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Citizens of Florida overturned a Reconstruction-era felon disenfranchisement law that was designed to prevent blacks from voting.
So now the Florida Republicans are replacing it with a poll tax. If you can't pay, you can't vote.
So now the Florida Republicans are replacing it with a poll tax. If you can't pay, you can't vote.
Making voting rights conditional on ability to pay fines and fees is a POLL TAX. Are they going to bring back literacy tests next?
its bad enough that Florida is increasingly using fines and fees to finance government - its added 20 new fines and fees since 1996, which extracts income from poorer communities. Now its using them to restrict the right to vote. brennancenter.org/publication/hi… 
The use of fines and fees was part of the Reconstruction era strategy to disempower newly-freed blacks. It is so jarring to see it used again on a newly-enfranchised population of former felons.
Florida's fines and fees are so high that there are "minimal collections expectations" for 83% of cases.
Put another way: FL GOP knows that most can't pay the fines & fees, and is going to use that as a reason to remove their right to vote. (via @mjs_DC) slate.com/news-and-polit…
Put another way: FL GOP knows that most can't pay the fines & fees, and is going to use that as a reason to remove their right to vote. (via @mjs_DC) slate.com/news-and-polit…
