Should people who get gov. handouts have to take a drug test?

[SAWYER]

I saw this article and comment on another board and thought it was fairly interesting and I have never thought of this...

This was written by a construction worker in Fort MacMurray, Alberta, Canada

He sure makes a lot of sense.

I work, they pay me.

I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit..
In order to earn that pay cheque, I work on a rig site for a Fort Mac construction project.

I am required to pass a random urine test, with which I have no problem.

What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have
to pass a urine test.

Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare cheque because I have to pass one to earn it
for them?

Please understand -- I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet.

I do on the other hand have a problem with helping someone sit on their ass drinking beer and smoking dope. Could you imagine how much money the country would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance cheque?


Something has to change in this country, and soon!!!

If I have to take one to work and pay taxes then people should take one to get benefits. That seems to me to be simple logic.

 

[waggy]

yes they should.

 

[venkman]

Nice idea in theory. The administration costs would probably cancel out any benefits from the lower "user base".

 

[RandomFool]

It'd be nice but probably pretty costly too. I'd settle for some basic profiling.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: venkman
Nice idea in theory. The administration costs would probably cancel out any benefits from the lower "user base".

yeah i have to agree. but part of me don't care if it does not gain any extra money. just the fact that getting drug abusers off would be enough for me.


i really think welfare needs a overhaul. i have no trouble someone who needs it getting it. what pisses me off are those that abuse it.

 

[GRIFFIN1]

I would like to see mandatory birth control and a suspension of voting rights.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

of course they should

Pretty hard to get a job when your drug using and many menial jobs require a drug test.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Sawyer

If I have to take one to work and pay taxes then people should take one to get benefits. That seems to me to be simple logic.

I don't know about Canada's laws, but here in the US the government doesn't require you to pass a drug test to get a job (although it probably does if you get a government job). It's up to the employer.

The thing is, most of those receiving government handouts have kids. How do you punish the parents for using drugs without hurting the kids? And why do we need to punish people for using drugs? Granted it's a waste of money, but they could also use that money to buy alcohol legally.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: venkman
Nice idea in theory. The administration costs would probably cancel out any benefits from the lower "user base".

yeah i have to agree. but part of me don't care if it does not gain any extra money. just the fact that getting drug abusers off would be enough for me.


i really think welfare needs a overhaul. i have no trouble someone who needs it getting it. what pisses me off are those that abuse it.

Some (very quick) googling showed that the average welfare benefits for a family of 3 was ~$7000 a year in money and food stamps in 1992. It's probably more than that now, but let's go with that number. Even after administration costs 2 urine tests couldn't possibly cost $7000...right?

 

[olds]

Too tired to read the OP...
<--- guessing it has something to do with this:
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/oldsmoboat/urinetest.jpg
If not, haterade on me.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: GRIFFIN1
I would like to see mandatory birth control and a suspension of voting rights.

Would you like to bring back segregation as well?

 

[herm0016]

yea, they should. i like the required birth control idea too.

 

[MidasKnight]

Originally posted by: waggy
yes they should.

 

[clamum]

Uh no. F it, let's make the entire population take drug tests, that'll stop people from doing drugs.

 

[tRaptor]

Originally posted by: GRIFFIN1
I would like to see mandatory birth control and a suspension of voting rights.

I don't agree on you on voting rights, but I believe that having children should be thought of as a privilege, not a right. Children are expensive, the rest of us should not be picking up the slack because you didn't think about the cost.

 

[bamacre]

Drug test Congress and the entire WH staff first.

 

[fskimospy]

No, that would be stupid. This is just some sort of poorly thought out combination of welfare mythology and knee jerk anti drug reactions.

 

[Vic]

No.

First, it would only increase the public cost of the "handouts."
Second, the war on drugs was failure 20 years ago, why keep beating the dead horse?

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: herm0016
yea, they should. i like the required birth control idea too.

Nazis lost WWll. Perhaps North Korea for you?

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: Vic
No.

First, it would only increase the public cost of the "handouts."
Second, the war on drugs was failure 20 years ago, why keep beating the dead horse?

That reminds me of one of my all time favorite Onion headlines: something like "Drug war over: Drugs win."

 

[Kntx]

Nah. Enough homeless dregs on the streets as it is.

 

[blackangst1]

Originally posted by: RandomFool
It'd be nice but probably pretty costly too. I'd settle for some basic profiling.

Seeing how minorities have a higher per capita rate of drug abuse, profiling will never happen. Its racist.

 

[sandorski]

No. It's simple Scapegoating and totally ignores the vast majority of "Illegal" Drug Users, those that are Employed.

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: blackangst1

Originally posted by: RandomFool
It'd be nice but probably pretty costly too. I'd settle for some basic profiling.

Seeing how minorities have a higher per capita rate of drug abuse, profiling will never happen. Its racist.

You sure about that?

EDIT: Drug use is pretty consistent between most minorities and whites. (except for those crazy Asians) The fact that people think that way without any proof though is pretty racist.

 

[Moonbeam]

Not only should they not require a urine test, they should pass out all the free drugs anybody wants.