Reverse Robin Hood

So, here we go again taking money from the poor while the rich get richer.

The Nebraska Unicameral is considering a bill that would deny LEGAL immigrants any and all state welfare benefits for the first five years of their legal status. Currently, federal law prohibits legal immigrants from receiving state aid for those first five years, but states are allowed to provide aid if states administer and pay for the aid themselves. Governor Dave Heineman lends his full support to the bill in an effort to save money from the state's shrinking budget. If this bill passes the state could save about $3.9 million a year.

Now, I understand why a bill like this exists. The government doesn't want people to emigrate here just to get on the state's gravy train. I get that, and I agree with that. This bill doesn't apply to immigrants here seeking political asylum or refugees.

But that's of little comfort to me. The introduction of this bill is just another shot at the very Americans Republicans claim they represent: hard-working, everyday Americans that may have fallen on hard times. I guess if we can't scapegoat illegal immigrants, then we may as well try to slap legal immigrants across the face, too.

Why are we still looking at welfare programs as horrible budget-crushing monsters? Why are they always the first thing to go? Well, besides Medicare and Social Security. That's "earned" welfare. ????

Put it like this: if I need to trim my personal household budget, am I going to trim cable television or turn off the electricity? Shouldn't we first be looking to trim things that although awesome and desired are not necessary to the survival of the household? How much money would it save to cut health insurance benefits to our state representatives who can afford to pay for their own insurance? I want to know. How much money could we save by forcing businesses to pay the taxes they should rightfully be paying? I want to know.

Passing this bill won't save money. It will shift the burden of health care costs to emergency rooms, and in turn, to us folks who actually have to pay for our health insurance and medical bills. It would put even more strain on charitable organizations already struggling to make a dollar out of 15 cents.

It's not only a bad idea fiscally, it's also a bad idea socially. It's time we stop holding the poor and immigrants accountable for stuff that just isn't their fault.