Governor McAuliffe Announces Restoration of Rights for Over 10,000 People

RICHMOND – Today, Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that his administration restored the voting and civil rights of 10,009 individuals. The McAuliffe administration has restored the rights of more Virginians than any other Governor in a four year term.

“I am so proud of the work my team has done processing more than 10,000 of these important requests, and also making key changes to the process to make it more fair and accessible to Virginians,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Restoring the rights of Virginians who have made a mistake and paid the price is one of my Administration’s top priorities and I look forward to continuing to make history on this critical issue.”

Since the beginning of Governor McAuliffe’s term, he has implemented key changes to the restoration of rights process. First, he removed the requirement to pay court fees before submitting a restoration of rights application. Although individuals still have to pay the fees at a later time, it is no longer a barrier in the application process. Second, serious offenders are now required to wait three years instead of five years to apply. Third, the application is now one page long - down from 13 pages. Fourth, criminal records will have a restoration of rights notation once an individual has been restored. Fifth, all drug convictions are now classified as non-violent offenses.

“It is an honor to work with Governor McAuliffe and our talented team to help more Virginians who have made a mistake get a second chance at meaningful and productive lives,” said Secretary of the Commonwealth Levar Stoney. “Going forward we will continue to process as many applications as we can and  encourage the Virginians whose rights we restore to use them to the fullest by registering to vote and participating in the democratic process.” (Here is where we have issues with the information coming out of Richmond: Democratic process?  Sorry, we are a republic, not a socialist democracy but that is what the folks in Richmond are driving in here.  Full blown socialist and communist ideologies.)

If you or someone you know has been convicted of a felony and served their time, restoration of rights might be available. For more information, call 804-692-0104 or visit commonwealth.virginia.gov.

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The Federalist Papers No 14, Objections to the Proposed Constitution From Extent of Territory Answer

MADISON:

To the People of the State of New York:

WE HAVE seen the necessity of the Union, as our bulwark against foreign danger, as the conservator of peace among ourselves, as the guardian of our commerce and other common interests, as the only substitute for those military establishments which have subverted the liberties of the Old World, and as the proper antidote for the diseases of faction, which have proved fatal to other popular governments, and of which alarming symptoms have been betrayed by our own. All that remains, within this branch of our inquiries, is to take notice of an objection that may be drawn from the great extent of country which the Union embraces. A few observations on this subject will be the more proper, as it is perceived that the adversaries of the new Constitution are availing themselves of the prevailing prejudice with regard to the practicable sphere of republican administration, in order to supply, by imaginary difficulties, the want of those solid objections which they endeavor in vain to find.

The error which limits republican government to a narrow district has been unfolded and refuted in preceding papers. I remark here only that it seems to owe its rise and prevalence chiefly to the confounding of a republic with a democracy, applying to the former reasonings drawn from the nature of the latter. The true distinction between these forms was also adverted to on a former occasion. It is, that in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government in person; in a republic, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents. A democracy, consequently, will be confined to a small spot. A republic may be extended over a large region.

To this accidental source of the error may be added the artifice of some celebrated authors, whose writings have had a great share in forming the modern standard of political opinions. Being subjects either of an absolute or limited monarchy, they have endeavored to heighten the advantages, or palliate the evils of those forms, by placing in comparison the vices and defects of the republican, and by citing as specimens of the latter the turbulent democracies of ancient Greece and modern Italy. Under the confusion of names, it has been an easy task to transfer to a republic observations applicable to a democracy only; and among others, the observation that it can never be established but among a small number of people, living within a small compass of territory.

Read the rest below.  Liberty Education Series here on Gloucester, Virginia Links and News website.

Federalist Papers No, 14 - Objections to the Constitution Answered from Chuck Thompson

Go to our Podcast page to hear this in audio format.  We now have the full Federalist Papers in audio format as well as all the Anti Federalist papers in audio format.

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• Anti Federalist Papers No 12 - How WIll The New Government Raise Money?
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In A Democracy, No Room For Patents, Copyrights or Trademarks

A stylized representation of a red flag, useful for articles related to socialism in one way or another. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Everyday we keep hearing about how we must protect our democracy.  What most people do not understand and it's by design, is that a democracy is a communist form of government, and not how the United States was founded.  The United States was founded and set up as a republic.  That republic these days is just about gone thanks to democracy.  Well if we are going to live in a democracy, then the democracy should be one that is fair and by the people for the people.

  Monopolies must then be banished to ideals and idealism of the past.  Monopolies such as the ideas and ideals of patents, copyrights and trademarks are direct conflicts with a free and fair democracy.  A free and fair democracy should embrace the concepts that all inventions are for the good of all the people and not something to be held in secrecy.  After all, if you wish to benefit mankind, you do not do so by hiding truths from your fellow man.

  Any and all secret patents should be loathed as hideous manipulations against one's fellow man and should be shunned and abolished.  Trademarks are the tools of monopolies and therefore should be ignored and abolished.  Copyrights have no place in a democracy and should equally be loathed, ignored and abolished.

  Corporations, the evil monopolies, that would argue against these ideas are becoming concepts of a past we will soon forget as we seek to wipe them from the face of the earth as they no longer have a place in modern society.  Ideas such as the federal reserve no longer have a place in the coming global communities.  Concepts such as the IRS, who's time should now be considered over, are not the ideals of a free and democratic society.

  If gas is 9.00 dollars per gallon in England, it should be 9.00 dollars per gallon in every part of the world.  If a man makes 15.00 dollars per hour in the United States, every man at every level throughout the world should make the same fair 15.00 dollars per hour without regard to what work he does, whether he be a politician or boat repairman.  No man should live in luxury above another.

  Taxes in one country should never exceed what others pay in other countries.  All people irregardless of status should pay the same fair amounts in taxes at all times.  All trade should be fair and equal.

  Secret societies must be banned and opened to the public at every level.  No more should concepts such as the Masons be allowed to maintain secret meetings or hold secret services.  We are not talking about the abolishment of the Mason's but instead the opening of the Mason's to every person.  All secrets revealed and all without cost to anyone.  If the Mason's wish to continue to operate, let them do so through the free and fair donations from those who would wish to continue to support them.

  No government should be allowed to hold anything secret.  Free and fair minds only expand through the freedom of all information.  If governments wish to track people, allow them to, however, any government that wishes to track people must share all tracking information in a free and public manner.  Gone are the days of secrets in a fair democracy.  All the world's information should be freely shared at every level.

  Let no country wage any form of war against another.  Any country that so chooses the ways of war against another should have all supplies, communications and travel cut off until they end such foolishness.  If we are to have a democracy, it can not be a partial democracy, it must be fully open free and fair.  No longer are meetings to be held by any government or any two or more people that would deem it a secret meeting.  All information must be made open at all times when it concerns nations and states.

  Concepts of power and wealth should be forever banished and loathed.  Profits need be forfeited as it would put one's status above another and could not be considered fair to that of any other person.  The manipulation of the people can no longer be considered fair and must be halted forever.  Corporations must be closed forever, never to see the light of day again as a concept.  It's facilities turned to the use of all humankind owned by the people and not the state.

  The concept of state must also be abolished and loathed as it has always been the way of manipulating the human spirit and all of mankind.

Anyone still interested in preserving democracy?

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