On October 28, the 6th circuit ruled 2-1 that Tennessee may continue to bar ex-felons from registering to vote if they owe child support or restitution payments. See the opinion, Johnson v Bredesen, here. This is another case, similar to the one decided two days ago by the 9th circuit on voter registration, that had been pending for over a year since the oral argument.
The majority consists of Judges Deborah Cook and Thomas Ludington, Bush Jr. appointees. The dissent is by Karen Moore, a Clinton appointee. The dissent is considerably longer than the majority opinion, and argues that the law does not pass the rational basis test, and that inability to pay child support is not a crime.
Crime and punishment.
14th Amdt, Sec. 2 (worked on in Jan-June 1866 — going thru many, many versions) — SOOOOOO difficult to understand by the MORON courts.
What exactly is an “ex-felon”?! You commit a felony, you are a felon – for life. Try getting approval from the NICS to purchase a firearm and telling the FBI you USED to be a felon but you’re not anymore. Nonetheless, the article would have been more clear if the term “ex-felon” was replaced with “potential Democratic Party voter”.
#2 In England in earlier times AFTER a convict had completed his/her punishment he/she was totally restored as a free person and it was a very major slander/libel to refer to such person as a criminal or ex-criminal.
However many common law felonies had the death penalty.
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New Age — certain crimes have lifelong punishments — i.e. infamous punishments.