Mike Bloomberg can hand Florida to Biden if he spends his money correctly

The state of Florida has historically been a place that has exhibited an undue influence on the rest of the country.  Most memorably it began with the election in the year 2000, where the entire presidency came down to a recount of the state’s dubious hanging chads that was suspiciously halted by the United States Supreme Court in an oddly reasoned decision that was designed to apply solely to that circumstance and none other.

From that point on, it seems that every odd story that comes to national attention has originated in Florida.  Whether it’s the stand-your-ground law that cost a hooded black teenager his life or, most recently, the state’s GOP governor transforming into the mayor of Amity Island and assuring the beaches would be open in the face of a pandemic/shark attack, something about Florida sparks disbelief and incredulity.  And what’s truly insane is that this state that seems populated by suicidal psychos is one of the half dozen states that’s going to decide who’s president this year (thanks to the Electoral College which mandates that a vote by someone in Florida or Wisconsin has more importance than someone in New York or California.)

To that end, Michael Bloomberg has pledged $100 million to the Joe Biden campaign to try and swing Florida solidly into the Biden camp.  Bloomberg is someone whom Donald Trump despises because he is in real life what Trump only pretends to be:  a successful billionaire businessman.  Bloomberg’s abortive attempt to run for the presidency came to a quick and ugly end, but Bloomberg has solidly pledged his support to Biden and is willing to fork over in one month more than most of us will probably earn for the entirety of our lives if it means depriving Trump of another four years and the country of a probably death knell. 

Nevertheless, although Bloomberg has more money than God, I’m reasonably sure he doesn’t have to spend that much and in such an amorphous way.  There is in fact something very specific that he can spend his money on which will doubtlessly kick Florida into the Biden column and hopefully seal the deal.

You see, in 2018 three quarters of the Florida electorate voted to overturn a law that prevented ex-felons from voting for the rest of their lives.  That is a pretty sizable majority; the voters clearly made their wishes known.  But Florida being Florida, voters making their voices heard is never enough, especially when the GOP controls the legislature.  Consequently, they instituted a new wrinkle by passing a law the following year requiring ex-felons to pay their court costs before being allowed to register to vote.  Opponents declared that it amounted to a poll tax, and initially the lower courts agreed.  Then the 11th Circuit court of appeals—populated by six Trump appointees—refused to lift the ban, and subsequently the United States Supreme Court—with two Trump appointees—followed suit.  What it boils down to is that there are already 85,000 ex-felons registered who could be prosecuted if they vote and still owe court costs and fines.  And the ex-felons who owe the money are too poor to pay it.

Gee…if only there were someone with a lot of money around who could handle the costs involved.  Someone who was ready, willing and able to donate millions of dollars to pull it off.

Hey, I know.  How about Michael Bloomberg?

Of course the Florida legislature, being GOP-run, didn’t actually provide any system or mechanism to determine how much money was owed.  They stated that it would take them six years—halfway through Trump’s proposed third term—to get that done.  Because of course the purpose wasn’t to get the money, it was to suppress votes, which is something the GOP excels at.

But Bloomberg has the money to thwart this.  He’s got a hundred million to spare?  All he needs to do is set up a fund designed to do one thing:  Pay the outstanding debts of the felons.  His money would serve as a $100 million guarantee.  “Let these guys vote and send me the bill.”  Done.

That would immediately free up 85,000 voters.  Voters who would be indebted to the Democratic party.  Voters who are all too well aware that the GOP passed a law specifically to stop them from voting.  Do you seriously believe they would vote for Trump?  Bush took Florida from Gore with 327 votes.  Those 85,000 voters would hand the state to Biden in a walk.

Which is what Bloomberg wants.

Why spend $100 million randomly for possible results when you can spend it directly and get exactly what you want?

PAD

6 comments on “Mike Bloomberg can hand Florida to Biden if he spends his money correctly

  1. TL;DR – quite literally, bribe convicts to vote for you.

    This has to be the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. It’s so unbelievably daft that I’m sort of hoping I’m being really thick and this is obviously satire that has flown over my head.

    It’s exactly the sort of harebrained, unethical, corrupt, undemocratic scheme that Donald Trump would be proud of and the writer of this column would loudly decry as another example of his moral vacuum.

    America is infested with gullible thickos ready to believe on precisely zero evidence that liberal elites run a cannibalistic child abuse ring out of a pizzeria, and into this, you want a billionaire who embodies this liberal elite to publicly offer to pay the fines of convicted felons in exchange for a vote. I’m sure that wouldn’t have any knock-on effects whatsoever.

    Nah, this is satire. Has to be.

  2. Has anyone in Florida attempted to take legal action preventing anyone but the released felon from paying his or her legal fees?

    1. I don’t know if actual legal action has been taken, but I did read an article (sorry I can’t find the link to refer to right now) where that was something some “conservatives” were adamantly suggesting.
      .
      The claim is that the felons haven’t truly paid their full data society until they pay the fines themselves. Couched in usual moral self righteousness of course, when the real motivation was obvious: to prevent people who might disagree with them from voting. (I.e., to rig the election.)

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