The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon!
Today’s question:
QUESTION: Should a person be eligible to run for public office if they’re a convicted felon?
Talk about it….
Not supposed to but, hey, if Antioch can let it happen, why not everywhere.
Absolutely not
Yes- Otherwise how can we expect them to continue to lie and steal from the populace they serve?
NO
Sure, why not? It should depend on the seriousness of the crime. Not all felons are bad people, and some petty crimes can result in a felony conviction.
What is a misdemeanor in one state, can be a felony in another state. If the candidate committed a crime or two when they were young and stupid, they shouldn’t be punished for the rest of their lives. In the end, it should be up to the voters.
When it comes to political candidates, it’s always a risk because we never know what kind of person they will become once they are elected to office. As it is now, we have politicians in office that have never been convicted of a crime, and once they are in office they become very shady.
So felons are good and fine upstanding citizens?!?
I could have sworn a felon was a convicted criminal.
Janus—Nowhere in my comment did I say felons are good and fine, upstanding citizens. After a person has served their time and completed all requirements handed down by the court, they have paid their debt to society, and should be allowed to live their life as any American citizen should. I believe in justice and liberty for all. That’s why I said it should be up to the voters.
You’re right I paraphrased.
I should have said, “Not all felons are bad people” which also means “some felons are good people”.
All I know for certain is a felony is the most serious crimes that can committed in the US and a person who commits a felony has a character flaw. A felon has absolutely no business holding a position of public trust. Not in government, nor in the Criminal Justice System.
Janus—There was a time when possession of a single joint was a felony in California, how serious of a crime is that?
Doesn’t really sound like a good idea does it?
So the question is should CONVICTED felons run for public office. I say those already convicted of felonies should not. We don’t need more crooks in office.
+1
There’s so much corruption in the court systems that people who should be convicted felons get off because they’re either connected or have tons of money, and people who may have a chance of proving their innocence plead guilty or risk a harsher sentence if the trial doesn’t go their way.
I honestly don’t know what to think. On one hand I don’t think committing crimes should be rewarded with the same status in society that people who don’t commit crimes have, but on the other hand our system is so corrupt that I don’t believe people are getting a fair trial in the first place and innocent people can be behind bars because they were an easy target for a DA that wants to pump their numbers up for political aspirations. Ego does not belong in a court of law.
Taking the politics out of the courts would be a good first step, and the media needs to shut up about court cases. The media clearly tries to intimidate the jury by pushing biased news coverage and the media tries start riots when their biased coverage doesn’t work and they don’t get the outcome they want.
I think first there needs to be trust brought back to the court system before I can have an opinion on that..which isn’t useful as I’m basically abstaining but just wanted to share my thoughts on it
So, what is the difference between a non convicted felon as a politician vs a convicted felon that is not a politician? The only difference is that the politician was not charged while the non politician was.
Not sure…..the voters should decide, so am leaning toward saying “yes” although my gut tells me “no” and that there’s something basically wrong about that. I guess in the end, I’d say “yes” to let freedom prevail.
“Convicted”?
To paraphrase Homer “Wild Horse” Bannon; “Lonnie, little by little the quality of society degrades because of the people we elect”…Brandon’s a perfect example
Shallow thinking low information voters with 30 second attention spans more focused on latest day glow crisis of self absorbed bubble butt’s with their own TV show or what’s for dinner and how many signal strength bars their hand held device has. They’ll vote or who has most signs littering the road sides, slick advertising dumped on their front porches or mailed to them.
Citizens of antioch have only themselves to blame, failing to be informed voters and more importantly not providing ongoing ADULT supervision.
No!
Shouldn’t be allowed to vote either.
Ditto!
Is this really a serious question? Seems there’s no common sense anymore!
Do you still live in California? Common sense is rare there, but much easier to find and enjoy elsewhere.
It’s the felons in government who have not been convicted who scare me!
Sure, it might raise the bar for those currently serving or wanting to run.
And yet they will always be a felon. That felony conviction comes with life long consequences.
Can a person turn their life around? Sure that doesn’t mean they should hold a position of public trust.
I’m well aware of how the criminal justice system works, hence my opinion.
.
No.
.
Felons gave up that privilege upon conviction of the felony.
.
no… so take Newsom and Biden out of office too
felon noun
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fel·on | \ ˈfe-lən \
Definition of felon (Entry 1 of 2)
1: one who has committed a felony
Definition of felony
1: an act on the part of a feudal vassal (see VASSAL sense 1) involving the forfeiture of his fee
2a: a grave crime formerly differing from a misdemeanor (see MISDEMEANOR sense 1) under English common law by involving forfeiture in addition to any other punishment
b: a grave crime (such as murder or rape) declared to be a felony by the common law or by statute regardless of the punishment actually imposed
c: a crime declared a felony by statute because of the punishment imposed
d: a crime for which the punishment in federal law may be death or imprisonment for more than one year
Joe Biden’s policy is “drunk driving should not be a felony, and any border agents detaining DUI illegal immigrants should be fired.”
So in the spirit of Joe’s wisdom, felons convicted of drunk driving should indeed be able to run for public office.
