Las oficinas de la Policía del Capitolio y Patrullas del Estado habían intentados a prevenir que los manifestantes entraran al Edeficio del Capitolio aúnque tenían licencia para hacerlo. Después de un debate muy tenso de 30 minutos, la policía se rendió.

“Hoy nos encontramos aquí para reclamar justicia,” dijo Trishalla Bell del Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition, quien insistía que el Gobernador saliera y escuchara las demandas. Una manta de 30 pies decía “Condenamos” cubría la entrada de la oficina de Ventura, y la gente gritaba, “Ventura es un Cobarde,” reverberó por el edeficio.

Ventura se quedó en su oficina con el campeón de wrestling, Bob Backlund, y envió a su portavoz principal John Wodele para recibir las demandas. En un discurso para la prensa, Ventura se quejó sobre la manifestación del MWRC. “No me gusta que me llaman atacante de los pobres,” dijo Ventura. “Yo creo que la asistencia pública no es un derecho.”

La manifestación del 23 de abríl era parte de la lucha que sigue por MWRC contra ataques a la asistencia pública. “Los pobres de todas partes de Minnesota, ¡ya, basta!” dijo Derek Parker. Organizaciones de bajos ingresos de Moorhead, Duluth, y las Ciudades Gemelas mobilizaron una gran cantidad de gente para la manifestación.

Los Ricos Tienen 3 Partidos

Tomando en cuenta la sesión Legislativa de 1999, Lisa Barrett del Welfare Rights Committee (Comité para los Derechos en cuanto a Asistencia Pública) dijo, “Los tres partidos mas grandes que reclaman victoria deben estar agachando la cabeza por verguenza porque traicionaron las familias pobres de Minnesota. Le recortaron a los pobres mientras le echaron más dinero al plato de los ricos.”

Mucha gente de bajos ingresos se metieron en las audiencias legislativas, lo cual hizo a los politicos sentirse defensivos. “Los politicos en contra de los pobres no querían hablar sobre asistencia públicas este año,” dijo Marvella Davis de Duluth. “Hicimos de esta una cuestión muy grande porque MFIP es un desastre muy grande. Nos están negando nuestro derecho a una educación, nos están exigiendo que acceptaramos trabajos de mierda, y las sancciones nos están empujando hasta las calles.”

Victorias

“Impedimos el corte de 100 concesiones para gente en vivienda pública. Dinero para comprar comida va a seguir para los próximos 18 meses para inmigrantes. La imagen de MFIP ha estado dañado sin esperanza de repararla. Y, lo que está quebrado, sólo se puede reparar tomando en cuenta nuestras necesidades,” dijo Linden Gawboy.

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St. Paul, MN – The MN Welfare Rights Coalition (MN WRC) won a victory at the State Capital in the 2000 legislative session. After packing hearings, protests, and civil disobedience actions, they triumphed in killing one of worst bills. The politicians, mainly Republicans, tried to pass a law that would have forced 100% sanctions on families receiving welfare from the Minnesota Family Investment Plan (MFIP).

“If this bill had become law, it would have been the biggest attack on welfare since Clinton signed the welfare reform bill into law in 1996. It would have cut families completely off welfare and thrown them into the streets,” stated Didi Frances of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) in Minneapolis/St. Paul. “We needed to be a force there to show that they can't pass laws that would devastate families.”

Other Victories

The MN-WRC won other important victories. They were able to hold off the bill that would have cut $100 from the grants of families who live in any subsidized housing (Public Housing, Section 8) and also receive MFIP. “The MN-WRC has been fighting for the past three years to stop this $100 cut. And every year we have been successful in stopping the cut from going into effect. Politicians just refuse to eliminate it completely,” stated Deb Konechne, WRC.

MFIP and General Assistance money for some immigrants were set to stop this summer. The MN-WRC has fought for the past three years for Minnesota to make up any cuts in federal money to immigrants. “This year again, we were successful in pushing Minnesota to continue cash assistance, food stamps, SSI and welfare cuts for immigrants who would be cut from the federal programs for another year,” stated Didi Frances.

