▲ 844 ▼ MAGA furious over Mitt Romney saying he'd vote for Democrats (www.newsweek.com) submitted 2 years ago by CantaloupeLifestyle@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world 104 comments fedilink hide all child comments
[–] Littleborat@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago (3 children) Why can he even be a candidate when there are criminal charges against him? I don't understand the system there. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 6 child comments replies: [–] billiam0202@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (1 child) The US Constitution doesn't prohibit people from running for office while in prison. On the one hand, it helps to prevent the party in power from jailing their opponents to keep from losing power. On the other hand... Well, this. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Mirshe@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago Famously, Eugene Debs ran his entire campaign from prison. permalink fedilink source parent [–] IHadTwoCows@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago (1 child) Since the Constitution doesn't say it, the entire politcal population us entirely too goddamn stupid to do the obvious. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] jj4211@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago It would have been super weird for the constitution to be upset over people considered criminals, since the founding fathers were considered criminals by the British government. permalink fedilink source parent [–] jj4211@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago Keep in mind that the constitution was written by people who were all considered criminals, so there wouldn't have been much appetite for being hard on "criminals" in the political process. Also think on the civil rights reform era. Many of the very well respected figures of history were, at the time, convicted criminals under unjust laws. Of course, it is inconsistent that in many states a felon can run for office, but can not themselves vote. I would say the weird part is that they aren't allowed to vote. In short, in a sane world, we should not have to rely upon disqualification to judge a candidate for their crimes. Nor should we have to fear the felon vote, even if they want something unreasonable, they should be drowned out by the more reasonable voters. Even as many folks may currently be on the side of "I don't want that asshole to be able to run", there's a slippery slope from that to having candidates you do like get disqualified owing to unjust laws or application of law. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] billiam0202@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (1 child) The US Constitution doesn't prohibit people from running for office while in prison. On the one hand, it helps to prevent the party in power from jailing their opponents to keep from losing power. On the other hand... Well, this. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Mirshe@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago Famously, Eugene Debs ran his entire campaign from prison. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Mirshe@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago Famously, Eugene Debs ran his entire campaign from prison. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] IHadTwoCows@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago (1 child) Since the Constitution doesn't say it, the entire politcal population us entirely too goddamn stupid to do the obvious. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] jj4211@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago It would have been super weird for the constitution to be upset over people considered criminals, since the founding fathers were considered criminals by the British government. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] jj4211@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago It would have been super weird for the constitution to be upset over people considered criminals, since the founding fathers were considered criminals by the British government. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] jj4211@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago Keep in mind that the constitution was written by people who were all considered criminals, so there wouldn't have been much appetite for being hard on "criminals" in the political process. Also think on the civil rights reform era. Many of the very well respected figures of history were, at the time, convicted criminals under unjust laws. Of course, it is inconsistent that in many states a felon can run for office, but can not themselves vote. I would say the weird part is that they aren't allowed to vote. In short, in a sane world, we should not have to rely upon disqualification to judge a candidate for their crimes. Nor should we have to fear the felon vote, even if they want something unreasonable, they should be drowned out by the more reasonable voters. Even as many folks may currently be on the side of "I don't want that asshole to be able to run", there's a slippery slope from that to having candidates you do like get disqualified owing to unjust laws or application of law. permalink fedilink source parent