Study: In US, 90 percent of black children will be fed by food stamps
Monday, November 2nd, 2009 -- 9:09 pm
Study: In US, 90 percent of black children will be fed by food stamps
By Agence France-Presse
Nearly half of all US children, including an overwhelming majority of black children, will eat meals at some point during their childhood paid for by food stamps, an indicator of poverty, a study showed Monday.
"If you get food stamps, you are by definition in poverty and your household doesn't have many assets," said Mark Rank, a co-author of the study with Thomas Hirschl of Cornell University.
"The fact that half of American children at some time during their childhood find themselves in this position really ought to be a wake-up call to America," he told AFP.
The study found that 49.2 percent of all American children will at some point live in a home that receives food stamps.
Among black children and children living in single-parent households, the percentage is much higher: around 90 percent live in homes that receive food stamps at one stage or another.
Story continues below...
And nearly all black children in single parent homes where the head of household has less than a high school education live in financial and food insecurity during part of their childhood, the study says.
output
What's with that black white
What's with that black white thing again?
It is a social problem not a racial.
More black people belong to the poverty class, but not BECAUSE they are black.
I have not seen mean white people standing there in the Ghettos and forcing Blacks at gunpoint to take drugs or make minor girls pregnant and commit crimes.
Stop that black white stuff.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"God is at home, it's we who have gone out for a walk."
Meister Eckhart
Fiat Food and Fiat Money
Just another way to keep us non whites down.
Well, I bet the
gangster banksters will be eating better than these kids and the banksters are getting a hell of a lot more money than these kids.
We can talk badly about welfare recipients, and the states that
issue them, but this is all part of the socially engineered master plan. So called "non-profits" such as the Rand corporation, have been building this culture for years.
http://educate-yourself.o...
+...Pray for Your Enemies and Moral Courage for Righteous Leaders, so that Justice Will Be Delivered to the Innocent...+
In this hell hole....
The welfare rats only buy meat with food stamp money... Seriously.. On the 1st of the month you will actually see ALL the meat gone out of the local grocery stores.12:00 midnight the card MAGICALLY yields $ 300+ dollars and its time for a trip to the store.
On the first of this month I made the mistake of going to the store well into the evening thinking that the rush had deminished.. When I went to check out with my 5 items, there was a woman that was literally pushing a meat rack cart in line right in front of me... Since it was well past 9 the express lanes were closed and I had no option but to wait for the meat truck to be checked out. 363.20... Nothing but meat....... As I was being checked out I asked the clerk if that was normal? He said "what the amount or the fact that it is all meat?? " I responded BOTH.....He then proceeded to tell me that it is normal and that the welfare rats have now wised up to the fact that the local food pantry have canned veggies and side dishes......
WHEN IS THE REVOLUTION???
"Truth is treason in the empire of lies"......
One of my favorite Police Report's of all time...
This came out of the daily paper here in my home town..
"Police responded to a stolen purse report at the residence of XXXXX 1st street. Thieves apparently took $500 dollars in cash, $400 in food stamps, and numerous other items out of the victims 2002 Lincoln Navigator."
So what's the problem? This happened in 2003, and it happened to someone supposedly eligible for low income housing (projects). Yep $500 cash stolen out of a one year old Lincoln Navigator...in the projects...and probably an un-employed wanna be gangster....That is why the powers that be want a "democracy"...they get a majority of people hooked on the teats of government and the majority will always vote for more government to coddle them. We have a very long and painful uphill battle here folks.
Well This Explains
Why it is politically incorrect to speak of welfare Cadillacs. They're driving Navigators now.
Stuck in line at the grocery store
It was about 4 months ago. Woman was dressed to the nines.
There was a problem at the checkout, and her Food card would not scan.
They were trying over and over again. I'm not sure what the problem was. My wife says she was trying to buy things that didn't qualify.
She had 2 kids with her, and made a big deal about them not being able to eat.
They finally "fixed" her problem. Then we went through.
