Fifty-eight percent of GOP voters said in the new survey convicted felons should be allowed to become president if they are elected. YouGov noted that just 17 percent of Republicans held that opinion in April.
In February, 34 percent of GOP voters said criminality was among their least desired traits. Now, 19 percent say the same.
Incredible.
While I think it’s funny that the tough on crime crowd is rallying behind a convicted felon it’s important to remember that sometimes there ARE people who have been politically suppressed. Eugene Debs ran in 1920 for the socialist party. He’d been convicted for speaking out against WW1 at the time. He didn’t win, but he did run.
What I hope is that Trump just doesn’t win. His support goes way beyond simple constitutional rights or freedom of speech. These GOP voters are not REALLY saying convicted felons should be allowed to become president. They are saying TRUMP should be allowed to become president. It’s populist, slightly cultish, and entirely frightening. Due process means nothing, personality and whatever they personally view as “strength” are what matters to them.
slightly cultish
Slightly?
Yes, obviously they are not actually changing their actual view(s) at all; their only actual view is “what we do is right, what ‘others’ do is wrong”. That stays forever unchanged, it’s just their outward-facing rhetoric that changes.
The laws around felons and felonies is a whole 'nother discussion. It’s an arbitrary category that differs by state, and was only really created in order to give a veneer of legality for punishing certain groups more harshly. But yes, I’d vote for Debs in a heartbeat.
Party of Law & Order
Really, they’re much more open to change than us stodgy Progressives are; they’ll literally change their basic morals in a matter of months! (White) Crime? No problem! Police? First they’re friends, then after J6 they’re fascists, then after the campus protests they’re friends again! If Jesus ever comes back (and they can’t kill him), they’ll change their tune on him as well!
Us damn LIbRuLs on the other hand are so stick-in-the-mud, we won’t even go along with one little genocide, even if our Boss says it’s necessary!
Their morals didn’t really change though did they? :( They’ve always been what they are. It’s just that the words that come out of their mouths don’t line up with how they act or what they believe, or even reality, a lot of the time.
Their only real view is that They are Right and Good, and Others are Wrong and Bad.
Really just further clarification on which laws should protect, but not bind, their in-group.
I am fine with felons in general being elected, although if their crimes are abusive of their office, campaign finance related. or undermine democracy then they shouldnl not be eligible.
So Snoop Dogg should be able to be elected, but Trump and Rod Blagojevich should not be able to hold office.
So, does this mean that all felons get their right to vote back, like in working democracies? Or is this just for orange felons?
I believe they prefer the term “orange cream soda” now, rather than ‘white’ or ‘orange’ separately, in order to be more inclusive.
Their orange godking was convicted. Of course they’re changing their tune — it takes critical and independent thought to do otherwise, and his supporters lack any such trait.
Such freedom, being able to change your mind whenever your cult leader tells you to.
What I don’t get if a felon can be president then why are felons not allowed to vote?
Conservatives never intended white people to become felons, but they also can’t give away the game by admitting that.
This is what an utter lack of integrity, ethics, scruples and reason looks like.
“But you see, it’s ok when we do it.”
So I guess Trump is no longer allowed to vote in New York?
I presume Florida allows NY felons to vote though…,
No, the Florida law prohibits voting by felons convicted in other states, when that other state prohibits voting. So Florida would follow New York’s lead. And the New York law prohibits felons from voting only until they’ve served their full prison sentence.
So if Trump doesn’t get sentenced to any prison time, then he’ll be eligible to vote in New York (and therefore Florida).
