Hiring Convicted Felons

Today, we hit the daily double with news that both ends of the American liberal establishment, Boston and San Francisco, are advancing heavy-handed programs to promote hiring convicted felons.

At one end of liberal America is San Francisco where city officials have proposed a dramatic change in city hiring practices to specifically benefit convicted felons. The City Council will vote to "eliminate the practice of requiring applicants for city jobs to disclose upfront whether they have ever been convicted in court." Consequently, an applicant wouldn't have to reveal on his job application that he did a sizable stretch in San Quentin for racketeering, robbery, extortion, manslaughter, or anything else. Introduced by city supervisor Tom Ammiano, the measure will be voted on as early as mid-October and, if it passes, then go the Mayor Gavin Newsom for signature.

Arguably, the situation in San Francisco is hard to explain but hardly surprising. Within the past couple decades, the city government has instituted policies that have made the city into a magnet for homosexuals, the homeless, and marijuana smokers. Now the city supervisors want to attract convicted felons. Presumably, people who aren't in those demographic groups are being slowly inched out.

At the other end (front or back, take your pick) of liberal America is Boston. Jay Tea at Wizbang is all over the story of the Boston City Council mandating that companies conducting business with the city must grant employment interviews to convicted felons. It's not specified (yet) that felons need to be hired, just that they have to be interviewed.

Agreed, it's difficult and always has been difficult for the rap-sheeted to find employment. Nevertheless, the situation will probably not change with mandated interviews or incomplete applicant histories.