Turned out they were parked right in front of us in the parking lot.
And yes, they got into a Navigator. AND There was a Boyfriend, or ex-hubby in the passenger seat. He stayed outside, and was also dressed nice.
I'm guessing she was also on a single mother program too.. Called WIC (women, infants, children). That's why the guy stayed outside.
I heard her last name in the store, when the clerk referred to her.
We also got the License plate of the Vehicle. And reported the situation to the state. They actually sounded interested.
Obviously there are other people who could have used this assistance, more than her. I'm not fond of social programs. And am less fond of those who take advantage.
I think that's now my new
I think that's now my new favorite police report as well.
Another example of a "not so
Another example of a "not so free country".
Food stamps are just another corporate bailout
It distorts the market when government protects the profits of the food producers, processors, wholesalers and retailers using deficit spending to provide food stamps.
The result is that food prices remain higher than a free market would support. In hard times this forces more people to seek alternatives. One is food stamps another is military service.
Government regulations and enforcement have gone a long way over the last 3 generations in making it harder for individuals, families and communities to produce and process their own food. This is leaving most dependent on the corporations and the government dole to help make ends meet.
It might be good for people to “read” the Little House stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Another is to study the ways of the Old Order Amish. Help comes to those who help themselves.
Education is only as far away as the library and the Internet. You won’t get a degree but you’ll get something far more useful.
Ron Paul for Speaker of the House 2010
Good idea,
and my husband and I are doing just that, as a matter of fact, as are many others. But that doesn't help an impoverished city dweller too much. I mean, how many tomatos and sides of beef can one raise on a couple of window sills, or even in a parking lot that's been remade into a small garden space, like has been done in Detroit? It is not enough.
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It is good and proper to respect the U.S. flag, perpetuated with the blood of American heroes. It is a fatal mistake not to recognize those who wrap themselves in the same flag to cover up their crimes against the American people.
~ Sherman H. Skolnick
Self reliance is the underlying idea
It will take two years after the government stops its reckless behavior before any real recovery starts. In the mean time every little bit helps.
Government can only help by stealing (with taxes) or borrowing against our children's future.
AFAIK, 80-90% of the
AFAIK, 80-90% of the American population used to live spread out in farm/rural areas. The industrial revolution was pivotal in switching that around to where 80% or so of the American people now live in or around big cities and major population centers.
The areas where the majority of people live do not seem capable of providing the quantity of sustenance that is necessary.
I'm not sure of this, but if industry is incapable of providing what the people need at a price they can afford, then we might soon see another shift with people moving from the cities and metro areas back to the rural areas. Because, as you stated, there is not enough space for people to be self sufficient in many areas such as Detroit.
"Processed People" the movie
http://www.imdb.com/video...
Feasting on selling disease.
The Drug War, the War on
The Drug War, the War on Poverty, the trickle down theory of central economic bankers and a justice system that persecutes blacks.
And we have a black man for president pushing all of the above programs that have proven disastrous already by this report. Funny thing is they call us the racists....
Welfare is working as
Welfare is working as intended.
Second that.
.
The cycle of poverty
is very hard, if not impossible, to break. Children born to poor parents and/or to parents who end up divorcing or separating have a disadvantage that is impossible to break out of without some help. Education beyond public school becomes impossible without grants and loans, unless a scholarship can be obtained - which is difficult to do. Loans are practically impossible to repay, due to unfair business practices by financial corporations, and the guidelines for grants leave many out of luck. It is practically impossible to make a wage that will keep yourself (much less a family) afloat without a higher education when the cost of living keeps rising faster than most menial wages can keep up with. The cycle needs to be broken. That's why I will never understand the attitude of some who say things like, "If a man won't work, he shouldn't be given any help", because more likely than not, that man IS working, but can't pull himself up due to the evils of our society. Local and/or state agencies can't afford to help everyone and the numbers are rising faster than even the federal government can keep up with. I'm not talking about giving a hand out - I'm talking about giving a hand up. That can't be accomplished by a society that refuses to help out.
