Topic: Federal Gov't Orders 25 States to Provide Bilingual Voting Ballots

[Pandora]

In the run-up to the 2012 elections, the federal government is ordering that 248 counties and other political jurisdictions provide bilingual ballots to Hispanics and other minorities who speak little or no English.

The Voting Rights Act provision, first approved by Congress in 1975, requires states, counties and political subdivisions to supply versions of ballots and election materials in other languages if a Latino, Asian-American, American Indian or Alaskan minority group makes up more than 5 percent of the voting-age population or at least 10,000 citizens.

The minorities must be unable to speak or understand English well enough to vote in elections, a proficiency level determined by those who indicate in census surveys that they don't speak English "very well." The minority group also should have literacy rates ranking below the national average.

In all, 248 counties and other political divisions must provide election materials involving 68 covered languages, according to the list released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. The agency puts together the list based on its review of survey data on minority population growth, educational attainment and English proficiency.

That's 1 in 18 counties, according to the articleand here we have the Census Bureau's work coming to fruition in terms of race collection statistics.

Obviously, I am uneducated in our citizenship requirements these days, laboring under the faulty premise that an understanding of English, the ability to read/write/speak is necessary.  Otherwise, how needed would these ballots be in languages other than ours?  Then there's the endless screaming about how long it takes to get American Citizenship -- years -- so you'd think there'd be plenty of time to learn English.

[IronDioPriest]

*sigh*

One thing... after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another, after another.

 

[John Florida]

What happened to"it's a requirement of you citizenship to learn english".

[Pandora]

In further considering the involvement of the Census Bureau, it occurs to me one is not asked if one is a citizen, the present purpose is to count population, divided into races.  As so, the following is contradictory and makes no sense >>

"The Voting Rights Act provision, first approved by Congress in 1975, requires states, counties and political subdivisions to supply versions of ballots and election materials in other languages if a Latino, Asian-American, American Indian or Alaskan minority group makes up more than 5 percent of the voting-age population or at least 10,000 citizens."

It's either "voting-age population" OR "citizens".  As only citizens may vote legally, what is the point of requiring foreign-language ballots in an English-speaking country as a result of simply having persons of voting age be counted in the criteria?

In 2006, the illegal alien population was under-estimated at 12-15 million.  I believe it was more like 30 milion then and it's been five years.  Granted, some have left -- because, well, why not?  starting to look and feel a lot more like Mexico here; might as well go home, be with family -- but I still believe they're at the 30 mil mark, and they are the reason so many counties need ballots in Spanish?  Illegals?  Do Amerindians have a specific language?  Does that count if they do?

[Pandora]

What happened to"it's a requirement of you citizenship to learn english".

That's what I'm asking.

[charlesoakwood]

Americans speak English, if you can't speak basic English you must not be an American.

When I move to Switzerland I figure it'll take me about 6 weeks to assimilate a funcitional level of Italian, Franch, German, and Austrian. 
                                 

[LadyVirginia]

Can't they see Obama's name on the ballot without it being in spanish?

[charlesoakwood]

How do you spell Obama in Spanish?

[Pandora]

P-e-n-d-e-j-o.

[Libertas]

What a load of    !!!

[John Florida]

It's a left handed way of bringing race into the discussion.They inject race we get pissed off and they accuse us of being racist.

[charlesoakwood]

It's a left handed way of "everyone" has the right to vote.

Ownership of real property, $100.00 poll tax, are two of the many ways to stop that dead in it's tracks.

[warpmine]

What happened to"it's a requirement of you citizenship to learn english".

That's my point. If they are legal citizens then they already know the basics of the language.

Next concern: Under what authority can they order the states tp do any of this?
I don't recall a SCOTUS ruling on this.

[LadyVirginia]

How can you be a citizen and not read and speak the language?

It's either laziness or arrogance
and both tick me off.

[Pandora]

How can you be a citizen and not read and speak the language?

It's either laziness or arrogance
and both tick me off.

As I recall, there's a test.  How does one pass the test, then?  And/or WHO IS GIVING THEM A PASS??!

[charlesoakwood]

The new revised updated test doesn't resemble the old fashioned, out of date, obsolete one.

[Sectionhand]

How do you spell Obama in Spanish?

M -I - E - R - D - A    C - A - B - E - Z - A

[Libertas]

How do you spell Obama in Spanish?

M -I - E - R - D - A    C - A - B - E - Z - A

"Cabeza de culo" works too!

[charlesoakwood]

How do you spell Obama in Spanish?

M -I - E - R - D - A    C - A - B - E - Z - A

"Cabeza de culo" works too!

 CULEDO

[Libertas]

How do you spell Obama in Spanish?

M -I - E - R - D - A    C - A - B - E - Z - A

"Cabeza de culo" works too!

 CULEDO

That too!