Should convicted felons be allowed to vote?
 

Because activity, and shit like that.

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I disagree, to a point.

The best definition of "crime" that I've come across is: crime is an act, deemed unacceptable by society, so bad that the state punishes you for doing it.

Ignoring the view that laws are a tool used by pencil-pushers to build their ideal world, if you commit a crime then you are doing something that, essentially, marks you as unfit to be part of society. If you've chosen to go down this path, whatever the reasons, then you should not have a say in how society is governed - you lose your membership card, and with it some rights you would have had if you were a law-abiding citizen. As such, I support taking the right to vote away from convicted felons, who are serving their punishment.

I don't know the ins and outs of American law, nor the states in which convicted felons can't vote, but I only support taking the right to vote away from criminals who are serving their time, whether it's in prison, or doing something like community service. If it's the case that having a criminal-record prevents you from voting ever, then that's not on.

In short: the state's retribution for your crimes against it should include stripping your right to vote. Once you have paid the state back, however, your rights return. Step out of line again, and face the consequences again, until such a point where you get smart, or get locked up and lose your rights for life.

I can't vote, don't really give a fuck either.

I don't understand why /the masses/ think Stupid people should be allowed to vote.
It makes /absolute sense/ if a politician does - more people to easily manipulate.
Which is why we, the not-as-fucking-stupid people, need to say "no, stupid people can't vote". Like, not like a "can you do basic math" test. Like a "Can you do basic common fucking sense" test.

Because some felons are psycopaths, and the politicians's psycology doesn't work on them.

There are different kinds of intelligence.

That's what I just said, yes. People who lack common sense, and/or knowledge of anything government related, should not be able to decide who runs the place, when all they really know about is lawnmowers.

Define "common sense".

I like to think Albert Einstein defined common sense perfectly.

You act like voting directly decides who wins. Nay, voting decides representatives that decide who wins. Representatives aren't generally unintelligent. Thus, the chaff of individuals you mentioned is more or less eliminated. Electoral votes; read up.

Also, the voting rate in the US for the 2008 election was only 57%. Excluding the amount of people that voted because it was a key racial landmark in US politics, that's only little more than half of the US population. The majority of the rest are either disconcerted Americans or the "Stupid people" as you said. The candidates would really have to focus on issues like gun control and homosexual marriage to incite more votes, and they just aren't key subjects when the backdrop for this election is the rate at which the economy hasn't recovered.

"Do not spend your entire paycheck on beef jerky, if you have yet to pay your bills"
"Do not drive a car at 100mph is you are blind"
"Do not masturbate in a kindergarten class room"

Well, to be fair, that last one only applies if it isn't currently nap time.