Planetfurry BBS

[Styx]

Medi-Cal is the California state funded menical program and they did I'm not joking

[WhiteStorm]

[Styx]

Well yes But I hardley think he ment it will happen in exactly the same way it did back in the 1700s. I'm sure meant the bodies in the sreets and armed conflict and such and I have to agree if things are alowed to go as they are there will be a violent overthrow of the existing government.

[Rabbit]

Here's some info on taxpayer-subsidized medical care for illegals:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/09/20080409az-hospitalfund09-on.html

http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=3978

As for welfare--

"Welfare" as a word is used two very different ways in this debate. It is true that it is illegal for a non-US citizen to collect "welfare" as narrowly defined, meaning the specific "welfare" program that sends a monthly check (although there's evidence that a significant number have found ways to evade the intent of the law, for example by having a baby that _is_ a US citizen and collecting benefits for _it_.) In the larger sense, however, "welfare" includes a huge basket of programs intended to help the poor, including things like heavily-subsidized (and now overloaded) public transit, day care programs, the (always broke) public schools, etc. Illegals _do_ take advantage of these programs, in spades. That said, here's some links:

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/immigrationnaturalizatio/a/caillegals.htm

http://www.hometownstation.com/local-news/illegal-aliens-clarita-2008-05-05-02-00.html

http://www.bordernewsyoudecide.com/2008/03/welfare-costs-for-illegal-aliens-in-la.html

[WhiteStorm]

Regarding illegals, I think in the US you might as well leave the ones that are already there alone, and fix up the border so no more can get in. Otherwise it's just a hideous waste of money, and about as useful as trying to save a sinking boat with a soup spoon. Once that's done just make the rest of them citizens, so if they commit crimes they are still punished like any other criminal* and this way if they want to, they can start to behave as normal people without the fear of being deported.

*Or perhaps put them on a probationary period, so that if you have lived there for x amount of years (after the border was secured, for simplicity's sake) and committed no serious crimes (it probably isn't worth deporting someone for things like a violation of traffic rules unless they make a dangerous habit of it for example) then you are granted citizenship.

In this way then you might filter out those who are unwilling to work and lead normal lives, and be left with productive citizens instead of using however much money to track them down. As for welfare... I believe there is enough trouble with that from people who are citizens, so it probably needs an overhaul regardless of illegals.

[Syrius]

[WhiteStorm]

For the sake of convenience I was thinking more just assume they are permitted, until they do something worthy of being removed and can't prove their citizenship (unfortunately there's no guarantee you can prove they came from anywhere else either, so they may just end up imprisoned anyway, even without citizenship). Otherwise you still have to track them down, or let them register themselves (granted, the honest ones might do if they aren't afraid it's a trick). However, that relies on the borders being secured first, and I'm not sure that's really likely.

English, at present, is a bit strange of a requirement. It's the most popular language, but not official, and for some reason everyone either doesn't want an official language, or they hate the idea of having more than one spoken language. Why, I'm not sure. They seem to have the "I was here first" mentality, but it seems to me plenty of countries get by fine with more than one official language, or with people speaking non-official ones. Maybe they fear becoming like Canada, lol.

[Rabbit]

[Cookie]

Hoo boy. I give up.

[Tommy Fox Stone]

[Cookie]

[Tommy Fox Stone]

[Cookie]

[Tommy Fox Stone]