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Bloomberg should take that $100 million for FL & pay the fines for all ex-felons (Original Post) Roland99 Sep 2020 OP
Have read it's very complicated as they don't know what they owe soothsayer Sep 2020 #1
read that too. some bills are easily paid others lost in records hell. prob is u think msongs Sep 2020 #3
I thought Lebron was doing that but Florida didn't keep records of how much the felons owe kimbutgar Sep 2020 #2
Whoa! They can't get out until they pay their fines, but no one knows what the fines are? This... TreasonousBastard Sep 2020 #5
I think they are out, they just can't vote until some amount is paid, whatever that is. Hoyt Sep 2020 #7
correct dameatball Sep 2020 #17
correct dameatball Sep 2020 #18
It's a poll tax, not debtor's prison, since they aren't in prison anymore. nt tblue37 Sep 2020 #22
OK ("poll tax", btw). But poll taxes were banned by the 14th, 15th and 24th Amendments and were TreasonousBastard Sep 2020 #28
Yeah. Autocorrect got me. And yes, of course it's illegal, but a Republican judge just OK'd it tblue37 Sep 2020 #29
That needs to be taken to court. The court should give them 30 days to produce the final amount BComplex Sep 2020 #8
He needs to focus on GOTV for the whole state and as others said the fines are complicated JI7 Sep 2020 #4
Exactly still_one Sep 2020 #6
Here's where to donate to an organization that pays the fines: Qutzupalotl Sep 2020 #9
You assume they would all vote democratic. While I'm fine with helping with the fines JI7 Sep 2020 #10
Only pay fines after a quick interview. Flush out the Trumpers. Funtatlaguy Sep 2020 #12
So in other words, you are fine with felon's inability to vote if they are non-voters or Trumpers? Claustrum Sep 2020 #14
Yes. Call it situational ethics for now ...but, yes, whatever helps us win. Funtatlaguy Sep 2020 #15
I still think it's better to target race, gender, age issues is better than just focusing on felons Claustrum Sep 2020 #16
Unquestionably...the felon vote is absurdly over hyped Awsi Dooger Sep 2020 #30
Exactly, I also see a lot of once Texas turn blue, GOP will forever be doomed. Claustrum Sep 2020 #31
So much this!!! Claustrum Sep 2020 #13
Or that they would register and vote. Some would, but many maybe wouldn't. nt tblue37 Sep 2020 #24
I donated last night Thunderbeast Sep 2020 #11
Florida is a RW leaning state. Are the majority of ex-felons conservative or liberal? TheBlackAdder Sep 2020 #19
My guess is liberal, since the Republicans are the ones blocking their voting rights. LNM Sep 2020 #20
That's based on race . Many black people are treated more harshly JI7 Sep 2020 #21
Why do you assume they would end up voting...much less vote Democratic? brooklynite Sep 2020 #23
A fund setup for those seeking to vote wouldn't be that difficult Roland99 Sep 2020 #26
I think a commitment to vote as the requirement to get criminal penalties paid would be illegal. brooklynite Sep 2020 #27
LeBron James and other pro athletes are already stepping here. GoCubsGo Sep 2020 #25

msongs

(67,199 posts)
3. read that too. some bills are easily paid others lost in records hell. prob is u think
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 05:33 PM
Sep 2020

you've paid all the outstanding fees etc then at vote time the repubs pop up with more fees they've hidden away (if they are that smart)

kimbutgar

(20,882 posts)
2. I thought Lebron was doing that but Florida didn't keep records of how much the felons owe
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 05:32 PM
Sep 2020

I frickin despise republicans in Florida!

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
5. Whoa! They can't get out until they pay their fines, but no one knows what the fines are? This...
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 05:41 PM
Sep 2020

is obscene.

Debtor's prisons were abolished by federal law in 1833. Since they wouldn't go away, the Supreme Court abolished them again in 1983.

But they are still not going away!

Another reason to support the ACLU-- it has a large project going to fight this bullshit.

tblue37

(64,982 posts)
22. It's a poll tax, not debtor's prison, since they aren't in prison anymore. nt
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 07:05 PM
Sep 2020

Last edited Sun Sep 13, 2020, 07:49 PM - Edit history (1)

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
28. OK ("poll tax", btw). But poll taxes were banned by the 14th, 15th and 24th Amendments and were
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 07:39 PM
Sep 2020

finally put to rest by the Supreme Court in 1966.