*******************
It is good and proper to respect the U.S. flag, perpetuated with the blood of American heroes. It is a fatal mistake not to recognize those who wrap themselves in the same flag to cover up their crimes against the American people.
~ Sherman H. Skolnick
I lived through a lot of
I lived through a lot of what you describe, probably most of it. I can say with certainty that what you posted there is just a list of excuses.
NOTHING at all can take the place of hard work. You can get all the help in the world, but when it comes down to it your life will not get better until you become personally willing to work hard at making it better.
Keep your hands out of my pockets
k? thx
THANK YOU
for illustrating my point so curtly.
******************
It is good and proper to respect the U.S. flag, perpetuated with the blood of American heroes. It is a fatal mistake not to recognize those who wrap themselves in the same flag to cover up their crimes against the American people.
~ Sherman H. Skolnick
I don't know what curtly means
But if it's good, you're welcome. j/k
Seriously though, keep your hands out of my pocket.
Wow it sure did (somewhat)
Seems Government tactics breed many attitudes.
An Attitude of helplessness, and another of selfishness.
It would be dangerous if we all started getting along, and began to help each other out voluntarily. Then who would need Uncle Sams's checks?
Good post BTW.
Edit to add..I misread the previous post.
I want people to keep their hands out of my pockets too.
But, If I have a little extra, I have no problem using my own hands to give it away. There is a single mother in my town, with a Used car, and a partial college education because my wife and I reached deep and helped out.
While obviously well
While obviously well meaning, your argument relies on complete ignorance of how things work in the real world. The problem has never been that various government agencies can't "afford" to break "the cycle of poverty", or some such. It's simply not what governments do.
If you have one faction within government championing helping destitutes, and another championing bailing out Goldman Sachs, the faction championing Goldman will get all the campaign contributions. Meaning they'll get to run all the ads, and have their PR people get them on all the 'important' news shows. Again meaning, they'll win, and Goldman will get a nice return on their investment. While the destitutes will be faced with a higher sales tax to pay for the Goldman handouts. This will happen absolutely 100% of the time. Sure, the "Goldman faction" may talk a good game, and even be headed by someone with the skin complexion of a generally assumed poor minority; but as in every facet of life, people get what they pay for, and poor people by definition can't pay very much for their government. So they won't get very much.
If you really want to "help" poor people, and not just pretend to want to by championing nonsensical and economically illiterate social theories, join us in removing as many of the levers Goldman can use to extract favors from those with less money to invest in government, as possible.
If there simply was no Fed to print money for the bankers, prices would be enormously lower, on anything from milk to houses, all of which would benefit the poor. At the expense of big banks, of course, who would no doubt be out of business by now, but I hope you don't believe the tripe about the "banks helping the poor" by making them debt slaves. And more indirectly, also at the expense of all those living large by simply being very close to banks, along any dimension, such as lawyers, real estate and mortgage brokers, and people who work in money center city art museums and restaurants and as private trainers, psychologists, tutors, home decorators etc., etc. to the Wall Street welfare queens and their slightly removed dependents. Which pretty much describes the Democratic electorate, and explains better than any conspiracy theory about greedy corporations why the poor keep getting poorer and the bankers keep getting richer.
If there were no, or even just much less, government, there'd be no drug and crime war decimating poor neighborhoods, going quite some ways towards evening out the experience of growing up in these neighborhoods versus wealthier ones. Neither would there be any bans on setting up a business anywhere, meaning businesses would prefer to move to cheaper neighborhoods, where they currently can't locate, either due to zoning law idiocy, or simply due to drug war induced crime. So, there would be more jobs in poor neighborhoods, and lots of people with good salaries spending their days there, ensuring opportunities for entrepreneurs. There'd be no laws barring companies from hiring in poor neighborhoods to reduce salary costs, even though that may make some union bosses lose a bit of grip on power. And without taxes, and with the much lower price level that would accompany a move away from big government and a central bank, people could live quite well on wages a lot lower than those enjoyed at everyone else's expense by that tiny, lucky minority who happen to have a politically protected union job.
