Big Brother Obenshain

Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) has introduced SB137 would give Big Brother an assist while intimidating potential voters - it should be defeated. The bill would permit the State Board of Elections to give (for a "reasonable fee") commissioners of the revenue and treasurers lists of registered voters for use in tax assessment, tax collection, and tax enforcement.

While I'd like to believe Senator Obenshain just wants to ease the burden on the tax collector and to assist with filling the government coffers, the obvious truth is that combining voting and tax collection is a horrible idea. It is hard to see how much benefit this would add to traditional tax enforcement; but it is easy to see this could have a chilling effect on voter registration. Anyone who has tax issues, or who simply hates the taxman, might decide that registration is more of an invasion of privacy than it is worth. Already, some people don't register because they might get called for jury duty.

Senator Mark "Big Brother" Obenshain's bad idea is before the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee. Contact them and urge them to vote NO on intimidating voters by intermixing registration and tax collection.

Governor Kaine: Do the Right Thing

The clock is ticking for Governor Tim Kaine to do the right thing - restore voting rights for to thousands, no make that hundreds of thousands, of individuals who were disenfranchised for a felony conviction, but they have done their time and are now tax paying and responsible citizens.

As stated in a prior post, Virginia joins only Kentucky with a hundred year-old Jim Crow mindset that makes restoration of voting rights for ex-offenders extremely difficult. Governor Kaine can move Virginia forward by an executive order restoring voting rights for former felons and creating a fair and reasonable process for restoring voting rights for others as they complete their sentences.

There ain't a snowball's chance in Hell the next governor will give a tinker's damn about this issue - so now is the time to urge Governor Kaine to act. It is easy to do... the email is even composed for you (of course, you can edit or write your own) to let Governor Tim Kaine know that now is the time to issue an executive order restoring voting rights to all or most of the 300,000 Virginians who have lost their voice in our democracy.

Expanding democracy in Virginia

It is long past time for Virginia to end the unreasonable disenfranchisement of felons who have served their time. The Jim Crow era law is one of the most punitive in the nation making restoration of a convicted felon's voting rights extremely difficult. Only Virginia and Kentucky permanently take voting rights from every individual convicted of a felony. Currently, over 300,000 are disenfranchised under Virginia law. Two states, Vermont and Maine, never take away voting rights. Thirty eight states currently restore voting rights to former felons on completion of jail time and parole or probation. Eight others restore voting rights to most felons, excluding only those who are convicted of the most heinous crimes.

Early on the morning of January 19, a subcommittee of the House Privileges and Elections committee will consider several constitutional amendments to modify Virginia law on restoration of voting rights. Three resolutions - HJ 623 (Dance), HJ 664 (Morrissey), and HJ 677 (BaCote) would restore voting rights to all former felons. Two others - HJ 628 (Ware) and HJ 656 (Tyler) would restore rights only to those convicted of nonviolent felonies. More info on the bills can be found on Richmond Sunlight.

Making Virginia law more fair and more democratic is an ongoing process. It is time to end permanent disenfranchisement. Convicted felons who have served their time and been punished for their crime should be encouraged, rather than discouraged, to become participating members of their community. It is good for them, good for our communities, and good for democracy.

Learn more about the current Virginia law and how you can help make our commonwealth more democratic. You'll have to act fast to contact members of the Constitutional Subcommittee before their meeting on Monday. The members, linked to their contact info, are:

• William Janis (Chair)
• Lacey Putney
• Frank Hargrove
• John Cosgrove
• Jeff Frederick
• Clarence Phillips
• Kenneth Alexander
• Joseph Morrissey