这个让我再想想

 

 

 

 

很久没写space了，真的很忙，不是叫苦

到今晚，这一刻为止，我认为这学期最难的一门课在我写完这篇实在有些恶心但还算有point的文章后结束，虽然没有ANTC的文章那么长，但是实在是集结我这个学期对于这门social service的所有知识的一个小小的总结和运用，实在是很难的一门，内容听起来和题目远远无关，学的都是美国福利的历史，福利机构的营运，福利制度的修改和影响， 其中的苦我想只有我自己明白，但是学到的也是很多，只是说不出来。

转眼这个学期也到头了，昨晚还梦见回深圳搭公车呢，这么这么快呢，前天去Paul家还想起年初的时候在他家借宿的那几天，hannah把底裤套在自己头上的样子， 还有那时候自己头发刚剪的样子，现在已经是我在potsdam的第三个冬天了，真的很快。也是越忙越快，看看下学期的课表，想着下学期应该过的更快。

人总是要为自己所作的付出代价的，暑假的时候（过得太快，总感觉夏天刚走）我还振振有词教训某个正在为自己的骄傲付出代价的朋友，其实我也是的，我常常在想人要吃多少次亏才能学聪明呢，真的不知道。 很多时候觉得，如果当时我怎样怎样，那么今天我就可以怎样怎样，可以不必怎样怎样，但是历史无法被修改， 想着神还是在我身上做了工的，因为没有一次次失败，我也长不起来。

是的，懊悔让人长大。

总是要等到写完了paper，重新读的时候发现前后不搭，后面写的总是好一些，意思也已经走样，就只好修改修改再修改， ANTC的文章是这样，这篇也是，题目从移民法如何影响移民的福利缩小到TANF如何影响移民福利，一开始所找得到资料和后面的相比实在是很有指向性的缺陷。 所以开始的时候写的很多关于移民法的东西被移除，文章也看起来短了很多，我也不想修改什么语法了，我很困，那就这样吧

我把爸爸妈妈的相片放在米哥送给我的相框里面，深圳看起来永远是夏天。

室友的鼾声渐起，她就要毕业了，虽然我也很想一个人住，但是我是真的挺喜欢这个美国女孩的，今天她用紫色塑料桌布给我们这个永远照不到阳光的房间做了个窗帘，我想我明天可以睡久一点。

 

 

 

 

Immigrants in the U.S. are impact by two policies, one is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the new welfare reform program for families, which replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) since 1996, and the other one is the Immigration Law of United State, which has been established since 1776. This study is focus on immigrants under this new welfare program, TANF, and how they response to it.

TANF changed welfare in America, for this new welfare reshaped, or “ended welfare as we know it”. According to the act, entitlement grant had been changed to block grant ( The TANF program is a $16.5 billion block grant program to provide temporary assistance to those in need and to help move recipients to work. ) and five year is the lifetime limit of benefit. In 2000, 10% TANF recipients are non-citizens, while the total number of families on welfare decreased by 60%, non-citizen household family stayed in the same percentage (Tumlin, Zimmerman). From 1996 to 2001 during the time TANF replace AFDC, 6 million Americans left the welfare rolls. TANF restricted work requirement and set a lifetime limit for people who on the roll, but statistics shows that 40% of woman who exit welfare through earned income remain poor (D. R. Meyer, M. Cancian). Welfare recipients of TANF make up 2.3% percent of the U.S. population, which is the lowest rate since 1965, while 75% of people living in poverty in the US are woman and children (welfare and woman).

America herself is a model of globalization of ethnic groups, people from all over the world come and stay. From Alien Act of 1978 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA), welfare benefit for immigrates in the US changed over time, some people lose their chances because of those modification while some people benefit from it, but it never stop the immigration stream. People came from different nations, for different reasons, choice this country and willing to stay and seek a better life. The history of immigration in the US is long, because basically everyone in this continental was originally from other countries. The statistics on immigration shows that, every year there are more than 1,000,000 people born in foreign region became American Legal Permanent Resident in American (2005:1,122,257; 2006:1,266,129; 2007: 1,052,415); most of them settled  in New York State(136.739) and California(228,941); 65.5% of the LPRs are immigrated under the admission of Family-sponsored immigration, 15.4% of them are under Employment-based preference admission, and 12.9% of them are refugees and asylees.  (Kelly Jefferys, Randall Monger, 2007). Obviously immigrants are gathered in metropolitan areas, where a labor market for limited English speaker has already formed, this is also related to TANF and I will get into detail later. The newest immigration act is the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, this act passed under the increasing voices of anti-immigrant and immigration control. Compare to former reforms, this act is much stricter, not only illegal immigrants facing inadmissibility, legal immigrants also had a tough time. Even after immigrations get their green card, welfare for them is limited.

