given how little one vote matter, it seems to me that stripping felons of their right to vote is both petty and counterproductive if the point was to reform them into civic minded individuals ?

interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 372 points –

Also, seems kind of scary that this implies a future where so many people are in prison that their vote could actually tip the balance ?

107

You are viewing a single comment

What is the rationale of not letting felons vote? I'm guessing a felon is something significant like murder or aggravated assault?

The rationale is if you make a specific population you don’t like extremely likely to get felonies due to scenarios you place them in you can prevent millions of people from voting. It’s one of many ways the US creates second class citizens and cheap (basically free) labor. Wildfires in California are fought by people in prison, products are made by them too.

The US loves cheap/free (slave) labor and removing the chance to vote and change these unjust laws benefits the oppressors much like preventing enslaved people from learning to read

Not always, could be for drug possession, vandalism, identity theft, fraud, blackmail, obstruction of justice, and so on. There are a lot of nonviolent felonies that land you in the same pool as murderers and rapists.