OK, What am I missing here?
 

Holder urges restoring voting rights to ex-inmates
Reuters: Marvin Gentry
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
22 hr ago By Associated Press

Attorney General Eric Holder says nearly one in 13 African-American adults is banned from voting because of laws that restrict voting rights for former inmates.
WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday urged states to restore voting rights to former prison inmates, an issue he said primarily affects African-Americans.
Eleven states continue to restrict voting rights after a person has served a prison sentence and is no longer on probation or parole, the attorney general said at a symposium on the criminal justice system.
"Across this country today, an estimated 5.8 million Americans — 5.8 million of our fellow citizens — are prohibited from voting because of current or previous felony convictions," said Holder. "It is time to fundamentally rethink laws that permanently disenfranchise people who are no longer under federal or state supervision."
He said 2.2 million black citizens, or nearly one in 13 African-American adults, are banned from voting because of these laws, and said the ratio climbs to one in five in Florida, Kentucky and Virginia.
Holder's remarks on restoring voting rights are part of the attorney general's initiative seeking fundamental change in the nation's criminal justice system.
Last August, Holder instructed federal prosecutors to stop charging many nonviolent drug defendants with offenses that carry mandatory minimum sentences. He said long mandatory terms have flooded the nation's prisons with low-level drug offenders and diverted money away from crime fighting.
In Tuesday's remarks on disenfranchising former prisoners, Holder brought up the issue of race.
"These laws, with their disparate impact on minority communities, echo policies enacted during a deeply troubled period in America's past — a time of post-Civil War discrimination," he said. "Although well over a century has passed since post-Reconstruction states used these measures to strip African-Americans of their most fundamental rights, the impact of felony disenfranchisement on modern communities of color remains both disproportionate and unacceptable."

All about race
I like the part about prison sentences taking away money for fighting crime. I thought that was the purpose of prison was to fight crime.

I have a problem with the continuing lament about "Black people being Incarcerated because they're Black, and they are guilty only of non-violent crime.

That's Bullsh*t with a capital BULL . .

If you've been convicted of dealing drugs, you'e involved in "Violent Crime" before, during and after the fact . . It's part and parcel of the genre . . And because statistics say 68% of the Black American Males are, have been or will be incarcerated, there's obviously something wrong going on . . but I damned sure don't believe it's in the prison systems or the sentencing laws . .

As for Felons voting, Why would it matter, other than the Democrats wanting to gather up some more "Un-informed Voters" . .

PRECISELY !!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Just about every shooting that happens around here ends up being drug related in some way along with assaults and robbery. Lock the SOBs up no matter what color they are or how much money they have or how much fame.

All they are doing is trying to figure out ways to get votes and I mean get lifetime voters. It's pathetic what this country is becoming.
I hope people wake up soon.

This is a symptom of a greater problem with our government and the people who comprise the Executive and legislative branch. They have discovered that by manipulating the voting process they can assure themselves of literally lifetime jobs, which has led us to what we see in our current Government . . Little getting done, a poor economy and shrinking liberty . .

For probably 20 years, Congress has "enjoyed" ratings lower than then popularity of either Used Car Salesmen or Ambulance Chasing Lawyers, yet we continue to elect and re-elect them, apparently believing that "Our" Congressman is OK, it's all the rest who are corrupt and inept. Add to that, the two parties put up only "Professional Politicians" to vote for and then we complain about what the Government does to us . .

It's up to all of us to "CHANGE" this, so you have to be more involved with your local party, be it the "establishment" or the "Tea Party", and be part of the selection process, and if nobody else can or will do it, step up, run for that office . . Or forego that $500 part on your racer and give it to a potential candidate that needs seed money to run for that first office.

It's OUR COUNTRY, so it's up to us to make it what we think it ought to be . .

Unless they are in the NBA or NFL.