S05.E22: Felony Voting Disenfranchisement

[Athena]

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Other segments: Brett Kavanaugh and Supreme Court lifetime appointments, International Space Station leak

 

[ahisma]

The next show will be September 9. Here's the internet exclusive tidbit, “Retractions”:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/2nXYbGmF3_Q

Edited August 27, 2018 by ahisma

[Annber03]

Seeing that board of all the possible suspects in relation to that hole in the spaceship made me think of "Trial & Error"-I was mentally chanting "Spaceship board! Spaceship board!" the whole time :D. What a weird story-I'm all for further investigation into that!

Regarding Rick Scott, I just remember this story about him from some years back, where he wanted people who were applying for welfare to go through drug testing:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2015/02/17/the-sham-of-drug-testing-walker-scott-and-political-pandering/#1ecbac4a59be

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Scott, for example, claimed that drug abuse was “much higher”⁠ in welfare recipients. In fact, the rate was 2%, compared to 9.4% in the general population.

In a story about this, 02/02/12, The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi challenged Fl. Rep. Scott Plakin, who insisted citizens should “be happy” for the opportunity to be tested, to undergo drug testing himself, since his salary is entirely at the expense of taxpayers. Mandvi then does the same to Gov. Scott. Shockingly, both declined. The priceless video is here.

 

So it doesn't surprise me that he'd be just as stupid on this voting issue. Frankly, given how many politicians have been caught in some kind of criminal scandal over the years (and currently...ahem...looking at you, certain White House residents), they're about the last people who should be getting on any sort of high horse regarding this particular issue. I feel so bad for the poor guy who got denied despite having done so much to turn his life around-I hope he can find some way to fight that ruling. 

The mention of Florida's history of issues with voting made me nervous, too, given the upcoming elections. I continue to keep my fingers crossed, though, that enough people get out and send a much needed message to so many politicians this November. Between the "Fear" book and this recent op-ed craziness and whatnot, I'm just so beyond ready for all this insane bullshit to end and for so many people to leave office. There's got to be a light at the end of this dark tunnel coming eventually, right? 

The talk of changing how long Supreme Court appointees serve was interesting, too-whenever the Democrats do get back into office, that's definitely something they should look into. 

[Lantern7]

I don’t drink pumpkin spice lattes. I just never got into coffee, so I don’t have any opinion of PSL, let alone a strong one.

Some people shouldn’t be able to vote, but I’m now thinking that’s a small chunk of the disenfranchised. And, of course, Florida’s actions fuck things up for the rest of the nation. I wouldn’t be shocked if there’s a figurative mountain of quirky news bits that makes the state look like Asshole Central.

ETA: I meant a mountain at the LWT offices. Or maybe a room full of clips, where interns get less than a foot inside, pull out three tapes, and that would be enough for four episodes.

Edited September 10, 2018 by Lantern7

[attica]

A smart black man who works with other offenders is just the kind of dude that terrifies the likes of Rick Scott. He might be (GASP!) an organizer! He might marshal forces to elect more Ds to the state house! Deny that man his franchise! Dude can't be replaced soon enough.

Post-felon rights in my state (NY) have improved lately. Back in the Obama era, there were a few more hoops to jump through, judge-wise (but nothing like FL). Now, it's automatic (but you have to re-register) once you're on probation or done with parole, and the governor has been issuing decrees for folks still on parole granting restoration (depending on the offense).

Space Mice Drilling is the name of my next band.

[ganesh]

You're talking 6 million voters in a state where TWO presidential elections were decided by less than 160000 votes total. 

I can't fathom how this board has violated due process and not been sued. 

[link417]

19 minutes ago, ganesh said:

You're talking 6 million voters in a state where TWO presidential elections were decided by less than 160000 votes total. 

I can't fathom how this board has violated due process and not been sued. 

The “Do you go to church?/What church do you go to?” questioning is beyond the pale, how can they possibly get away with that?!

[ganesh]

It's also illegal. 

