RE: felons
You know this will never change until we go back to looking at criminals as what some of they are, scum.
I mean simply at one time when you committed a crime, you were justifiably an outcast in society. You had to watch yourself and what you did or else you ended back in jail. Then as society 'progressed' we went from punishment to rehiblitation and this has forced us to accept crime as the norm and we must feel sorry for the criminal because of a number of things; he didn't get the matchbox car, his father yelled at him, he flunk math, etc...
The system we have today is the problem we have so many criminals running around here, it is too soft. I think that we need to serious look at true punishnment for people who commit serious crimes and go back to a pro-society position on all crime and look at a crime form the victims point of view.
If you think I am off base with this, look around and see what the victims get out of being involved in a crime, our government does not provide them any means to be part of the system to punish the criminal and further more there is no automatic restitution for the victim but the criminal has many ways to take advanage of the crime they committed, education is one of them. Also we as a society should have not built justice system that ignores the victim, they should have been a priority, not the care and feeding of a criminal. But again crime is a political tool and even with the latest where our great president screwed he enrone investors, there needs to be real reform in both tort and criminal areas of our system.
Also speaking of DUI's, I do not care what the excuse is for someone drinking and driving, there is none. Honestly I am very tired of the 'I was young and stupid' excuse, it should be if you get caught, you lose your license for life and the vechicle is forfeited, no second chances. Get caught again, go to jail. As harsh as this sounds, a vehicle is the same as a gun, it can be used for good or evil and there is no second chances when you kill someone.