There has been a building consensus that perhaps felons who have served their time ought eventually to be re-enfranchised at the voting booth. This has met with pushback from many Republicans who already think there are too many people voting these days and certainly aren't keen on the idea of adding more, but now there's a twist. What's the one American right more important than voting, or free speech, or justice, or [insert every other thing Americans say they hold dear]?

That's right. Guns! Lovely, wonderful guns! So some conservatives are imagining a negotiated compromise where sure, we let those ex-felons vote again, but only if they get their guns back too.



“It is the obvious compromise,” [Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist] said. “Many conservatives willing to restore voting rights would not be willing to suggest Second Amendment rights are second-class rights… In talking to conservatives, some are more or less excited about speeding up voting rights restoration. But all, when asked, agree voting rights should not precede gun rights.”

Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik should know something about the way the criminal justice treats felons—he’s also an ex-convict. “[Lawmakers] should give at least equal attention to voting rights, Second Amendment rights… that you are deprived of as a result of the conviction,” Kerik told The Daily Beast.

I like that. The voting, now that's the controversial part, but if we're talking about giving them guns then every conservative can get on board with that! They've even got some great spokesmen waiting in the wings:All right, so that's going to be a thing. Whatever.