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Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

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51–60 of 67 posts

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#51

This is genius. I was wondering how Bloomberg would spend the $100m he committed to Florida. I had never considered reenfranchising ex-felons. Money well spent. The Politico article is more reality-based. https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/09/22/blo... It's not clear if Bloomberg also paid restitution, money owed to victims, in addition to fines and legal debts. -- One my besties ran our state's versi…

I thought we were against billionaires buying elections?

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#52

This is genius. I was wondering how Bloomberg would spend the $100m he committed to Florida. I had never considered reenfranchising ex-felons. Money well spent. The Politico article is more reality-based. https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/09/22/blo... It's not clear if Bloomberg also paid restitution, money owed to victims, in addition to fines and legal debts. -- One my besties ran our state's versi…

I thought we were against billionaires buying elections?

You oppose enfranchising ex-felons who've otherwise fulfilled all their social obligations?

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#53

This is genius. I was wondering how Bloomberg would spend the $100m he committed to Florida. I had never considered reenfranchising ex-felons. Money well spent. The Politico article is more reality-based. https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2020/09/22/blo... It's not clear if Bloomberg also paid restitution, money owed to victims, in addition to fines and legal debts. -- One my besties ran our state's versi…

> Money well spent. Imagine being a black person with college or business debt and you see this billionaire rewarding all these felons. I think I'd be voting Trump, out of spite.

You oppose debt jubilees?

There are many organizations, governments, banks which buy and dissolve debts.

Even John Oliver does it.

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This doesn’t make it much (at all?) better to me. It might even make it worse that the explanation should make this any better.

As there are rights and privileges, there are also responsibilities. One is to maintain yourself within the bounds of the law. Seems like if you're not willing to take responsibility for your actions then you don't get to tell others what to do through voting.

What if the law are unjust but no one else in society cares you're locked up?

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Money well spent. Imagine being a black person with college or business debt and you see this billionaire rewarding all these felons. I think I'd be voting Trump, out of spite.

You oppose debt jubilees? There are many organizations, governments, banks which buy and dissolve debts. Even John Oliver does it.

Not necessarily, I'm questioning the efficacy of this particular gesture.

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#56
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In reality they aren't KKK members though. Instead they are disproportionately black and other minorities. Regardless of whether or not you think incarceration of minorities is systemized disenfranchisement, I think any loophole that hypothetically allows the system to chose who may vote is a bigger threat to democracy than an incentive to appeal to criminals. Totally agree with your point that incentivizing "panderi…

> In reality they aren't KKK members though. Instead they are disproportionately black and other minorities. They are overwhelmingly felons. The disenfranchisement rate is highest among blacks at 7.8%, so 92.2% of blacks, so the overwhelming majority, is not affected by this at all. What makes you think the majority of blacks would welcome the enfranchisement of criminals that happen to share their skin color? After…

Given: 1) a system in which either party A or party B win by small margins, and 2) a group of people who votes overwhelmingly for party B.

Let's think of options to increase election win probabilities for party A.

One option: legislate laws and bring about a justice system in which that group of people are disproportionately imprisoned/fined/etc and made to lose voting rights.

Unsurprising result: party A has higher chance of winning elections.

Problem: current system incentivizes politicians in party A to enact this option.

How to stop this option: give voting rights to everyone including felons.

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#57
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As long as he pays off the fines unconditionally, without asking them who they'd vote for, then I don't see a problem here.

Indeed not a problem per say. However it raises some ambiguities over its real intentions. Timing is too perfect for not pointing that out. But it cannot be blamed blame for working out the system here.

There are no ambiguities over its real intentions. It won't run in court but it's very clear what he is doing.

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Money well spent. Imagine being a black person with college or business debt and you see this billionaire rewarding all these felons. I think I'd be voting Trump, out of spite.

Not all people are as immature as you.

Please refrain from personal attacks. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. "That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3."

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#59
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not all people are as immature as you.

Please refrain from personal attacks. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. "That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3."

[deleted]

Re: Bloomberg pays off $20m debts of 31,000 felons so they can vote in Florida

#60
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not all people are as immature as you.

Please refrain from personal attacks. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. "That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3."

[deleted]
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