Should Felons Be Allowed To Vote Essay
Political Science 1010
20 November 2013
Should felons be allowed to vote?
As a college student who does not have a felony on their record and is not familiar with the extremities of the justice system and voting laws I have taken is upon myself to do some reasearch on the positive and negatives of having voting rights. I have also taken into consideration many other peoples point of views from the internet and from this I have formed the opinion that felons should in fact have the right to vote. This might not be the most popular, right, or wrong thing to do but it is how I feel and I have brainstormed three very logical points on why felons should regain their right to vote after their release from prison. These three well thought …show more content…
out reasons are; if voting directly effects felons why should they be denied the right to effect voting results?, they pay into taxes just like everyone else so they should be able to decide how their taxes are being used, and because America is a democracy which means having the representation of everyone. While reading my paper, keeping an open mind will help in forming a just and effective opinion. The first logical reasons explaining why felons should be allowed to vote is because voting results can directly effect them and their lives so they should have the ability and right to effect voting.
It doesn't seem fair to me that laws passed such as Obamacare could effect their insurance policies but they have no way of having their voices heard about how they feel their health insurance policies are handled. I use Obamacare as an example because it is in fact relevant in our society today. Felons may be trying to get on their feet and the government nailing them with the fact they must pay so many hundred or thousands of dollars right after getting out of prison could lead them back into the situation that they were in before. It is proven that most felons were charged because they were trying to provide for themselves or their families not because they are bad people. In result of Obamacare, felons might feel forced back into this innevitable cycle of crime because they are trying to provide for themselves or their families. Therefore, felons should have a say in weather Obamacare gets passed through or not since it will directly be effecting them. This is only one example that I focused on but there are many other out there that are just am
important. My second statement to support why felons should be allowed to vote is that they rejoined society, they are active members of society having to pay taxes just like everyone else so they should have the right to vote like everyone else. If they pay taxtes they should be able to vote on where their tax money is going. I feel that while felons are serving their times in prison, no, they should not be allowed to vote because they are not a part of society and should be punished for their crime but once they re-enter society as a free citizen they should be able to have their rights back. They are expected to get jobs and are responsible to pay into taxes so they need to have the voice to say where their hard earned money goes. Their money they earned with the sweat off of their backs doesn't spend any different than a person who does not have a felony. A felon's hard earned money isn't any less and is earned in the same way as ours so I don't feel it is fair that we treat them any differently. The third and final most important and logical reasons why felons need to have the right to vote is because the United States of America is a democracy and democracies include representation of all people. If such such a large number of out people (felons) are being left out this seems to me like it is violating the meaning of democracy. Not allowing felons to vote is discrimination and should not be allowed once they are again, productive members of society. Democracies allow citizen to equally participate in their communities but this is not the case if the government is not allowing someone who has in the past gotten a felony on their record. Having a felony charge on your record disables you from getting certain jobs or traveling to certain places and I strongly feel that is a large enough punishment. Felons shouldn't be put to shame again and again through their lives. They obviously know what they did, served their time so let them move on to bigger and better things. In conclusion felons should be able to vote after they have paid their dues and and served their time. They earn this right back when they become active members of society because voting results effect them, they are required to pay into taxes like every other american citizen , and because the USA is in fact a democracy that is supposed to represent all people. If evreyone would open their minds to these few points I am making, felons could eventually gain their right to vote in the future. If you still do not understand what I am trying to say or do not agree here is a thought I will leave you with. How are felons supposed to move on and regain their integrity as a citizen and as a productive member of society after paying their dues and serving their time if they are reminded every single time a ballot comes about that they aren't equal to people surround them in their community?
20 November 2013
Should felons be allowed to vote?
As a college student who does not have a felony on their record and is not familiar with the extremities of the justice system and voting laws I have taken is upon myself to do some reasearch on the positive and negatives of having voting rights. I have also taken into consideration many other peoples point of views from the internet and from this I have formed the opinion that felons should in fact have the right to vote. This might not be the most popular, right, or wrong thing to do but it is how I feel and I have brainstormed three very logical points on why felons should regain their right to vote after their release from prison. These three well thought …show more content…
out reasons are; if voting directly effects felons why should they be denied the right to effect voting results?, they pay into taxes just like everyone else so they should be able to decide how their taxes are being used, and because America is a democracy which means having the representation of everyone. While reading my paper, keeping an open mind will help in forming a just and effective opinion. The first logical reasons explaining why felons should be allowed to vote is because voting results can directly effect them and their lives so they should have the ability and right to effect voting.
It doesn't seem fair to me that laws passed such as Obamacare could effect their insurance policies but they have no way of having their voices heard about how they feel their health insurance policies are handled. I use Obamacare as an example because it is in fact relevant in our society today. Felons may be trying to get on their feet and the government nailing them with the fact they must pay so many hundred or thousands of dollars right after getting out of prison could lead them back into the situation that they were in before. It is proven that most felons were charged because they were trying to provide for themselves or their families not because they are bad people. In result of Obamacare, felons might feel forced back into this innevitable cycle of crime because they are trying to provide for themselves or their families. Therefore, felons should have a say in weather Obamacare gets passed through or not since it will directly be effecting them. This is only one example that I focused on but there are many other out there that are just am
important. My second statement to support why felons should be allowed to vote is that they rejoined society, they are active members of society having to pay taxes just like everyone else so they should have the right to vote like everyone else. If they pay taxtes they should be able to vote on where their tax money is going. I feel that while felons are serving their times in prison, no, they should not be allowed to vote because they are not a part of society and should be punished for their crime but once they re-enter society as a free citizen they should be able to have their rights back. They are expected to get jobs and are responsible to pay into taxes so they need to have the voice to say where their hard earned money goes. Their money they earned with the sweat off of their backs doesn't spend any different than a person who does not have a felony. A felon's hard earned money isn't any less and is earned in the same way as ours so I don't feel it is fair that we treat them any differently. The third and final most important and logical reasons why felons need to have the right to vote is because the United States of America is a democracy and democracies include representation of all people. If such such a large number of out people (felons) are being left out this seems to me like it is violating the meaning of democracy. Not allowing felons to vote is discrimination and should not be allowed once they are again, productive members of society. Democracies allow citizen to equally participate in their communities but this is not the case if the government is not allowing someone who has in the past gotten a felony on their record. Having a felony charge on your record disables you from getting certain jobs or traveling to certain places and I strongly feel that is a large enough punishment. Felons shouldn't be put to shame again and again through their lives. They obviously know what they did, served their time so let them move on to bigger and better things. In conclusion felons should be able to vote after they have paid their dues and and served their time. They earn this right back when they become active members of society because voting results effect them, they are required to pay into taxes like every other american citizen , and because the USA is in fact a democracy that is supposed to represent all people. If evreyone would open their minds to these few points I am making, felons could eventually gain their right to vote in the future. If you still do not understand what I am trying to say or do not agree here is a thought I will leave you with. How are felons supposed to move on and regain their integrity as a citizen and as a productive member of society after paying their dues and serving their time if they are reminded every single time a ballot comes about that they aren't equal to people surround them in their community?