It was the right thing to do.

First, it is a mistake to assume that every convicted felon is some evil child rapist, murderer, drug dealing weasel or other form of such lowlife that they should never have a voice in our politics. Many of these people were caught up in the wrong place, possibly innocent or just made a bad mistake for which their sentence should be considered adequate pennance. Had someone who was'nt the vice president of the US had a few too many and recklessly shot his friend in the face on a hunting trip he would have been charged and likely convicted with a felony. Yet, while Bubba may go to jail, the Veep goes on the radio to assert more nefarious crimes like the Saddam Al Quaida connection.

It was the right thing to do. Criminal prosecution is not just about punishment but rehabilitation. The last thing it is about is carving the mark of Cain on people and condemning them to a stateless existence. If a man or woman does wrong they should make amends and if possible rehabilitate themself. Once that is accomplished by the terms of the state they deserve to be welcomed back to society, and the right of the franchise is the most basic of rights entitled to anyone, whether a law abiding citizen or a rehabilitated and punished felon.

BTW: Don't assume all felons vote Democratic. Most I know (and I know alot of felons) are conservative and would have voted for Bush.

The real message here, and the one we should pay the most attention to, is that there really are Republicans who say what they mean and mean what they say. And a Republican like Crist was not afraid to espouse his principles in his campaign and to follow through once elected. In a time when the GOP has been undermined by the worst of liars, cheats, scoundrels and scalawags, Crist offers a new hope for what alot of Republicans really believe their party once stood for; principles and the honest conviction to follow through on them. Good for him.

John McCain. The Brittney Spears of presidential candidates.

It should be no surprise that the first president to confront the dangers of fearmongering was the most liberal President of the 20th century, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt came to office at a time when many elites and intellectuals were arguing either the virtues fascism like Italy or Germany or Communism like Stalins Soviet Union as the necessary path to pull us out of our Great Depression. Roosevelt confronted these talking heads straight on by challenging the root premise of the argument: fear.

9/11 didn't change us, anymore than Oklahoma City or Waco changed us. What changed us, was they way 9/11 was manipulated into some global ideological conflict between East and West, good and evil, Muslim and Christian, freedom and slavery and most of all us and them; a small band of radical idiots with money we gave them for their oil, suddenly elevated to the level of superpower status, a power so great that if we don't go and fight them "there" they will swim over here and subjugate us to their beastly beliefs. No intelligent person should ever have bought into this argument yet our MSM and the majority of Americans bought it hook line and sinker.

I appreciate your explanation of RWA leaders and followers. I think it is important to understand that we can never expect to change the minds of those who post on LittleGreenFootballs or NewsMax, we can and should challenge those in power who goad them on. What is odd is no one has ever explored what terrified people they are. From Reds under the beds to IslamoFascists fighting us here, fear is used as a tool and weilded by people who Franklin Roosevelt would have backhanded across the face and demand they get a grip.

You want to win. Don't attack their logic, attack their cowardice.

Shout out to Shooter242 (nice name you must sleep with your gun by your side). The US under one of the most liberal democracies in history and a person you consider a closet communist (Roosevelt) managed to defeat not one, not two, but three of the worlds biggest fascist authoritarian governments. If you think RWA type government is better than the rest, well I give you the Democratic controlled presidency and Congress versus your heroes Hitler, Tojo and Mussolini.

Imagine a world where all "enemies" of America have been wiped from the face of the earth. What would neocons do now? My guess is faced with becoming liberals they'd have to shoot themselves.