Put a Time Limit on Poverty, Not on Welfare!

By Kim Defranco

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).

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."

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."

"All I have to say is, how can families look for a job if they are homeless and have no where to go? Why aren't all available programs, grants and vouchers for clothing and furniture more available? When do we consider homelessness a crisis?" Watkins continued, "The importance of having a good job is having stable housing, and you can't appreciate one without the other."

Jolayne Hansen of Duluth's Low-Income People Organizing for Power (LIPOP) said, "We, the low-income people, are the majority in this state. This welfare law is a catastrophe and I'm afraid of what will happen after the time clock runs out. The politicians and the governor haven't even started to think about the future. They are not in our lives and don't understand our situations. They say that the crime rate is bad now, but what will happen in 3 years? We have made a difference fighting the attacks and we have to continue."

The youth of the Coalition pointed out the effects welfare cuts will have on the children. Christina Hosmer of Minneapolis, a WRC member, was among the young people drawing chalk outlines of childrens' bodies around the Governor's mansion.

Hosmer said, "These represent the dead bodies of children that will die because of starvation and homelessness after the welfare cuts go into effect."

"Ventura has never had to wait for food stamps and money," said Micheala Richey of Duluth. She challenged Jesse, "Live on welfare for one year. Then he will know what it feels like to wait and jump through hoops just to survive."

"We know that Jesse and the state politicians aren't going to help the poor," said Marvella Davis, of Duluth LIPOP and MN-WRC. "So, we have to keep fighting back any way we can."

The St. Paul demonstration was part of a national week of actions that coincided with the third anniversary of President Clinton and congress passing the welfare "reform" bill. Across the country, protests took place against the time limits and all other attacks on welfare. The MN-WRC sent the smashed clocks to the White House.