To know about immigrations under TANF, we need to know facts about immigrations in poverty. Immigrations in the U.S. are polarized buy their education and income, poverty among immigrants in general is significantly higher than that of natives. In 1999, 11.2% of natives lived in poverty compared to 16.8% of all immigrants, and especially the poverty rate for Mexican immigrants, poverty rate of this group is dramatically higher than that of natives or immigrants in general, in 1999, 25.8 percent of Mexican-born immigrants lived in poverty (Poverty and Income). In particular, more than one in five children in poverty have at least one immigrant parent, also that the poverty rate for immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) is 18.4%, 57% higher than the 11.7 percent for natives and their children (Current Population Survey, March 2001). Immigrations are not only poor, they also impact labor market of the natives, immigrations from Less Developed Countries care less about wage and they rush into labor markets (Camarota, 2007).

There are three aspects of impacts I found about TANF welfare reform and immigration: Immigration who qualified for receiving TANF is limit; growing immigration but declining use of welfare, both among immigrations and natives; TANF encourage people who on the roll to work and be self-sufficient, but they still have to work on job and language training for immigrations. These problems are not only happened because of TANF, they are old troubles but TANF made them more serious.

     Immigrations who receive TANF benefit is only a small group of people. Under  Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) most legal immigrants entered the U.S. after August 22, 1996 are barred for their first five years period as a qualified alien from receiving any Federal TANF means-tested welfare benefit. Only lawful permanent residents, asylees, refugees, etc, are able to receive TANF benefit in their first five years in the U.S., obviously that is not the majority, in 2004, these eligible qualified alien only make up about 2.1% of the total number of recipients population. Like Alina from Eastern Europe (her case study is in the book Hands to Work) immigrations willing to come to America for a better life, but the real situation in the U.S. is not as good as they thought, but Alina is so lucky, she is one of the minority who received benefit from TANF, even though it was limited but certainly better than nothing. However, there are some exceptions, certain percentage parents who have children born in the U.S., including both legal immigrants who have not satisfied their five-year waiting period, and undocumented aliens, can apply for TANF assistance on behalf of their U.S. citizen children. Because the child is a U.S. citizen, and one purpose of TANF is reduce child poverty (Horn, 2006). 

Immigration in the U.S. is growing. Government statistics show that the number of foreign-born people in the U.S. has doubled from 14.1 million in 1980 to 31.1 million in 2000. On the other hand, immigrants on the TANF rolls are having a harder time getting off TANF because they face significant barriers to employment. But welfare benefit for immigrations still declined since TANF started. Since 1996, the immigrant share of the total population grew from 6.2% to 11%. From 1994 to 2000, native families on TANF roll decreased 35% while noncitizen families on the roll decrease by 51%, and refugee families on the roll decreased even more, that is 76%. The number of families which receiving benefit because of their citizen children has increased (Tumlin, Zimmerman)

One of the reasons why replaced AFDC with TANF is that TANF can force people to work, and when people who able to work refuse to work get off the roll, but for immigration, it is not the case that they refuse to work, but the barriers in front of them keep them away to work. Just like single mothers who want to work but cannot because they need to take care of their children and public services do not offer well child care program. For most of the immigrations, English is not their first language and their English skill is limited,  41% of the noncitizens on TANF in LA are limited English speaker (Tumlin, Zimmerman). Furthermore, immigrations who do not speak English well are more likely to find jobs that do not require speaking English, or even contact with people. Language and vocational training, like affordable child care for single mothers, are important for helping needy families to be independent.