The only downside to this way of "helping" the poor, is that by simply getting out of the way and letting the poor help themselves, it doesn't provide as many opportunities for do gooders primarily concerned with making themselves feel better by feeding on a large pool of destitutes perpetually dependent on them for so called "help." And the majority of those do gooders, hailing from less than poor social strata as they are, are of course better equipped to buy a government better suited to themselves, than are actual poor people, which is why we're where we're at, with an ever growing industry dependent on "help the poor" programs, and an even faster growing pile of poor for them to "help."
I keep hearing you, et al
saying things like IF things were this way and IF this was that - but they are NOT this or that way, now are they? If they were, I don't think we would need to have this discussion. But they're NOT, so we ARE - get it?
*******************
It is good and proper to respect the U.S. flag, perpetuated with the blood of American heroes. It is a fatal mistake not to recognize those who wrap themselves in the same flag to cover up their crimes against the American people.
~ Sherman H. Skolnick
The issue is in which
The issue is in which direction we're moving. Any time you argue in favor of another government agency "helping" the poor, you're arguing in favor of the government growing even further. Which, indirectly, makes it more dependent on the disproportionately cheap financing it has access to by keeping the central bank in place, hence also lessening the chance of getting rid of the Fed.
For the poor to ever become anything but poor, we have to reverse this. Which means coming up with ways to make government smaller and less dependent on financing.
Curing poverty by ramping up programs that takes money from poor people and hand it to rich bankers, makes about as much sense as that other great idea, of curing excessive indebtedness by taking on more debt. Both courtesy of our ever wise "leaders" and the Starstruck and Stupids bent on making themselves feel better by pretending to want to "help" someone.
Calling names
and throwing your meaningless cop-out rhetoric around is not helping to come up with any viable solutions. It's just more whining and bellyaching because you don't want to share. So don't tell me what does or doesn't make sense unless you can make some sense, yourself.
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It is good and proper to respect the U.S. flag, perpetuated with the blood of American heroes. It is a fatal mistake not to recognize those who wrap themselves in the same flag to cover up their crimes against the American people.
~ Sherman H. Skolnick
????? So, working to make
?????
So, working to make government smaller is not a viable solution? Or, it doesn't make sense even working on it? On a site populated by people who spent untold hours working to support Dr. Paul? Or what are you trying to say here?
And what is it that I'm supposedly not willing to share? A specific way to make government smaller? Supporting Dr. Paul would strike me as one good way of doing so, as would supporting other small government, anti Fed, candidates. And supporting people's, whether rich or poor, right to self government via as extensive a right to secede from their oppressors as possible.
I agree none of the above will "Immediately" cure all problems of poverty, but we have to start somewhere, and at least the above measures will start us moving in the right direction (or, at least, help slow down our move in the wrong direction.) . And if working to get us moving in the right, as opposed to wrong, direction, doesn't make sense to you, you really need to either screw your head on tighter, or at the very least come up with some solutions yourself, which are so much more effective than my admittedly incremental and slow suggestions, that my approach is shown to be an obvious waste of time and effort.
Thus far, all I've gotten out of you in this thread is that we should just give up and let the government and Fed rob us all into ruins, simply because working to end this robbery doesn't immediately alleviate all poverty.
People where I live
do not WANT to break out of the system. Everything you can think of is provided, so the attitude around where I live is why work when you don't have to and actually be making less if you did work. Not to mention if you work more than so many hours a week, you lose all benefits.
They can go to college for free,btw.
Local/ state agencies get subsidies....the more they sign up, the more they get. So where is the incentive for cash strapped cities to encourage independence?
People who own services, housing for low income get subsidies, so they're not encouraging these folks to move out.
