Posted on 01/09/2002 5:00:20 PM PST by RCW2001
![]() January 9, 2002White House Shifts on Welfare Law; Food Stamps for Legal ImmigrantsBy ROBERT PEAR
The White House said that in the budget President Bush will send to Congress in early February, at least 363,000 people would qualify for food stamps under a proposal that would cost the federal government $2.1 billion over 10 years. The proposal, or something like it, has an excellent chance of becoming law. The Senate is considering such changes as part of a far-reaching bill to reauthorize farm and nutrition programs. The welfare bill passed by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 made immigrants ineligible for food stamps and many other forms of assistance financed with federal money. Supporters of the ban, most of them Republicans, argued that federal benefits drew immigrants to the United States and then discouraged their work effort after they got here. But today, with the country in a recession that is hurting immigrants, and fighting a war on terrorism that has targeted some immigrants, Mr. Bush is looking for ways to show his commitment to them as well as to addressing domestic problems a transition his father failed to make effectively a decade ago after the Persian Gulf war. Moreover, many of those who would benefit from the food stamps are Hispanic Americans, whom the White House is ardently courting. As Mr. Clinton did as well, President Bush is selectively disclosing parts of his budget in advance specifically, those proposals likely to win political support for the president. Antihunger groups and Hispanic groups were enthusiastic about Mr. Bush's proposal, without suggesting any ulterior motive. "This is an enormous step forward, for which the president should be congratulated," said Cecilia Munoz, vice president of the National Council of La Raza, a Latino civil rights group. "Mr. Bush did not speak out on this in the presidential campaign, and he had not done so since he assumed office." As governor of Texas and as president, Mr. Bush has taken pride in his good relations with Hispanic Americans, although the Republican Party is split on how aggressively to go after Hispanic voters. Some Republicans have alienated Hispanic voters with proposals for a restrictionist immigration policy. But Karl Rove, the president's senior political adviser, said earlier this year that capturing a bigger share of Hispanic voters was "our mission and our goal" and would require assiduous work by "all of us in every way." Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the federal government has detained more than 1,100 noncitizens for questioning and has stepped up enforcement of the immigration laws. Mr. Bush has insisted that he is waging war on terrorists, not immigrants, and his food stamp proposal can be cited to support that claim. James D. Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center, an antihunger group, said: "It's really positive that the administration wants to extend food stamp benefits to this group of legal immigrants. We are delighted the administration is supporting this." The economy is much worse now than in 1996, when Mr. Clinton signed the welfare bill. "Immigrants have been hit hard by the economic downturn," Ms. Munoz said, "and there's no safety net for those who arrived after 1996." Welfare and food stamp rolls have plummeted since 1996, and members of Congress express much less concern now about being overwhelmed with the programs' cost, even though budget surpluses have evaporated and Mr. Bush has emphasized holding down costs. Also, advocates for immigrants have made some progress on Capitol Hill by appealing to the American sense of justice. "This will restore justice to people who work hard, pay taxes and play an incredibly important role in our economy," Ms. Munoz said. "It is unreasonable for somebody who works hard and is laid off to have no access to food for his family." |
I'm not suggesting registering democrat, just register uncommitted or third party. If we could get enough to do that it would shake them up I think.
WarHawk42
WarHawk42
U.S. Attorney Paul Warner said most of the 69 are
accused of lying to get badges allowing them into secure
areas - but he said that there's no evidence that any of them
have terrorist connections.
The 2002 Winter Olympics begin in Salt Lake City on Feb.
8.
Sixty-one of those indicted are charged with using fake
documents to get security badges. Investigators said those
workers are in the country illegally, and are mostly from
Latin America.
I don't know what percentage that is but it is 61 illegal immigrants.
WarHawk42
The 2004 Presidential race may be a real knee slapper. The Democrates are not all that dumb, they know what Bush is up to. What if they run a conservative Democrat, campaigning on visa reform and fiscal responsibility? In fact if you havn't noticed Biden is sure making noises like that already. Independents will run red lights getting to the polls voting for that platform, and the election of 2004 chould again be decided by a couple of hundred votes.
Neither party acts like they know how to get people to the polls, neither seems to realize that the average American is an independent that doesn't vote, and they don't know how or do not want to inspire them. But like they themselves say 9-11 began a new day, they havn't realized yet just how new it really is.
You're NOT alone.
In the last several elections here in Marylandistan, campaign posters have eliminated Party affiliation! It is not "John Doe, Democrat for Congress." It is now "John Doe for Congress." Neither Republicans nor Democrats are proud of their political parties ... or maybe the parties have already merged.
Maybe not ... but his legislative agenda would make a Socialist proud; his Socialist accomplishments are being envied even by Clinton!
I'd like to borrow that lighter when you're done, please.
What if he gains 10 Hispanic votes, only to lose 100 conservative ones in the process? I am starting to get visions of the democrats (spit) picking up twenty or thirty seats later this year. G-d help us!
I expect because of 9-11 more people will get out to the polls this year, I don't know if their interest will hold until 2004 though. It may be another squeaker in 2004 but it won't be because of me or my families vote, which will sit there mocking away with a write in, or sitting in the third party column. I figgure if my vote is thrown away anyway, I'll choose the direction it gets tossed.
??? What did I say in my post that led to that comment? It so happens I agree with you...we have Socialist Party 'A' and Socialist Party 'B'...one will destroy our country just a little sooner than the other. It is my belief that the Republicans are alienating so much of their conservative base in an effort to pander to hispanics that the democrats are going to pick up 20 or 30 seats in the house, and a few in the senate, as well. I nearly voted 'write-in' for Alan Keyes, but was so fearful that Gore might win that I compromised my conservative principles and voted for Bush. I'm not terribly proud of myself.
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