Rangel: community service requirement a "burdensome obstacle" for public housing

[Chris Arps]

Excerpt:

If this unconstitutional act by the President - Congress makes the laws, not the president - is not egregious enough, I found this little nugget of another attempt by Democrats to make the so called safety net or safety hammock even more comfortable. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) reintroduced last December H.R. 3564: Public Housing Tenants Respect Act of 2011 which will “repeal the requirements under the United States Housing Act of 1937 for residents of public housing to engage in community service and to complete economic self-sufficiency programs.”

Here’s a statement from Congressman Rangel’s website after the introduction of his bill:

"Today I am proud to introduce The Public Housing Tenants Respect Act of 2011," Rangel said. "This bill is a significant step to help unburden low- and middle-income Americans so that they can find jobs and spend time with their families. Not only will it aid struggling families, but it will help put this economy back on track…No one in this day and age should be subjected to such burdensome obstacles merely to stay in their homes."

What kind of society have we become when it is a "burdensome obstacle" - for someone who is not working and who is benefiting from taxpayer subsidized housing - is required to perform community service for that benefit? And what are those “burdensome obstacles” that has Congressman Rangel so concerned? A requirement of eight hours of community service per month only for those adults who are under 62, are not employed for more than eight hours per month, are not blind or disabled, and do not have a child under 13 living in the home. Mr. Rangel sponsoring this legislation is particularly ironic since the congressman has had his own personal controversy with public housing recently: Read more...

[Talib hargroves]

Rangel's a pathetic paradigm of perennial incumbency .

[Chris Arps]

Even though they're democrats, they almost got him out of there this cycle. His district has gone heavily Jispanic so this should be his last term.