This sounds like an episode straight out of Portlandia, but sadly it is not fiction. Portland Mayor Charlie Hales has proposed to “ban the box” – prohibit employers from asking prospective employees about previous crimes. He wants to take it even further, and reward employers who hire convicted felons – ahem “returning citizens” – with a $10,000 tax credit.
The Tea Party News Network made these wry observations,
However, what this does is prioritize the hiring of felons over non-felons. Those who never committed an assault, never robbed a liquor store or never committed any significant crime will, if Hales’ proposal is adopted, be at a disadvantage for employment.
Welcome to Liberal America, where the successful are punished and good citizens are placed at a disadvantage for employment for a want of felony convictions.