In conclusion, this “end welfare as we know it” reform basically work well on force people to be independent, but I think it ignore some necessary needs in this process. After all I think the problems of immigrations are similar with single mother who struggled with work, benefits and child care, because it is not the case that they refuse to work because of laziness, but because of barriers and dilemmas. TANF is focus on work instead of training and the limited availability of training programs for those who do not speak English have made it even more difficult for limited English speakers to receive language or skills training, and generally reform of  welfare programs is making it harder for recipients to receive training or education, like Alina who need to make a choice between college and work plus benefits. Over all, studies in immigration and TANF reform is giving a good suggestion on modify this reform, in order to really help needy people.

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

Camarota, S. A. (2007). Immigration’s Impact on American Workers. Center for Immigration Studies.

(March 2001). Current Population Survey. (U.S. Bureau of the Census).

D. R. Meyer, M. Cancian. (n.d.). Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers . Retrieved from University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty : http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/dps/pdfs/dp110196.pdf

Horn, W. F. (2006). Benefits to Immigrants under TANF. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .

Kelly Jefferys, Randall Monger. (2007). 2007 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. Retrieved from Department of Homeland Security.

Poverty and Income. (n.d.). Retrieved from center for immigration studies: http://www.cis.org/articles/2001/mexico/poverty.html

Tumlin, Zimmerman. Immigrants and TANF: A Look at Immigrant Welfare Recipients in Three Cities. Occasional Paper. Assessing the New Federalism: An Urban Institute Program to Assess Changing Social Policies. Washington DC: Urban Institute.

welfare and woman. In WOW! Facts of Woman and Diversity,2002 (p. 411).

 

 

 

无劳作的财富

无良知的享乐

无品性的知识

无道德的商业

无人性的科学

无牺牲的崇拜

无原则的政治

无责任的权利

 

 

世界八大错，甘地同学说的

加一句他的名言，放在我桌上的

You must be the change you wish to see in the World

你必须成为，你所想看到的那个，世界的改变

很绕口，改装一下

你要世界改变，那么从你开始

国境之南 太阳以西 村上春树的作品,一直没来得及读,想着是不是我应该读了书再看电影,

但是毕竟现在读书少多了,也过了以前喜欢村上的年纪

后来知道这部电影,和这本书没什么联系,就很汗颜

电影,并没有想像得那么好,但是音乐真的很不错

分享这个词给你

 

國境之南

如果海會說話　如果風愛上砂

如果　有些想念遺忘在漫長的長假 

 

我會聆聽浪花　讓風吹過頭髮

任記憶裡的愛情在時間潮汐裡喧嘩 

非得等春天遠了夏天才近了

我是在回首時終於懂得（也許天氣永遠會那麼熱） 

當陽光再次回到那　飄著雨的國境之南

我會試著把那一年的故事　再接下去說完 

 

當陽光再次離開那　太晴朗的國境之南

妳會不會把妳曾帶走的愛　在告別前用微笑全歸還 

海很藍　星光燦爛　我仍空著我的臂彎

天很寬　在我獨自唱歌的夜晚

請原諒我的愛　訴說的太緩慢 

Potsdam最终还是在十月的尾巴上下雪了, 早过感恩节下雪,晚过复活节化雪,就是Northcountry的天气. 早上第一堂课,按例写下今天的日期,忽然想起今天是某EX的生日,又是五年了,在十九岁的最后几天,反复叨念时间的流逝.为什么许多年前的事情,历久弥新,而昨天的事情,转眼就忘记了. 下午才知道今天也是我导师的生日,虽然这次作业她给我不及格,我也认了. 在potsdam的第一个冬天,觉得春天永远是远处的, 在Potsdam的第二个冬天,一切好转起来,开始习惯 马上进入第三个冬天了,只好等待又一次皑皑, 上课的时候又讲到西藏问题,无论是西方还是中国的媒体,都走不出Bias ad hominem,连我自己也是,就不多说了 近来持续我们的亚洲蝗虫队查经班,从早上九点半到晚上十一点半

有些事情...感到会持续很久
还是前两天那次神奇的早起,在清晨有机会在深秋的校里走,
我怎么会把每天会好的时光都错过了呢?
那种空气的清澈,冲击我每一个细胞,梗塞的害怕呼吸出的废气破坏了这种干净

