McAuliffe builds an impressive record restoring felon voting rights

[Landslide Lyndon]

An unexpected FF.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/mcauliffe-bans-the-box-on-state-job-applications/2015/04/03/55a904d0-da16-11e4-ba28-f2a685dc7f89_story.html

Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Friday ordered state agencies to remove from their employment applications questions that would disqualify job seekers on the basis of a criminal record.

McAuliffe (D) signed an executive order to “ban the box” — a reference to an item on preliminary screening forms — at a news conference at Goodwill Industries outside Richmond.

“We now are in the Lenten season — Good Friday today, and then we have Easter coming up,” the governor said. “It’s all about forgiveness and giving people second chances.”

With McAuliffe’s order, Virginia became the 15th state to remove questions about criminal history from job applications, according to the New York-based National Employment Law ­Project.

...

The move builds on McAuliffe’s efforts to restore voting rights to thousands of former prisoners.

Following reforms instituted by his predecessor, Robert F. McDonnell (R), McAuliffe last year reclassified a series of serious drug crimes to make it dramatically easier for felons who have served their sentences to have their rights restored. He also streamlined the application process to turn a 13-page document that had to be notarized into a one-page form.

Levar Stoney, secretary of the commonwealth, said more than 6,500 Virginians have taken advantage of the program.

[King]

But it still would have been better for Ken Cucinelli to win rather than this neoliberal scum.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

But it still would have been better for Ken Cucinelli to win rather than this neoliberal scum.

http://articles.dailypress.com/2013-03-17/news/dp-nws-crime-notebook-0317-20130317_1_rights-restoration-attorney-general-ken-cuccinelli-felons

[Türkisblau]

McAuliffe has been incredible since he's taken office. Say what you will about him being an insider, but since taking office, he's taken great stances and has been a very active governor.

[Antonio the Sixth]

He's been surprisingly more decent as a Governor than I expected him to.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Restoring felon voting rights is an extremely worthwhile measure. "Ban the box" is a disgusting infringement on the right of business owners to protect their family and in a just world would be met with a mass business exodus.

I see that this is only for state agencies, which is more acceptable, but still a bizarre step to take.

[© tweed]

props where props are due, but the felon voting rights have become a bit of a political football.  same thing happened in Iowa: Vilsack added some ex-felons to the rolls in 2005, was reversed by Branstad the first chance he could.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

props where props are due, but the felon voting rights have become a bit of a political football.  same thing happened in Iowa: Vilsack added some ex-felons to the rolls in 2005, was reversed by Branstad the first chance he could.

The bipartisan support for these reforms in Virginia should help.   Plus it is increasingly in the direct self-interest of Virginia politicians.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Restoring felon voting rights is an extremely worthwhile measure. "Ban the box" is a disgusting infringement on the right of business owners to protect their family and in a just world would be met with a mass business exodus.

I see that this is only for state agencies, which is more acceptable, but still a bizarre step to take.

Ban the box type laws, even when applied to private individuals, don't ban employers from considering a potential employee's criminal history.  What they do is move such consideration from the application where such info cannot take into account any extenuating circumstances or nuance and move it to a later stage where such circumstances and nuances.  Getting ex-cons a job is a prime way to lower recidivism.

National Alliance of Business PSA on hiring ex-cons from the 1970's

The problem with the conservatives of today is they've forgotten that Reagan wasn't just about cutting government spending, he was also about encouraging private spending to take its place.  Reagan didn't think the poor didn't need assistance, just that government was often too inflexible to be the best way to provide assistance to those who needed it.

1981 speech by Reagan to the National Alliance of Business

People like Naso aren't really Reagan fans because the Reagan they claim to be a fan of isn't the Reagan who actually was.

[badgate]

Great to see him moving forward and making progress after the disappointing failures re: Medicaid expansion

[publicunofficial]

Restoring felon voting rights is an extremely worthwhile measure. "Ban the box" is a disgusting infringement on the right of business owners to protect their family and in a just world would be met with a mass business exodus.

"Ban the box" doesn't ban employers from asking about criminal history, they just have to ask it during the interview instead. That way, ex-cons who have straightened themselves out don't get written off by employers because they checked the box that says they have a criminal history.

When the question gets asked during the interview, the interviewer doesn't learn about the criminal history until after the felon has already made a good impression.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

McCauliffe should be a felon himself.

[Biden Stans Are Cringelords]

The McAuliffe hatred on here had nothing to with him being an insider and had everything to do with the Obamabots disdain for his support of Hillary in 08.

[Lief 🗽]

No, T-Mac is one of my favorite governors. Even during the 2008 primary I still thought he was a pretty cool guy.

[Maxwell]

This is definitely the right thing to do. Glad to see McAuliffe.

[RFayette 🇻🇦]

I agree with felons deserving to regain the right to vote, but I'm going to be honest.  Getting good jobs is tough, and I want every advantage possible.  Felons just add more competition to the mix, and it would be nice to have a leg up in that respect.  Nonetheless, these are definitely FF moves.

[Beet]

I agree with felons deserving to regain the right to vote, but I'm going to be honest.  Getting good jobs is tough, and I want every advantage possible.  Felons just add more competition to the mix, and it would be nice to have a leg up in that respect.

If everyone thought like you, everyone would support job discrimination against anyone who wasn't exactly like them. Not that there's anything wrong with self interest in politics per se, but advocating the government to simply give you money would be more straightforward.

Re: McAuliffe- Makes no sense. Our resident Floridians have assured me that DNC chairs are terrible, terrible politicians!

[Anti Democrat Democrat Club]

Wow. McAulifrfe has been a lot better than I expected him to be.

[RFayette 🇻🇦]

I agree with felons deserving to regain the right to vote, but I'm going to be honest.  Getting good jobs is tough, and I want every advantage possible.  Felons just add more competition to the mix, and it would be nice to have a leg up in that respect.

If everyone thought like you, everyone would support job discrimination against anyone who wasn't exactly like them. Not that there's anything wrong with self interest in politics per se, but advocating the government to simply give you money would be more straightforward.

The difference is that discrimination in the job market against felons is reasonable - future behavior is best predicted by past behavior.  However, I think the question should be phrased so that after 5 or so years after release, a felon can check "No" to the box.  I am uneasy about banning the box completely though.

[Ban my account ffs!]

The McAuliffe hatred on here had nothing to with him being an insider and had everything to do with the Obamabots disdain for his support of Hillary in 08.

Nah..just that he was a centrist who led the party during the dark ages.  What a Party!  What a joke.
MN did this two years ago.  This is good legislation.

[TDAS04]

FF.

[IceSpear]

The McAuliffe hatred on here had nothing to with him being an insider and had everything to do with the Obamabots disdain for his support of Hillary in 08.

Actually, as the forum's resident Hillary hack, I didn't really like McAuliffe either. He seemed too slimy and I thought he'd throw away a winnable governor's race. He's definitely proven to be an unexpected FF though.

[Replicator]

I can't wait for the 2024 ads showing prisoners lined up in jump suits casting votes for McAuliffe at the prison polls. If we did this to our own Rick Santorum, what do you think they'll do to McAuliffe? Hope it's worth it Terry. I really hope it was worth it.