New Ulm legislator: Require English language skills to get welfare (and the crowd goes wild...)

MPLS Star & Sickle ^ | 12-29-04 | Martiga Lohn

[Rakkasan1]

Politicians have taken a hard line on welfare recipients who smoke and eat junk food. Now a legislator wants to make sure immigrants learn English to qualify for welfare.

Minnesota already requires immigrants to sign up for English classes or apply for U.S. citizenship within four years of becoming permanent residents, in order to get state assistance.

Rep. Brad Finstad, R-New Ulm, wants to tighten that requirement to make newcomers sign up for English classes and apply for U.S. citizenship within a year of living here permanently.

"This is a personal responsibility issue,'' Finstad said in a release. "This proposal simply asks foreign language speaking welfare recipients to take more personal responsibility, and become more accountable to taxpayers.''

[Rakkasan1]

as always, "there's never enough state funding." It's not a lack of funding, it's a lack of will power.

If you want to see will power in action, make getting welfare dependent on understanding English before you get the check.

[GSlob]

To apply for citizenship one has to have spent FIVE years in the country as a resident alien, IIRC, not one year. Something must be misreported in this article.

[exnavychick]

I have been here for awhile, and I just can't take it anymore...I have to ask:

What does IIRC stand for? I have tried to figure it out from the context of the sentences, but without success. Could someone please fill me in? That's driving me nuts.

Thanks. :)

BTW, I didn't know that you had to be a resident alien for five years before applying for citizenship. Interesting.

[lawdude]

"What does IIRC stand for?'

If I Recall Correctly!

[Rakkasan1]

you get to be on the dole for 5 years in MN (one of the most
generous states in length and $ amount) , so alot of good this does.

My blue hell.

[exnavychick]

Ah, thank you!

That mental itch has finally been scratched, lol. :)

[Luke]

In most civilized nations you have to provide proof that you will not become a burden on the state in order to live there. Frankly I'm tired of having tax dollars support those who are in this country illegally.

This entire illegal immigrant issue ticks me off. Maybe we should round up some of our gutless congress critters along with the illegals and...

Nahhh... I get in trouble for thinking out loud. Thank God I'm retired and don't have to work under congressional wishy-washy BS anymore.

[JustAnotherSavage]

Read later. Thanks.