Hey, Joe follows the science, and he knows drunk driving rarely kills anyone. So take a tip from Joe: drink up and put in your application……..
I don’t think so. Committing a crime should have consequences no matter how repentant or angelic you are at the moment. Ophra Winfrey has started several “fuzzy ethics” sayings, one of which is “When I knew better I did better.” This implies that ignorance of the law is a sufficient excuse for breaking it and we know that is is not the case. San Francisco Mayor, London Breed, appeared to invoke Ophra Winfrey’s “fuzzy ethics” when she excused herself for taking a large sum of money for her car repairs from another San Francisco city employee who has been indicted for influence peddling. She learned it wasn’t ethical after she got caught. You don’t learn how to conduct yourself ethically on the job by testing the limits and seeing what you can get away with. A person holding office who is ethically challenged in this regard or who has broken the law should resign. They are unfit to hold office.
They should be allowed to run, but only as Democrats.
Seriously, though, I’m waiting for somebody to claim it’s racist to not let convicted felons run for office. I’m almost disappointed that nobody has pulled that card yet.
And I have several friends who served their time after being convicted of felonies, and I would trust any one of them with my life. Are all convicted felons good people? Of course not. But neither are all people who aren’t.
Well said👍👍
Could ex felons be any worse than the swamp scum infesting DC & Sac already!
NO.
Next you are going to ask us if we should hire police and fire personnel if they are recreational users of marijuana.
No, convicted felons should not be allowed to hold public offices.
At this point every politician is guilty of treason if they have allowed the health department to strip the constitution.
COVID isn’t real, kyle rittenhouse did nothing wrong, let’s go Brandon, my governor is an idiot, drain the swamp.
I don’t really see any difference between the common career street criminal and many career politicians, especially here in California.
I committed a Felony 46 years ago, I stole from an employer! I plead guilty and was sentenced to 3 years probation and restitution which I completed with no violations. I have in my mind been a model citizen! I worked for the county for 22 years and worked my way up to the manager of a 30 man maintenance group. I volunteered with a local youth football organization. I was the announcer for 5 years and also volunteered to announce for a local high school football team! I have not been in trouble since 1975 except for maybe an occasional traffic ticket! , I tell you all this to give you an idea of how I faired after the felony. I think any who knew me would say I’m an honest and trustworthy man! So having learned my lesson and living a clean life ever since, I if I so desired should be considered to run for a public office, which I would state honestly in my bio if I were to run for an office! What do you say??
I say congratulations for the past 46 years! I think there are a lot of folks who get a kick in the rear early in life and end up living a clean life.
With regard to to the Antioch council member, she has not yet grown up. Not a surprise with our expanding low information electorate. Perhaps she might be a solid citizen in 46 years!
Well…… you didn’t try to burn down a building full of people, but I still wouldn’t vote for you.
You broke the trust when you committed a felony.
You can do time & make restitution, but you can’t restore trust.
People can say they trust you, but they’re not going to.
Even if they want to trust you, they won’t…. they can’t.
You broke the trust…. that will follow you forever.
It’s just the way things are.
Your bio reads well, but here is the difference: You not only took responsibility for that action, but you took responsibility for becoming successful in life.
A good number of our politicians were given their success and as a result still don’t take responsibility seriously. This is why the massive California unemployment fraud has yet to be investigated.
So throw your hat in the ring for the next Governor’s race……….
I wouldn’t vote for you, and stating honestly in your bio that you were a thief (like you’re proud of it) would be foolish. Society is very harsh towards thieves, and rightfully so. Most people don’t trust a thief any farther than they can throw them.
I don’t think you’re a model citizen, but you are living a normal life, if you’re telling the truth. Model citizens don’t rip off their employer. Or anybody for that matter. You did break the trust, and I would forgive you, but never trust you again. I’m not that foolish.
Agree with previous replies.
Bruno, … You are truly a model for our youth of taking responsibility, becoming a productive citizen and an asset to our community ! !
What should be a giant RED flag to voters, especially at local level, are so called public servants who put their ego and ongoing fetish of fame and adulation far ahead of long term good of the community entrusted to them.
Then there are those who would put reelection ahead of community good by catering to big money interests. Who swoop in making large profits while possibly employing family members or relatives of those running the city. When done walk away, to repeat it all in another city.
So fearful of being forgotten by history must be hard way to live..
How fragile they must be, to have such a need for their names to be on buildings, public projects and organizations.
As I think on it, I don’t believe any 22 year old should be elected to a City Council position. They have not had the time to be an adult solid citizen. The City Council is not an extension of high school/college student government!
I think a certain son of convicted felons should not be in public office. He seems to have a vendetta.
Depends on 2 things:
— Type of position in public office
— Type of Felony
If someone is a Felon for embezzling money, then I don’t want them working in the Budget Office.
If someone is a Felon for vandalizing their neighbor’s property by tearing out a tree, then I’m OK with them working in accounting.
Until you walk into the office one morning to find your computer torn out, bashed to pieces and F*CK YOU DVC STUDENT! spray painted on your cubicle wall.