http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/07/20/navarrette/index.html
I went to a one week conference in Bratislava, Slovak Republic of all places. I bothered to learn enough Slovak that I could ask what time it was, ask for a drink and menu, ask for the check after a meal, say please and thank you. If I were going to mover there (of any other country) and expected to vote, i'd sure as hell learn enough of the language to be able to participate in daily conversation and read the news papers to learn about the candidates.
I went all over that city and I hardly ever saw another language. The hotel restaraunt had a smaller german language menu and that's it. Austria is a 20 minute car ride away and they didn't feel like they needed to cater to people that spoke another language. The entire country felt that if you wanted to enjoy your stay in the Slovak Republic and expected to be treated kindly, you should at least learn a little bit of the language.
Further more, most companies pay lots of money to print bills, signage, and develop marketing in other languages which in turn makes the cost of the their goods more expensive. The moment they are able to only work in the english in the united states those costs disappear.
this isn't elitist or even natavist, it's more about convenience and respect. If you want to come here and have the opportunity you dream of, then learn the culture and the language. America should not have to pander to and facilitate those who want to come here, make a living but not change anything about their lives.
