St. Paul, MN – Members of the Welfare Rights Committee at the governor’s mansion mock Minnesota’s Governor Pawlenty – who is portrayed as a king serving a holiday meal of budget cuts to the poor.

St Paul, MN – Braving one of the worst blizzards in recent memory, low-income people converged on the state capitol, Feb 2, to demand that lawmakers undo the cuts to public assistance. Organized by the twin cities-based Welfare Rights Committee and the statewide MN Welfare Rights Coalition, more than one hundred low-income people told Minnesota politicians that it's time to tax the rich and meet the needs of the poor. The rally was timed to coincide with the opening day of the state legislature.

St. Paul, MN – “Fund human needs, not corporate greed! What side do you stand on?” said Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee at a press conference in front of Governor Pawlenty’s office at their March 15 People’s Lobby Day. This has been the battle cry of the WRC and their supporters since the 2004 Minnesota legislative session began in February. A clear line of demarcation has been drawn between the greed of the tax-evading corporations and the state’s poor and working families.

Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota state politicians were forced into a corner this spring. This year, the Welfare Rights Committee presented them with a choice: to fund human needs, or not. To stop greedy corporations stealing from the state, or not. The bill that presented those choices was one of main reasons that the entire state legislature shut down on May 19, without getting anything done.

St Paul, MN – “One year ago, our families in poverty were slashed to the bone by Governor Pawlenty and company in order to protect tax breaks to the richest in this state,” said Kim Hosmer, of the Welfare Rights Committee to protesters assembled in front of the governor’s mansion, Aug. 3. The protest marked the one-year anniversary of some of the worst welfare cuts in Minnesota history.

St. Paul, MN – “Hey Pawlenty, here’s the fix! Tax the rich! Tax the rich!” is a chant that will ring though the Minnesota state capitol building on Jan. 4, 2005. The Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition is organizing their annual protest for the opening day of the Minnesota legislative session. Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) members are going to the welfare offices in groups and gathering thousands of signatures for their mailing and phoning lists. Meanwhile, they are working on their bill to undo some of the worst healthcare and welfare cuts in Minnesota history.

St Paul, MN – “Hey Pawlenty, here’s the fix! Tax the rich, tax the rich!” chanted 100 protesters who rallied at the state capitol building April 15. Organized by the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition, low-income demonstrators made a big splash when they unfurled a massive banner on the capitol steps.

Saint Paul, MN – Low-income Minnesotans waged a powerful battle at the Minnesota state legislature this year that resulted in poor and working families making gains in healthcare and welfare. Organized by the Twin Cities-based Welfare Rights Committee, a movement of poor people kept up the heat from Jan. 4 – the opening day of the legislative session – through a government shut down and right up until the closing day, July 13.

Houston, TX – The fight for survival goes on in Houston. Families spent all day traveling miles back and forth across the city, looking for opportunities to register for aid that may or may not be there. Many picked up food, water, clothes and toys for their children; walking with awkward loads to wherever they are stuck sleeping for the night.

Two months after Katrina hit the Gulf coast, the disaster is unending for hundreds of thousands of survivors. People are piecing their lives back together, but it is a slow, often frustrating process. The mainstream media is ‘moving on’ and is back to its usual business of ignoring the suffering of poor and working people.

St. Paul, MN – “We are here to speak as the poor and working people. Our message to the Minnesota politicians and Governor Pawlenty is clear: ‘Fund children’s needs, not rich people’s greed!’” declared Tracy Furney of the Welfare Rights Committee. She was addressing a crowd of over 200 people from around the state of Minnesota on the front steps of the state capitol building at the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition’s protest on March 2.

St. Paul, MN – Low-income people from the Twin Cities and Duluth came to the governor’s mansion, July 19, to serve an eviction notice. “It is time for Pawlenty to leave the mansion and it is time for Pawlenty to leave the governors office. We say: Minnesota’s poor cannot take four more years,” declared Tracy Furney of the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition.

Minneapolis, MN – “Welfare de-form is a failure and a disaster,” stated Angella Khan, Welfare Rights Committee member. “As we predicted ten years ago, we are seeing more of our families in deeper poverty” Organized by the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) and MN Welfare Rights Coalition (MNWRC) about 100 low-income people, their families and supporters rallied in front of the Federal Building here, Aug. 22, on the ten-year anniversary of the signing of the welfare reform law.

Minneapolis MN – “For fifteen years, the Welfare Rights Committee has been in the trenches, fighting back!” declared emcee Angel Buechner, kicking off an afternoon of celebration, in a south Minneapolis community center, Oct. 21.

St. Paul, MN – The Welfare Rights Committee is working on outlawing workfare in the state of Minnesota.

Minneapolis, MN – The held a protest outside the Hennepin county welfare office, June 8. At the protest, signatures were gathered and attached to a ball and chain, symbolic of the slave labor/workfare programs being pushed by Governor Pawlenty.

St. Paul, MN – The Senate Business, Industry and Jobs Committee voted to outlaw workfare – forced, free labor performed by welfare recipients. The bill, authored by David Tomassoni (D-Chisholm), was initiated by the Twin Cities-based Welfare Rights Committee.

St. Paul, MN – Members of the Twin Cities based Welfare Rights Committee picketed at the governors mansion, Nov. 20 to, “put Governor Pawlenty on notice that, in the 2008 legislative session, we will fight his every attempt to take poor families’ money.” The protest had a Thanksgiving theme. A huge banner reading, “Hey Pawlenty! Stop gobbling up poor people’s money!” was fastened to the mansion’s wrought iron fence.

St. Paul, MN – The Welfare Rights Committee, Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition and supporters gathered in front of the Capitol here, Feb.12 to unfurl a banner too large to hold, cascading down the steps reading, “Tax the Rich! Stop the cuts to poor and working people.” They came for their annual protest at the start of the 2008 legislative session.

The following is a special editorial from Fight Back! that's being distributed as a leaflet among the evacuees in Houston, Texas.