The slap in the face to me is the attitude our local superintendent of schools has towrds all this. He says we need more on the dole.
So teen girls around here are trying to get pregnant just to get the benefits and they will tell you that.
Its a lifestyle around here thats encouraged by the city PTB, so again I ask, where is the incentives to 'do it yourself'?
One more thought.... don't try to talk to anyone around here to better themselves because what do you have to offer them thats better than what they are getting from the gov.
Now, I am not saying everyone who is on the dole is like this, but where I live, I have yet to meet anyone who is trying to get off the system.
------------------------------------
The answer to 1984 is 1776! ~ Alex Jones
When asked what did you give us?
"A Republic, if you can keep it" ~ Benjamin Frankiln
I know you're right
and the system isn't working as it is, and needs to be fixed. But I'm not hearing a viable alternative either, and we obviously can't throw the baby out with the bathwater, can we?
*******************
It is good and proper to respect the U.S. flag, perpetuated with the blood of American heroes. It is a fatal mistake not to recognize those who wrap themselves in the same flag to cover up their crimes against the American people.
~ Sherman H. Skolnick
There has to be a transition
from the welfare lifestyle to complete independence.
I had a single mom friend who lived in Fl. when they started their 'welfare to work' program. 2 years was the max you could be on it. She broke out this way and has been doing quite well ever since. Whatever our gubbermint decides, the time limit might be a good incentive. The drawback right now, especially in places like Detroit would be lack of jobs.
Downsizing government and all its various dependent programs would work especially if there was a transition phase involved.
As far as learning the old ways and going more rural....it looks like our gubbermint is trying hard to put a stop to that through farming laws, codex type laws and making it much harder to do so.
-----------------------
The answer to 1984 is 1776! ~ Alex Jones
When asked what did you give us?
"A Republic, if you can keep it" ~ Benjamin Frankiln
I'd like to add
that the quality of our society is only as good as the quality of the life of each individual who is a part of our society. That's why Jesus taught us that whatever we do to/for the least of these, we do to/for Him (All). When are we going to finally understand that simple lesson? Maybe not until we are ALL pulled down into the quicksand of poverty that is sucking more and more of us into it's depths every day. Maybe that's what it will take, I don't know. But I'll tell you this - I am PRAYING for the fall of those fat cats and big dogs who are to blame for the spread of poverty in this country because of their selfishness and greed. Soon it will be raining fat cats and big dogs, and I say - LET IT RAIN.
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It is good and proper to respect the U.S. flag, perpetuated with the blood of American heroes. It is a fatal mistake not to recognize those who wrap themselves in the same flag to cover up their crimes against the American people.
~ Sherman H. Skolnick
If it weren't for the evils perpetuated
by the current government, I'd be in a better position to help people out personally and I'd do it more efficiently.
You're posting on a libertarian-heavy forum, yet your post shows little understanding of how a free society will help its fellow citizens if the gov't would just get out of our way.
I'm posting in a libertarian-heavy forum
because this is where what I'm saying needs to be heard (Duh). Jesus hung out with sinners for the same reason. I'm not comparing myself with Jesus, but it just makes sense to follow in His footsteps - He is a shining example of what we should all aspire to be. And we are not, btw, living in a free, capitalist society, and haven't for a very long time.. We are living in a selfish, greedy corporatist society which needs to fall. Maybe that is exactly what is happening as we speak. Let's hope that something better might rise from the ashes.
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It is good and proper to respect the U.S. flag, perpetuated with the blood of American heroes. It is a fatal mistake not to recognize those who wrap themselves in the same flag to cover up their crimes against the American people.
~ Sherman H. Skolnick
No one here
is saying we live in a free, capitalist society. We agree the corporatism needs to go.
I don't know why you think you are educating us. We woke up from the statist dream you're living in.
