Santorum held high ground while Romney came across as flip-flopper. However, entire argument to deny ex-felons the vote is grounded in fear of how they would vote. Denying vote to ex-felons or even prisoners counters every element of rehabilitation while perpetuating punishment or more accurately vengence – punishment prolonged beyond its terms can only be described as revenge. Rehabilitation Includes Responsible/Engaged Citizens: More importantly though, if the US with one of the globe’s largest prison populations is ever to have success in rehabilitating ex-felons it should do whatever it can to encourage their participation in the democratic processes that develop respect for government and its institution. I sincerely doubt that many first time offenders voted or somehow were encouraged into crime because they voted on issues or candidates. In fact, registration for voting should be a requirement, even if it just helps keep track of the ex-felon. (See how from advanced democracies to developing countries as South Sudan prisoners are engaged to vote – “Prisoners Vote: Sudan Yes & US ???” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/prisoners-votesudan-yes-us/23994. Effort to Discourage Vote for Poorer and more Disempowered Americans and Implicitly Aimed at African-Americans, Minorities as well as Working Power: In tonight’s South Carolina’s debate (January 16, 2012), on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it was a sad statement on most of the candidates who sought to limit voting rights on ordinary citizens with no criminal record (as well as ex-felons) for no other reason than to keep those demographics from expressing their position during elections. Inordinate requirements regarding identification are no different than literacy or Jim Crow laws that viewed the “negro” vote as undesirable and were so excluding until recently in the last century. Such has produced a vicious cycle of disenfranchisement and disengagement – one factor that contributes to economic dis-empowerment, poverty and perhaps to crime. The virtuous cycle encourages all of America’s citizens to assume responsibility for themselves and society, and denying the vote only promotes a counter vicious cycle of poverty, crime, prisoners and crime’s victims. By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Facebook = Become a Fan at “Diplomatically Incorrect” Twitter – Follow us at DiplomaticallyX War Crimes Justice Channel - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/war-crimes-justice FOLLOW Mo on Twitter - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/