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Bill: Voting for Criminals
Details
Submitted by[?]: Baltusian Democratic Green Party (BDGP)
Status[?]: defeated
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: January 4135
Description[?]:
| Voting is a fundamental human right that should be guaranteed to any capable adult, whether they're in jail or not. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Voting rights of criminals.
Old value:: Criminals released from jail are allowed to vote.
Current: Criminals are always allowed to vote, regardless of whether they are in jail or not.
Proposed: Criminals are always allowed to vote, regardless of whether they are in jail or not.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 18:51:02, December 12, 2016 CET | From | Patriotic Party of Baltusia | To | Debating the Voting for Criminals |
| Message | Mr Herbert, Among the many prisoners who will be voting under your proposal are fundamentalists and terrorists - members of a radical group called RABA. These people killed and maimed indiscriminately in the name of anarchy; many members of Congress died or had loved ones who died in their bombings too. Simply put, these are people on death row, who will not renounce their violence. Now, suddenly they find they will not be executed because you have voted to repeal the death sentence (see Human Rights bill). Then, to add insult to injury - you want to give them the right to vote. Who will they vote for? Well, of course, your party or those who vote yes to this bill! Well congratulations. I hope the few thousand extra votes you gain from these prisoners is worth the weight on your conscience. I would like you to look across the floor and directly into the eyes of the Conservative Party members - who lost more than 50 of their number to RABA - and tell them how the hell they can respect you after this decision. Ralph Mason Patriotic Party Leader Minority Speaker of the House |
| Date | 19:34:15, December 12, 2016 CET | From | Baltusian Democratic Green Party (BDGP) | To | Debating the Voting for Criminals |
| Message | Mr Mason, May I first just say that whilst I understand your concerns, I am proud to have helped pave way for the abolition of the death penalty, and to be the Justice Secretary as it's done. Chairman Herbert and I will indeed be able to look at the Conservative Party members in the eye - not out of spite, but with a clear conscience. Emotions are high, we understand this but to know that I allowed a human right to be tarnished out of punishment wouldn't let me sleep at night. I hope that I speak for all of us when I say we shouldn't fight extremism with extremism. Yet I fear that denying all prisoners the right to vote (particularly life prisoners) goes much too far! Voting is an integral part of our democracy; it's not just a privilege it's a responsibility that you're given once mature enough. And the idea that my party and our allies would gain the votes of a terrorist organisation is not just false, it's deeply insulting. We would never accept these people as our supporters. Finally to the Conservative Party, our party can only express our sympathies for your loss - I'm afraid that we weren't around to witness RABA. But my party is not doing this for a political reason or anything of the sort. Rather, we put this bill forward because we felt we had a moral duty. Whilst you may not agree with it, we hope that your party - and the Patriotic Party - understands why. June Brown, Justice Secretary |
| Date | 21:35:35, December 12, 2016 CET | From | Free Market Party | To | Debating the Voting for Criminals |
| Message | Respective Parties, I know the divide between right and left is strong, but I urge both sides to reject this bill. Democracy will lose it's meaning if this bill passes as some of the people in prison are murderers, rapists, insurrectionists, and people who have committed terrible crimes against this nation and the people of it. I shudder to think of a country that makes it's decisions based on the ideas of people who have made their life trade hurting others. What would the law-abiding citizen want, criminals making decisions that could greatly impact them in negative ways. Again I urge all to reject this bill. Leader of the Free Market Party, Morris Shephard. |
| Date | 23:37:47, December 12, 2016 CET | From | Baltusian International Democratic Party | To | Debating the Voting for Criminals |
| Message | Look. We have never had an easy ride in Baltusia. Margaret Burgmuller brought us to power and made a great name for us back in the day. But recently we have been slowly losing people's faith in us. Stricken by RABA terror attacks and communist uprisings, our party is lucky to even be still an official party and in fact we are the longest standing party of all of the current in Congress. But what has made us stand resilient is working with everyone, from left to right. I will break party lines to ensure the best for the people. This bill isn't good for the people. We have lost many great individuals to RABA, please, please don't add insult to injury by allowing them such the right to vote against a party that they have killed members of. It's not right. To quote the honourable gentlemen, Mr Shephard "I shudder to think of a country that makes it's decisions based on the ideas of people who have made their life trade hurting others.". Please, work across party lines and ensure that your liberty, freedom and security is not decided by the tip of the scales by terrorist. As always, I thank you Mr Speaker for the floor." Dr. Julia Baker Conservative Party of Baltusia, Deputy Leader |
| Date | 12:51:52, December 13, 2016 CET | From | Patriotic Party of Baltusia | To | Debating the Voting for Criminals |
| Message | Here, here Dr Baker and Mr Sheppard. Justice Secretary Brown, Firstly, may I congratulate you on your appointment - there are several issues I would like to discuss with you, but they can wait until another day. I agree that voting is an integral party of our democracy. Our late, great President took great strides to ensure the last elections were fair and proper and that any suggestions of impropriety were completely banished. Look at the turn out - it is testament to how well that worked and how much people embrace democracy in Baltusia. However, what is equally important is that people respect society and its laws and values. While people are born with the democratic right to vote - it is only fair to the rest of society that if individuals break those rules that they forfeit certain rights for the time of their incarceration. As to your point about being deeply insulted, I am sorry if this seems harsh but I'm afraid the truth often hurts. Whilst you may not like it - if you propose a law that benefits certain members of society they are more likely to vote for you. Therefore, if you propose that prisoners get the right to vote and death sentences are removed, don't be surprised if terrorists are more inclined to vote for your party than mine, Thank you. Ralph Mason Patriotic Party Leader Minority Speaker of the House |
| Date | 13:15:16, December 13, 2016 CET | From |  Socialist Party of Baltusia (SPB) | To | Debating the Voting for Criminals |
| Message | Mr(s) Speaker, I do understand your point of view on democracy. Sadly, we think that a "capable adult", is not able to live in our society if they're willing to break the laws that construct our whole Social System. Breaking this laws, they hurt deeply into our Society, and that's why the Judicial Power takes away some rights from them. With that, the right of Freedom, and, of course Voting. These are rights our society has fought for, for many years. I cannot agree with this bill. As I agree with our current legislation. Marc Damatian, SPB |
| Date | 14:05:08, December 13, 2016 CET | From | Patriotic Party of Baltusia | To | Debating the Voting for Criminals |
| Message | Well said, Mr Damatian. Ralph Mason Patriotic Party Leader |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | |||||
| yes | Total Seats: 230 | |||||
| no |
Total Seats: 470 | |||||
| abstain | Total Seats: 0 |
| Random fact: To see what other nations are up to and to actively involve yourself in international activities: check the Roleplaying section on the forum! Don't be shy to make a news post about your party's recent achievements. |
| Random quote: "Any system that takes responsibility away from people, dehumanises them." - Author Unknown |