Your posts imply that we should be helping each other by force, that the government should take things forcibly from some and give it to others. I advocate that free people will freely help each other if the government would get out of the way. What in that says I'm saying we are already free? We are not. The government is already in our way and all I'm seeing from you is the position that the government should get in our way more.
How long have you been on this crusade? You need to LISTEN because people here have tried and tried to educate you, yet you still spout a lot of statist propaganda. Trust me. You have no wisdom for any of us. We hear the same, statist propaganda around us all the time and we have rejected it. Unless you're here to learn, you are wasting everyone's time by being here.
Whoa
I am not seeing the the part where the poster said more government was the solution.
All for freedom? Freedom for all!
Corporate induced ignorance and racism.
"WE ARE LIVING IN A SELFISH, GREEDY CORPORATIST SOCIETY WHICH NEEDS TO FALL." - amerianna
And I hope everyone out
And I hope everyone out there goes and applies for food stamps, I don't blame anyone who does. Who is to blame are those who make the laws.
grant
What's The Point Of This Thread?
http://www.ronpaulsingles...
Paper Ballots Hand Counted At The Precinct Or Bust
Support WTP Federal Supreme Court Case To Ban All Electronic Voting Or Forget 2010 or 2012
http://www.wethepeoplefou...
Top of my head?
I think it's called information.
I may not know the truth, but I know when I'm being lied to...
Black Families were Targetted by our Politicians
The reason that a disproportionate number of black Americans are involved in distructive behavior is the result of our politicians programs supposedly to "help" them. Whenever you subsidize something, you get more of it. The socialist programs of our politicians especially targeted "disadvantaged minorities", making recipients out of them.
This behavior generated a negative attitude toward black people by ignorant whites. Racist attitudes have always been useful to politicians who manipulate people using hatred.
What happened to blacks is no different that what would have happened to any other group targeted by socialist manipulators. Human nature is universal. When you tell people that they are incapable of succeeding on their own, that they need "assistance" from our politicians, and that everyone else (especially white people) hate them, you get exactly what we see in the Black Community.
Don't blame black people for what our politicians have done to them.
Whatever
you subsidize, you grow.
Like hamburgers and fries and corn fructose syrup.
Fast food, fast medicine, fast news and fast lives have turned many Americans into a sick, uninformed, indebted, “processed” people.
They discuss how and why Americans got into this mess, and what we can do to break the “processed people” cycle.
"Processed People"
http://www.processedpeopl...
http://www.imdb.com/video...
And don't forget to add to
And don't forget to add to that list, plastic and teflon(PFOA).
http://www.bestlifeonline...
http://articles.mercola.c...
http://articles.mercola.c...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.g...
Cannot buy fast food or hot ready-to-eat foods with food stamps.
Farmers markets accept food stamps.
Californians face some of the highest unemployment rates in the country, especially in heavily Latino parts of the state. Fresno area communities face up to 40 percent unemployment. Drought is expected to drive up Central Valley unemployment to 100,000 workers or more this summer, sending more families to food banks as their food stamps run out.
Undocumented immigrants remain ineligible for food stamps. However, parents may receive food stamps on behalf of their U 5. citizen children. Food banks serve all people in need, regardless of citizenship.
http://news.ncmonline.com...
Undocumented
Undocumented immigrants(illegal aliens is the correct technical term that msm rarely uses due to political correctness, but any citizen who loses their wallet can become undocumented, so undocumented is not an accurate term to describe people in the country illegally) remain ineligible for food stamps?
I don't know specifically about Sacramento, but I have seen proof with my own eyes when I gave a ride to someone in a different town in a different state who needed to get foodstamps, and they showed me on the application that citizenship status did not matter(in other words, illegal aliens were eligible for foodstamps). This was a surprise to them, because they'd always heard the false information, that illegal aliens cannot and do not get any welfare benefits(including food stamps)due to it being illegal since a 1996 law was passed(I've heard so many people cite that law as proof illegal aliens can't get welfare, its frustrating when I know they are wrong because that law is not being enforced). But since we saw it with our own eyes, its clear that that law which was intended to cut off welfare to all illegal aliens in the entire country is not being enforced, and I know this must be going on in other towns across the country. Here is some more info about illegal aliens getting food stamps and other welfare benefits
The first link to this story no longer works, but the story did run in the houston chronicle and can be verified, here is the text of the article:
Who should get aid from city?