Keep the Fight Back Going

“A group of voices united in a single cause can make a difference. Members of the People Escaping Poverty Project (PEPP) and students from a nearby college rallied together against Representative Kevin Goodno's proposed 100% sanction bill. Through a flood of e-mails, picketing, phone calls, and letters, we let him know that while he may represent our district, he is not representative of those who live within it. We do not support his efforts to increase sanctions at all,” Penny Simiu, Community Organizer of PEPP in Moorhead, Minnesota.

“This just shows that when you speak out and fight against unjust laws, you can win. When we stood together as a people and a coalition, the power of the people was unstoppable!” stated Dolly Cater, Low Income People Organizing for Power, Duluth. “And we will be back next year to continue to fight and demand economic justice for all.”

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St. Paul, MN – Low-income people from around Minnesota are carrying out a powerful fightback against anti-poor politicians at the State Capitol. Reactionary legislators launched a wave of attacks against families on public assistance. Republicans, led by Rep. Goodno of Moorhead, are pushing bills that call for 100% sanctions on welfare.

“100% sanctions would completely cut families off of welfare and throw them into the street,” stated Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) member Didi Francis. “Every time we go to the Capitol, we fight against the stereotype of poor people. The politicians and their families aren't going to be affected by any of the welfare reforms laws that they pass.”

Protesters at MN Capitol Feb 1

Protesters fill steps of MN State Capitol February 1, demanding that politicians fight poverty, not the poor.

Fight Back! photo by Kim Defranco.

Opening Day

On February 1, the opening day of the legislature, 200 low-income people from cities across Minnesota came to the Capitol in St. Paul. They protested attacks on welfare, and demanded that politicians address problems that keep families in poverty. Busloads came from Duluth, Moorhead, Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Rally participant Jeanette Bobo, a member of the MN Welfare Rights Coalition, stated, “Welfare Reform is causing more disasters then actually doing good. It isn't working for the majority of the people. The welfare law is a weapon against people and it is used against mothers for punishment because they are poor.”

Protesters demanded that politicians give education as a first choice, stop the five-year time limit on public assistance, end all sanctions, and stop pushing parents into low-wage dead end jobs. “Stop the five year limit clock! Tick by tick! And tock by tock!” chanted rally participants.

Demonstrators marched into the Capitol and unfurled a block-long scroll of signed petitions calling for an end to the attacks on welfare and poor families.

Hearings Packed

Since opening day, low-income people flooded the capitol for every hearing on welfare. Members of MNWRC testified, picketed, protested and held press conferences. MNWRC pushed for positive legislation that has education rights, ends sanctions, and stops the time clock. They fought against reactionary bills such as the 100% sanctions.

Chili George, a WRC member, is being illegally sanctioned even though she is disabled and her family is homeless in Minneapolis. “It's important that we are here fighting, and fighting for the rights of the poor. Politicians are making laws that aren't helping the poor but makes us poorer. According to the state and the counties, the sanctions are supposed to force people to go to work. Anyone living on MFIP knows that no one needs to be forced to go to work.”

MFIP, the Minnesota Family Investment Program, is the state's welfare “reform” law.

    Low-income people sit in at Representative Goodno's office. Five were arrested pressing the demand that he drop his 100% sanctions bill. Fight Back! photo by Barb Bordner

“Goodno is No Good!”

Welfare rights protesters shadowed the author of the 100% sanction bill, Rep. Goodno, for a full day. Another day, over forty women and children from the Minneapolis/St. Paul based Welfare Rights Committee staged a sit-in Rep. Goodno's office. Five welfare rights protesters were jailed for civil disobedience.

Bear Maschenik, from Minneapolis (WRC) was one of the people arrested. “We're here because if the poor people don't fight back for our rights against these terrible politicians' laws to change things, then no one else will.”

Glenn Johnson from St. Paul, another WRC member arrested at Rep. Goodno's, said, “Getting arrested shows the inhumanity of the system and that this system is against poor people. It sends out a clear message that we are willing to risk arrest in order to stop an inhumane law.”