本来对自己说早睡早睡,现在又接近12点了...
前段时间失眠的厉害,最近好多了,压力感觉也没那么大了

昨天的查经班很特别,谢谢神
弟兄姐妹们,请原谅我的坦诚,我因真理的缘故爱你们
其实我一直都想不明白,我以为,我以为我们的查经班是一个strong family group
我以为,组里每一个人,都会为这个团契预留下时间,特别在四天假期以后,特别是没有一个接到我电话的人在break离开Potsdam
查经班当然不能代表神,但是,有一种东西叫做commitment.
为什么,所有人都忘记了这件事情,把作业和功课留在最后一天晚上来完成
是因为Potsdam On Break 吗,那Clarkson on break我们一样有查经班啊
他们不是我们家的一员吗,当我面对最先到的四个从从clarkson来的男生
我替Potsdam愧疚,我不知道怎么开口,因为只有我一个人坐在那里
还有,谁没有作业呢,对神的信心在哪里呢
昨晚我想也许大家会忘记,所以一一打电话,Paul今晚也Out of town,
被拒绝一次,两次,三次,四次..在IV list上被Paul信心满满的标为 leader, core member的你们
真的让我失望了,还好我已经不难过了,我没有资格去宽容不是吗,明明是祂掌权

我想既然这是自己的space,真的不必euphemism

作为一个leader,我反思
这个查经班,不是一直成长程度让我觉得很骄傲的吗
我不是有一群每天喜乐赞美主的姐妹吗
我不是一直在祷告,希望有多一些clarkson的学生,或是potsdam的研究生,或是男生,或是老师,或是美国新生,或是其他国际学生来参加我们的查经班吗
我承认,我是期望太多了
我也谢谢主,因为在我心里流泪的时候,祂带领一群我本不期望来到的弟兄姐妹来
感谢主因为无论人心是怎样,祂总能成就祂的美意,只是这不是理由,对吗
我们familygroup只是小小的一点,Potsdam也很小,那神的事工呢,也可以这样应对吗
我因真理的缘故爱你们,我是爱批评,但是绝不敢因为自己的缘故说这些话

不过话说回来,我倒是很想知道,两个小时,你们真的都做了多少作业呢.

----------------------------------------------------人造分割线---------------------------------------------------------



好,我想说的,远不止以上那些
因为管他好事坏事,神都让万事互相效力了
Chamu昨晚说了很多话,我想如果是二十多人的大聚会,也许他不会说这么多
他分享了很多,refer了许多经文,其实只是解释了一句话,诗篇91章第一节
谢谢他和谢谢祂,让我又有了做孩子的感觉
其实让一个孩子装扮做大人做更小孩子的头,是一件很辛苦的事情
我喜欢这种,被教育,被教训,又被引导的感觉
他语速很快,我抓紧的听着,想起一句话,腹中有活水江河

我根本没想起和Kris打电话,她来了
我也不指望胡师傅来,他来了
我都快忘记Caitlin了,她来了,可爱的像天使,感谢主让她有为神做工的心
最后谢谢Darren,也真的是信心多少成就多少,我根本不担心他会不来,他不但来了还载着三个人
来查经班很重要吗,不知道
只是神是鉴察人心的神

最后的时候我问Rui,你信主了吗
他说,我也想啊,但是好难
我更加觉得要抓住他,天天为他祷告
因为他能说这话已经是神迹,我也有信心祂能赐下更美的事情



____________________________________________________________________________

最后我真的很想说,我真的没有想要显示我比别人做得好,信心好,或是属灵,
谁不软弱呢,谁不跌倒呢,谁跌倒了软弱了祂不扶起来呢
我以前曾有几次因为这样那样的事情没有参加聚会或是礼拜,结果是什么呢
ended up with doing nothing,或是努力疯狂做了却完全没有效果
我相信是神的管教,所以从此我再也不敢在这事上得罪祂了
我虽然,只是个芝麻小的leader,却也有那么一点点的牧者心
因为我是真的爱你们,所以能不能不要误解我