Comment about citizenship status by mayor’s office sets off foes of illegal immigration
By SUSAN CARROLL and BRADLEY OLSON
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
May 17, 2009, 1:18PM
Just weeks after Mayor Bill White did an about-face by supporting immigration screening at the city jails — much to the joy of anti-illegal immigration activists — he found himself again accused of running a “sanctuary city.”
This time, the controversy stemmed from a seemingly innocuous mission statement for a small city agency, the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. The statement, posted on the city's Web site, said the office encouraged access to city services and benefits for all residents — regardless of their “current citizenship status.”
City officials recently purged the Web site of the phrase, but the episode sparked a broader debate about illegal immigrants’ access to city services, such as non-emergency medical clinic visits, housing programs, English classes and assistance for crime victims.
A Houston Chronicle survey of major municipal departments shows city personnel do not request proof of legal immigration status for access to services, a position adopted by many cities and counties across the country. But with the worsening economy, anti-illegal immigration activists are making a bigger issue about services delivered to undocumented immigrants, whose population was estimated by the Greater Houston Partnership last year to exceed 420,000 in the 10-county region.
“It slaps the American taxpayer in the face,” said Curtis Collier, president of U.S. Border Watch, based in Spring, which advocates for stricter immigration controls.
Some states have restricted illegal immigrants’ access to public benefits. In 2004, Arizona passed a proposal to prevent illegal immigrants from using state services, such as adult education and non-emergency health care.
Similar laws have been enacted in Colorado, Arkansas and Illinois, often with mixed results.
Generally, the city of Houston’s policy is not to ask about immigration status, said Frank Michel, a city spokesman. He said the city has no plans to change that policy, particularly since everyone who lives within city boundaries shares part of the tax burden.
“Everyone should have access to the services to which they are legally entitled,” said Michel. “So if somebody lives in the city and pays rent or a mortgage, for example, and has a fire in their home, should the fire department come and put out the fire? Yes.”
Benefit-access survey
Some anti-illegal immigration activists say government should draw a line at emergency services, but federal law requires municipalities to provide access to certain programs, including K-12 education, regardless of citizenship status. Other examples include immunizations and treatment of communicable diseases. That also applies to the WIC program, which provides supplemental food and formula for low-income pregnant women and young children.
In Houston, the Chronicle survey found:
• •After being screened for availability based on city residency and income — but not on immigration status — Houstonians can go to any of seven clinics run by the city. Low-income families or individuals can get free medical services including family planning, immunizations, prenatal care and treatment for tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases, said Kathy Barton, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services.
• • Houston’s Department of Housing and Community Development also does not have a mechanism for verifying the immigration status of applicants for its programs to assist residents with housing needs, said Richard Celli, the department director. Celli pointed out that the department largely works with developers and nonprofit organizations which build and refurbish housing complexes and help administer federally funded programs.
He said those groups, not the city housing department, are responsible for vetting applicants for assistance.
• • The city helps local residents apply for the state-administered Crime Victim Compensation fund, said Andy Kahan, head of the Mayor’s Crime Victims Office. While immigration status is not a factor, the applicant has to show at least an attempt at establishing state residency, Kahan said, adding the victims are paid with fines and court costs from convicted felons, not taxpayer dollars.
Collier said illegal immigrants should not have access to non-emergency medical care, or taxpayer-funded second-language, after-school and summer classes, and certain work programs.
“People who are illegally in this country should not qualify for any services outside of emergency health care and things of that sort that are granted to all human beings,” Collier said.