So it's still illegal.

BComplex

(7,984 posts)
8. That needs to be taken to court. The court should give them 30 days to produce the final amount
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 05:51 PM
Sep 2020

and whatever they say that amount is, they can't come back later and say it's more than that. Final should be final, and it should be on a judge's order.

That's wrong on so many levels for them to tie these former prisoners like that. They've paid their debt to society, they should be good to go.

The ACLU aught to be all the hell over this issue.

JI7

(89,182 posts)
4. He needs to focus on GOTV for the whole state and as others said the fines are complicated
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 05:34 PM
Sep 2020

and others are dealing with it. But he can put some of the money towards it.

Qutzupalotl

(14,230 posts)
9. Here's where to donate to an organization that pays the fines:
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 05:53 PM
Sep 2020
https://floridarrc.com/

We may not be billionaires, but collectively we have power.

JI7

(89,182 posts)
10. You assume they would all vote democratic. While I'm fine with helping with the fines
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 05:58 PM
Sep 2020

for anyone that needs it , that alone is not going to help win the state.

Im sure some are Trump supporters and some won't vote.

So money needs to go towards many areas.

Claustrum

(4,845 posts)
16. I still think it's better to target race, gender, age issues is better than just focusing on felons
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 06:22 PM
Sep 2020

because being felon isn't a special group that leans one way or another politically. But these people decide to vote just the same way based on race, gender, age, education level, etc.

Helping the felon is definitely part of the winning equation but it isn't the one thing we do and we win FL that some people seem to think.

 

Awsi Dooger

(14,565 posts)
30. Unquestionably...the felon vote is absurdly over hyped
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 08:28 PM
Sep 2020

It is a terrible allocation of resources to target that vote. Many detailed studies have indicated it would basically split down the middle. There was one that suggested it would lean slightly red.

Ever since this bill was passed in 2018 there was nonsensical belief that you could take the gross number and assign the entirety to the Democrat. That is Happy Adjuster caliber of thinking, the same mindset that has had Trump resigning 25 different times.

Just get rid of it. There is reason the country remains close to 50/50 despite one demographic shift after another. There are always balances in the other direction. It is far more logical to attempt persuasion among known voters and logical categories of swing voters.

Claustrum

(4,845 posts)
31. Exactly, I also see a lot of once Texas turn blue, GOP will forever be doomed.
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 09:30 PM
Sep 2020

First, even if Texas turn blue, it doesn't stay blue forever. It will most likely be purple that could flip either way. Secondly, WI, MN, NV and some other states are trending more red along with the already red OH. It looks to me that the purple states will be different but the advantage whichever side get won't be so overwhelming that the other will have no chance of winning ever.

Claustrum

(4,845 posts)
13. So much this!!!
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 06:08 PM
Sep 2020

I don't understand why people seem to think felons will all vote one way or the other. Their votes are more likely to be affected by their race, education level, gender, etc. than their felon status. That's not saying help is not needed but getting all of them to vote doesn't guarantee a win as much as people like to think.

Thunderbeast

(3,383 posts)
11. I donated last night
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 05:59 PM
Sep 2020

Trump CAN NOT win without Florida.

Florida is ALWAYS close (see 2000).

The restored votes CAN tip this election.

Voting rights restoration is the right thing to do....AND is a great political investment.

TheBlackAdder

(28,076 posts)
19. Florida is a RW leaning state. Are the majority of ex-felons conservative or liberal?
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 06:56 PM
Sep 2020

.

While voting is a right that should be returned to all citizens, especially after paying their debt to society, I'm not sure this would have the effect that a lot of people think will result. Any thoughts?

.

LNM

(1,068 posts)
20. My guess is liberal, since the Republicans are the ones blocking their voting rights.
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 07:00 PM
Sep 2020

and I agree, it should be returned to all citizens.

JI7

(89,182 posts)
21. That's based on race . Many black people are treated more harshly
Sun Sep 13, 2020, 07:03 PM
Sep 2020

and some are probably wrongly convicted.

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