Two days later, People Escaping Poverty Project of Moorhead held a protest at a town meeting that Rep. Goodno held in his hometown. Twenty protesters demonstrated outside the meeting and then went in with signs stating “Goodno is NO-GOOD”, forcing Goodno to respond about his bill calling for 100% sanctions.

Two weeks later, MNWRC held another sit-in at Goodno's office, with five more protesters from Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth's Low Income People Organizing for Power, doing civil disobedience and going to jail. Three chained themselves to Rep. Goodno's office and had to be cut free with bolt cutters.

Joanne Gonzalez, (Minneapolis member WRC) arrested in both actions at the capitol, stated, “I got arrested because for the no good reason that they are taking children away from their parents along with food and shelter. We are here to tell them that they are wrong. If that takes going to jail – no matter how many times – I will continue to do so. I know how it feels to be homeless and hungry.”

Nancy Polonia, LI-POP- Duluth, agrees that the sit-ins are necessary to get our issues across to everyone and to drive home a message to the powers that be. “They can't get away with this.”

Elizabeth Wirtz, St. Paul, (WRC) who was also arrested, declared “It was important to be arrested because actions speak louder than words. I'm just trying to get a better program for the majority and the politicians don't seem to have that in mind. We need to take whatever steps we have to get that point across. If that takes going to jail then, yes, I will go.”

Marvella Davis, LIPOP-Duluth, said, “The sit-ins are great and it's an excellent way to show the politicians that we are serious about our belief that we should have the same rights as non MFIP recipients. We are not going to keep quiet, but we will sit-in until justice is served.”

The Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition and poor Minnesotans across the state have made it very clear to politicians that attacks on poor families will not be tolerated.

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St. Paul, MN – More than 100 people, from across the state, came to the governor's mansion on August 20 to demand that Governor Ventura “stop the time clock” on the 5-year limit on welfare. The demonstration was organized by the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition (MN-WRC).

Stop the Time Limits!

MN-Welfare Rights Coalition protests five year time limits on welfare at Governor Ventura's mansion

Photo by Kim Defranco

The chants, “Jesse, Jesse, you must know, the five year limit has to go!” and “Jesse, Jesse, we're at your door, stop the war on the poor!” rung out around the mansion.

The demonstration brought out the message that Minnesota's welfare law, MFIP (MN Family Investment Plan), is a disaster, and that Governor Ventura has the power to fix it.

The Minnesota welfare law put a 5-year lifetime limit on people receiving public assistance, and there are 3 years left. MN-WRC states that if the federal government refuses to stop the time clock, Governor Ventura should do it for Minnesota.

Frosty Cunningham, of Virginia, Minnesota and MN-WRC, pointed out, “The protest furthered our message that the welfare law isn't working and is hurting so many people. It caused many more people to use the soup kitchens, be homeless and there isn't enough help for everyone. The MFIP law is a disaster.”

She continued, “[We are] keeping the pressure on Ventura because he's not doing right and he is not for the poor people of Minnesota. We only have 3 more years to go [before the 5 year time limit is up] and we have to keeping moving forward to change this disastrous law.”

smash the 5-year limit clock!

Smashing time clocks at Governor's Mansion to protest 5 year limit on welfare

Photo By Kim Defranco

Protesters smashed clocks with sledge hammers to dramatize the need to stop the clock that is ticking on our lives, and they shouted, “Jesse what time is it? It's time to stop the clock!”

Peggy Watkins, of the Twin Cities-based Welfare Rights Committee, has had a lot of problems with the welfare system. She was kicked off the system in the winter of '97 and welfare gave her and her children a bus ticket to Detroit. In Detroit, the welfare law wasn't any better. They made her go to a work program even though she didn't have stable housing, so she made her way back to Minnesota. At the protest, she said that she wants to make changes to the welfare law so others don't have to go through what she did.

Watkins told demonstrators, “This rally is wonderful and we need more of them. It is good to be here in front of Jesse's mansion to deal with him one-on-one. Now his neighbors have a chance to see who this man really is. He's not for us.”