‘This is not a free ride’
Cesar Espinosa, executive director of Houston’s America For All, an immigration advocacy organization, said the city’s assistance to immigrants — both legal and illegal — is vital to the community. He sends legal and non-legal residents to the city for help, and most people who receive assistance are legal residents, Espinosa said.
“Undocumented people do pay taxes, and they are paying for the services they are getting,” he said. “This is not a free ride for anybody.”
As for that sentence in the mission statement that fueled the controversy?
It circulated via e-mail and was posted on chat boards of anti-illegal immigration groups in March.
Activists enlarged the sentence and displayed it on a poster on the steps of City Hall during a May 2 rally.
A few weeks ago, the wording was quietly changed by Michel. It was “misleading and subject to misinterpretation,” the city spokesman said.
“It led people to believe we were doing something to aid and abet illegal immigration, and that’s not the case,” Michel said.
A COMPARISON
A glimpse at the old and new mission statements for the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
The old: “The policy of MOIRA is to encourage access by all persons residing in the city of Houston, regardless of nation of birth or current citizenship status, to the full benefits, opportunities, and services that are provided and administered by the city of Houston.”
The new: “MOIRA’s mission is to encourage good citizenship and facilitate integration of immigrant and refugee communities living in the city. This includes educating immigrant communities about their rights and responsibilities, as well as services provided and administered by the city of Houston.”
Source: City of Houston
susan.carroll@chron.com
bradley.olson@chron.com
http://www.chron.com/disp...
Here is another link on welfare costs associated with illegal immigration in California.
http://www.the-signal.com...
Yep, been what I've seen too.
Around 1968 I was attending a local college in Los Angeles County, and just seemed anyone that applied, could recieve food stamps/assistance.
But it definitely was slanted towards immigrants and women with children.
At that time, $700 a month was good money, especially when a two bedroom apartment rented for $100 and gas was a buck and a half.
Food was everywhere anyway, because of local farms.
So, welfare at that time . . . fit . . . and usually respected and not cheated on, in as much as good jobs were increasing, or wherein as you recieved your welfare, there were urges to get a job.
For the woman with children; well, I referenced $700 per month, it's what she recieved, back in 1969, immigrant yes, not sure about documentation, just didn't seem to be an issue back then.
But my take was wow, my part time job was paying me way less than that per month, and I had no food stamps and but had a car that I bought for one hundred fifty dollars. See, $700 could go a long ways.
Things sure got manipulated along the way . . . and now Obama.
But what was always available, is the help people give thru organizations that offered bags of food that were donated.
.
Although immigration is what it is, it is still a tool of the manipulation and tyranny and oppression which always upsets, an otherwise very beautiful and rich life we had back then with more natural beauty and interaction with such on a local level.
What's really sad
is that, in order to get food stamps, you have to have no assets, something like less than $2000. There's an exception for a vehicle used for transportation to work, but even that has to be almost worthless, which means your transportation has to be spotty, which is risky to your job. All these families have absolutely nothing.
If they do start to save, they'll eventually just have to spend their savings just to get back to a stable food situation since just a week's groceries are a significant percentage of a $2000 limit.
The same goes for Medicaid. I'm not saying I approve of having Medicaid or food stamps if you are capable of saving, but sometimes saving means going without the food or medical care and someone with kids isn't going to take that option so readily.
No wonder they call welfare a trap.
whats the incentive to save
when everything is provided for you?
They encourage people to get on the dole where I live. It means more gov. money for our school system. If you speak out then you are ostracized for not caring, but the people around here have it made. Its also a generational thing around here, so now we have whole families that wouldn't know how to fend for themselves if they had to.
It sickens me because what is going to happen to all these people when agenda 21 kicks in fully?
I'm not putting down anyone, just angry at the system itself.
The race card is just a propaganda tool imo.
Look at the bigger picture.
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The answer to 1984 is 1776! ~ Alex Jones
When asked what did you give us?
"A Republic, if you can keep it" ~ Benjamin Frankiln