I'm not really a term limits person, but I take the point that the lifetime appointment was made a long time ago when life expectancy was shorter. Updating the constitution to reflect societal changes were what was intended when it was written, despite this whole Originalist ridiculousness. I find the 18 years to be arbitrary and wonder what the reasoning is. Why not 27? Or an age limit of 85? 

[Annber03]

48 minutes ago, link417 said:

The “Do you go to church?/What church do you go to?” questioning is beyond the pale, how can they possibly get away with that?!

Agreed. Going to church is not an automatic indicator of how "good" a person you are. I don't get how people still fail to understand that fact. 

[ganesh]

Are these people under oath? Because I would have just lied. 

[iMonrey]

I'm totally ordering my copy of Johnny Abracadabra as soon as the legal hurdles are cleared.

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I'm not really a term limits person, but I take the point that the lifetime appointment was made a long time ago when life expectancy was shorter. 

It's actually a common misconception that people didn't used to live as long as they do now because of the oft-quoted "average life expectancy." Said expectancy takes into account the much higher infant mortality rates we used to have - when less than 50% of people survive infancy the "average age" goes way down. But in fact, assuming you lived into adulthood, people were known to live just as long as they do now. 

Justices did used to retire earlier, however, and that only speaks to how partisan the Supreme Court has become. 

[ganesh]

Then that's not a good answer for term limits on scotus then. It would require amending the constitution, which isn't supposed to be easy, but it is doable. I would be interested in when justices retired, or why the lifetime appointment was written in the first place. Probably just as interesting is how to compel the senate to execute their constitutionally mandated duty and not just flat out refuse to. The other being that it shouldn't be only a majority to confirm. 

I did find this, though - http://www.scotusblog.com/2018/05/empirical-scotus-retirement-plan-blues/

[iMonrey]

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I would be interested in when justices retired, or why the lifetime appointment was written in the first place.

I think the lifetime appointment was originally supposed to help prevent partisanship. If you don't need to get re-elected you are, in theory, free to follow the rule of law without political consideration. But politics itself has just found a way around that by appointing the most extreme left or right wing judges they can find (more the latter of late). 

[ganesh]

Garland was fairly moderate. It's also a product of taking out the 60 vote floor though. 

[ahisma]

On 9/10/2018 at 6:37 AM, attica said:

Dude can't be replaced soon enough.

I disliked Scott before, but watching him in action at the rights restoration hearings—I cannot begin to express my loathing. The whole setup is positively feudal. Ugh. 

[Victor the Crab]

When Ollie started talking about voter disenfranchisement among ex-cons, I knew his subject would turn to Florida and its middle aged bat boy, Rick Scott (thank Samantha for pointing that out on Full Frontal). What really stuck in my craw about that panel was that oaf asking people if they are or have become Christians. NOT APPLICABLE, JERKFACE! I hope the efforts to repeal this awful system is overturned in the voting booths, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

It's still summer. Why the fuck are they pushing pumpkins spice shit? On the other hand, LWT announcing the arrival of pumpkin spice season like a monster truck commercial does my funny bone good.

Looks like the space mice have gotten to Ollie. LWT won't return until the 23rd.

[OneWhoLurks]

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No questions of faith were asked in the meeting Tuesday. 

Richard Greenberg, president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, represents clients in clemency meetings on a regular basis.

"John Oliver will probably take most of the credit," Greenberg said. "If you watched his show the other night, it was an expose on how the clemency process has been handled in the state of Florida the last few years. I think it's a good step forward to be granting more of these applications."

 

John Oliver credited for clemency board's change of heart

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For only the third time this year — but this time under a withering national media glare — Florida’s highest elected officials sat in judgment Tuesday of people whose mistakes cost them the right to vote.

During a five-hour hearing, 90 felons made their case to Florida Gov. Rick Scott and three members of the Cabinet, asking to have their rights restored.

It was a packed house in the Cabinet room of the state Capitol, as Tuesday’s hearing drew reporters and cameras from, among other outlets, NPR, The Huffington Post and The Guardian. The hearings typically attract one or two members of the Tallahassee press corps.

This HBO comedian ridiculed Florida’s clemency process. Rick Scott takes it seriously.

Edited September 15, 2018 by OneWhoLurks