Thread: ALERT: Three (3) La Raza legislations in Congress!!!

Times writers group: Bill may help illegal immigrants

Published: September 06. 2007 12:30AM - Last updated: September 06. 2007 12:40AM
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 006/NEWS01

In another instance of our own government turning its collective back on "We The People," Senate bill 1923 was placed on the calendar Aug. 1.

This bill is called The Housing Assistance Authorization Act of 2007 and includes the Housing Assistance Council, the Housing Partnership Network and its members and the Raza Development Fund.

The fund's Web site defines it as "a support corporation of the National Council of La Raza, established in 1998 as the community development lending arm of NCLR." The NCLR is the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States.

My question is this: Why should Congress pursue legislation that is based upon a person's race? Shouldn't Congress be using our tax dollars to help any and all working-class Americans?

Section 4 of this bill is titled, "Assistance for Raza Development Fund." The stated purposes are to provide technical and financial assistance to local nonprofit organizations to undertake community development and affordable housing projects and programs serving low-moderate income households ... particularly through organizations located in neighborhoods with substantial populations of income disadvantaged households of Hispanic origin.

Grants for these housing developments are authorized in Section C of 1923 totaling $25 million the next three years and are targeted to Hispanic communities.

One amendment to this bill, called the Bunning Amendment, addresses the underlying concern that this is actually housing for illegal immigrants. The amendment says simply that anyone not here legally cannot get direct access to this fund.

It doesn't say, though, they can't get access indirectly. In other words, if RDF money is used to buy housing that La Raza manages, could illegal immigrants become tenants?

La Raza also receives grants and funding in the form of discretionary spending included in labor, education and health and human services bills.

Again, I ask: How is it fair that working-class Americans have to pay via taxes to fund groups such as La Raza, especially if it is — even indirectly — putting those tax dollars toward helping illegal immigrants live here and ultimately push Americans out of the job market, out of their homes and toward becoming "income disadvantaged" themselves?

When we lose our jobs, the government loses revenues. Why is there no special development fund for us?

The House is no better.

House bill 1999, the Hope Fund Act, was introduced April 23 and authorizes appropriations for assistance for the National Council of La Raza and the Raza Development fund. It passed the House and awaits Senate action.

House bill 1980, the Housing Assistance Council Authorization Act, passed with 216 Democrats and 134 Republicans voting "aye" July 1. It includes the Raza Development Fund.

It, too, awaits Senate action, which is frightening. After all, this is the Congress that can't secure our border, enforce our immigration laws, build a fence, deport illegal immigrants or in any other way act to defend the sovereign United States from an invasion of illegal immigrants from anywhere!

This is the same Congress, like the one before it, expecting American taxpayers to house, feed, educate and provide health care to individuals who broke our laws entering the country and who are represented by openly racist groups such as La Raza.

I will give La Raza its dues. A check of its Web site page shows its leaders have effectively learned how to use the government to their advantage.

Far from being a collection of individuals who simply wanted a better life, La Raza is well funded and politically connected.

This is the opinion of Marti Oakley, an artist from Watkins whose column is published the first Thursday of the month. She welcomes constructive comments at martijoakley@gmail.com.

I called my congressional rep FWIW. I don't bother calling my California senators since they're both rotten to the core.

This is disgusting.