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Capitol police and State Patrol officers had attempted to prevent demonstrators from entering the Capitol Building. “This is our Capitol and we, as the people of Minnesota, have every right to our capitol,” stated emcee Trishalla Bell of the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition (MN-WRC), to the cheers of demonstrators. Protesters refused to be turned away, chanting loudly, “Politicians we’re at your door! Stop the war on the poor!”

Following a tense, 30-minute standoff at the Capitol entrance, the police backed down and protesters streamed into the building.

“We are here today to demand justice,” said Derek Parker of Low Income People Organizing for Power of Duluth. Protesters demanded that the Governor come out and hear the demands. A 30-foot long “Condemned” sign was put up to cover the entrance to Ventura’s office and the chant “Jesse is a coward!” echoed through the building.

Ventura stayed in the back office with wrestling champ Bob Backlund, sending out his chief spokesperson, John Wodele, to receive the demands. In a press statement, Ventura complained about the MNWRC protest, “I do not appreciate being called a poor-basher. I believe that welfare is not a right.”

“We’re here to tell Governor Jesse Ventura that he better get a clue, because the biggest recipient of public money in this crowd is Jesse himself. This man is making over $120,000 in public aid with free housing and transportation to boot, and he has the nerve to bash poor families!” stated Didi Francis of the Twin Cities Welfare Rights Committee (WRC).

The April 23 rally was a part of the ongoing battle waged by MN-WRC against attacks on welfare. “Poor people all over Minnesota have had enough,” stated one protest organizer. Low income organizations from Moorhead, Duluth, and the Twin Cities mobilized large numbers of people for the protest.

“Whether you are on welfare or not, you’re still a part of this state and you are still someone’s son, daughter or parent. We should be entitled to housing, to food, to education, and to a chance at life. We should be able to do more than just survive. The fact is, the politicians are trying to pull the rug out from under families and the working poor who help sustain everything in the state,” stated Theo Menge of Moorhead’s People Escaping Poverty Project.

The Rich Have 3 Parties

Looking back at the 1999 Legislative session, Lisa Barrett of the WRC said, “The three parties are claiming a victory. They should instead be hanging their heads in shame for selling out Minnesota’s poor families. They stiffed the poor while putting more dollars in the feeding trough of the rich.”

Low income people packed legislative hearings, putting the politicians on the defensive. Dozens testified from around the state of Minnesota, speaking of the disastrous consequences of MFIP. “We have laid bare the truth about MFIP,” stated Marvella Davis of Duluth. “We have exposed that MFIP is causing more poverty, hunger and homelessness all across the state of Minnesota.”

“Anti-poor politicians did not want to talk about welfare this year,” said Deb Howze of Minneapolis. “The Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition made welfare a big issue this year and exposed the ugly truth of what MFIP really is. We forced politicians to look at the facts that MFIP is a disaster for our families! We are being denied our rights to an education, being forced into low-wage, dead-end jobs, and sanctions are pushing us into the streets!”

Victories

“Over the past few months, poor people from all over Minnesota have been working very hard, coming to the capitol day after day, to fix the disaster called MFIP. MN-WRC has been successful in pushing legislators to offer many bills to fix the worst problems in MFIP. But ruthless politicians inside the capitol have carried out every dirty trick in the book to try and turn us away, to stop our efforts and to kill poor people’s bills!” said WRC member, Kim Defranco. “Despite all their dirty tricks, we refuse to give up and we are continuing to win very important battles.”

“We stopped the $100 grant cut to families in public housing, that was set to go into effect in July 1999. Money for immigrants to get food will continue for the next 18 months. We won more rights to education and ESL. Above all, MFIP’s image has been damaged beyond repair and the only way to fix it, is to fix the terrible problems in MFIP and address the needs of poor Minnesotans,” said Linden Gawboy of Minneapolis.

And, according to Deb Howze, “Above all, we are growing as a movement of low income people from all over the state of Minnesota. We will continue to fight each and every attack against the poor and we will never give up until we get justice!”

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