Something is rotten in the state Senate
It's an election year. It must be time to find some people the state legislature can kick around.
Yesterday the PA Senate passed a bill to restrict the forms of acceptable identification for obtaining public benefits, from unemployment compensation to medical assistance to post-secondary financial aid. It's supporters framed it as a measure to stop those illegal alien invaders from fraudulently obtaining public benefits.
One small problem. Not only did the supporters not show a systemic problem but they couldn't point to a single case of an undocumented immigrant improperly acquiring benefits.
And the people who are most likely to be affected are those who need benefits. Studies show that those most likely to not have government-issued identification are the elderly, persons with disabilities, persons of low incomes, and racial minorities.
The pricetag? 19 million dollars.
Oh, but the Senate isn't done finding groups to kick around. Today in Pittsburgh there is a hearing on SB 1250, which would amend our state constitution to ban gay marriage. Now if our senators could just find some gay immigrants, I'm sure they'd be downright gleeful.
Andy in Harrisburg
Yesterday the PA Senate passed a bill to restrict the forms of acceptable identification for obtaining public benefits, from unemployment compensation to medical assistance to post-secondary financial aid. It's supporters framed it as a measure to stop those illegal alien invaders from fraudulently obtaining public benefits.
One small problem. Not only did the supporters not show a systemic problem but they couldn't point to a single case of an undocumented immigrant improperly acquiring benefits.
And the people who are most likely to be affected are those who need benefits. Studies show that those most likely to not have government-issued identification are the elderly, persons with disabilities, persons of low incomes, and racial minorities.
The pricetag? 19 million dollars.
"Gas is $3.50 a gallon, there are 250,000 working people who can't afford to get sick and the Senate is more concerned that an illegal immigrant might be applying to Penn State," House Democratic spokesman Bob Caton said.
Oh, but the Senate isn't done finding groups to kick around. Today in Pittsburgh there is a hearing on SB 1250, which would amend our state constitution to ban gay marriage. Now if our senators could just find some gay immigrants, I'm sure they'd be downright gleeful.
Andy in Harrisburg
Labels: civil rights, immigration, marriage amendment
posted by ACLU of Pennsylvania at 4/10/2008 12:35:00 PM
3 Comments:
Good luck on the gay marriage measure. Even "liberal" Oregon banned it. I never did hear a valid legal reason why it should be banned. It's always religious in foundation for the objection.
People here were actually told in their churches that gay marriage would lead to legalizing polygamy, pedophilia, and eventually bestiality.
And the stupid people bought it hook, line, and sinker.
People don't want facts. They want beliefs that won't be challenged. And they'll make up anything they can to push it through.
This mean-spirited measure isn't even about gay marriage, which is already not permitted in Pennsylvania, but about denying gay citizens in relationships any kind of legal recognition - from health benefits to hospital visitation rights.
RE: They want beliefs that won't be challenged
It is worse than that. There are people who want an "enemy" they can kick around just to make themselves feel they are part of the "good guys."
It's disgusting.
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