In the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on political campaign contributions, McCutcheon V. FEC, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote, “There is no right in our democracy more basic than the right to participate in electing our political leaders.”

I would like to remind the Chief Judge that there are tens of thousands of people convicted of felonies, who have served their time (paid this debt to society), who work and pay taxes, who are forever banned from voting, not to mention the tens of thousands currently on parole who are working and paying taxes, who cannot vote in the states, including New York, where voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of sentence.  I need to repeat that these citizens who cannot vote are working and paying taxes.  Once upon a time this country set in motion a Revolution for this very same reason, stating that it was not right to tax someone and not allow that individual to vote – “No taxation without representation!”

“There is no right…more basic than the right to [vote]…”