Opinion: If a Felon Can Become President, Why Can’t Others Have a Fair Shot at Life?
Let’s talk about the ultimate double standard. Donald Trump—a man with felony charges—is now the president (again). Meanwhile, everyday people with felonies on their record can’t even get a callback for a job interview, let alone a shot at rebuilding their lives. The math isn’t mathing. If a felon is qualified to run the country, then all felons deserve the chance to work, vote, and thrive in society.
But here’s the kicker: the people who feel this injustice the most are Black and Brown communities, who have been historically over-policed and under-supported. It’s time to unpack the hypocrisy and advocate for real change.
Why Felony Records Are a Life Sentence (Even After Prison)
Let’s start with the basics: over 4.6 million Americans can’t vote because of felony convictions, and Black people make up a huge chunk of that number. In states like Florida, one in five Black adults are shut out of the democratic process. That’s not a coincidence; it’s by design. Felony disenfranchisement laws date back to the Jim Crow era, when they were crafted to strip newly freed Black people of their political power. Fast forward to today, and those same laws are still doing exactly what they were meant to: keep Black and Brown people on the margins.
Now, add employment to the mix. Having a felony record often means endless job rejections, no matter how minor or dated the offense. Employers see the word “felony” and hit the brakes. Meanwhile, Trump is president again. The system is literally telling us that felons can lead the free world but aren’t good enough to flip burgers or sit at a desk. Make it make sense.
Racial Bias Is Built Into the System
This isn’t just about felons; it’s about who gets labeled a felon in the first place. Black and Brown people are disproportionately arrested, convicted, and punished for crimes that their white counterparts often walk away from. Think about weed. While it’s now a booming billion-dollar legal industry, Black people are still locked up or carrying records for the same thing that’s making white entrepreneurs rich.
And the punishment doesn’t stop at prison. After serving their time, people of color with felony records face the double whammy of systemic racism and the stigma of a criminal record. They’re denied housing, turned away from jobs, and silenced at the ballot box. In other words, they’re punished for life, even after they’ve “paid their debt to society.”
If a Felon Can Be President, All Felons Deserve a Second Chance
Trump’s presidency should spark a bigger conversation: If a felon can run for president, why can’t the rest of them vote, get jobs, or rebuild their lives? The same system that gives him a pass is the same one that blocks millions of everyday people from opportunities to thrive.
The answer is simple: society needs to change how it treats people with records. States like Vermont and Maine already allow incarcerated people to vote. Imagine what could happen if the rest of the country followed suit. Voting, jobs, housing—these aren’t privileges; they’re basic human rights that shouldn’t disappear because of a past mistake.
Trump’s presidency is a wake-up call. If we’re cool with a felon sitting in the Oval Office, then we need to get real about how we treat felons everywhere else. The double standard is glaring, and it’s time to break the cycle and remove the felony box.