting cute! Do you think they should be stripped of their citizenship too?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by Frankie B on Sat 19 Feb 2005 09:21 PM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

I agreed with all of them, but I don't know about this idea of letting prisoners vote.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by Marty on Sun 20 Feb 2005 06:25 PM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

There is the thought that if they are still citizens then they should have all the rights of citizens. Then again, no one would argue that prisoners should have the right to bare arms. I believe that once they have served their time all rights should be restored.

Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by Karen on Sat 26 Feb 2005 01:42 AM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

I just don't see why anyone would be opposed to these changes!

Re: Freedom and Voting Reform

by Rick on Sun 20 Feb 2005 08:38 AM PST | Profile | Permanent Link

This all sounds like a good start, but it needs to go further into campaign reform and an end to the nominees being picked by the powers that be in both parties.