Should welfare recipients be drug tested?

[Orignal Earl]

I think everyone working everywhere should require a drug test once a year. This would include those on welfare of any kind. When I was in the army I can remember commanders bringing through drug sniffing dogs and even checking cars. I think welfare recipients in housing paid for by the government should expect the same treatment. Inspect their living conditions on a monthly basis.

Your version of America totally makes me think of freedom.

 

[her209]

I think everyone working everywhere should require a drug test once a year. This would include those on welfare of any kind. When I was in the army I can remember commanders bringing through drug sniffing dogs and even checking cars. I think welfare recipients in housing paid for by the government should expect the same treatment. Inspect their living conditions on a monthly basis.

Finally someone is getting it. The government should buy up housing and tell welfare recipients to go live there. No need to pay landlords. As someone else mentioned in the "luxury" thread, make sure the rooms are small enough though.

 

[dpodblood]

Notice I didn't say unemployment. Those on unemployment want to get back into the workforce and are just in a down spot. Welfare is a way of life for most people on it. They have no desire to work, most never have and never will. They feel entitled to receive a check and a place to live for nothing. They feel they responsibilities in life are partying and popping out kids to get a bigger check. Make them work to receive their checks as well. Pick up trash on the side of the road. Sort trash at the recycling place. Pain public building that has been spray painted by their uncontrolled kids.

This exactly. There are just way too many people out there who mooch of the system who are perfectly capable of working, but use any excuse to collect a paycheck from the government. If you want to accept free money than a single drug test should be no big deal. If you aren't doing anything wrong than you have nothing to worry about, right? Many jobs require you to take a drug test, so why should welfare be any different? Just as someone chooses to take a job, they are choosing to accept money for free. I am talking about welfare specifically here. Unemployment and disability are completely different. Nobody chooses to be disabled...

 

[mizzou]

Sure why not, it will just be a new paragraph or page on what is already a very long application for government assistance. We already enforce state interest on issues of paternity and support when it comes to children, why not also have the option of enforce state interest in the area of substance abuse

All state needs is the OPTION to randomly drug test, that right there means you can keep a minimum quota of actual tests and keep it reasonable

Hell, 3/4 will prob have their benies cut anyway for failure to appear at scheduled sampling site, so this could be a easy way to sidestep and cut people off assistance.

What people should remember is that you never just get state aid, you have to agree to have it and then have the state possess the right to get involved in your personal life.

Makes total sense. The hard part is implementation, and that would be extremely easy.

 

[Kanalua]

Sure. Power of the purse. If the Governing body has strings attached to its money, then I don't see why not. Both the Federal and State governments use the power of the purse, why would it be no different if the governing body who grants the funds wants to add conditions to the allocation and application of those funds?

 

[Engineer]

If you want the money, you should pass the test. I and almost every single working person has to pass a test to get our employment check and it should be that way for welfare recipients also. I've seen too damn people sponging on my dime while drinking and drugging it up.

 

[Nintendesert]

So what are you going to do when a single mother with kids fails a test?

That's what the FEMA camps are for.

 

[dpodblood]

So what are you going to do when a single mother with kids fails a test?

Hmm... Maybe the same thing you do to any parents on drugs? Take the kids away to a safe household, or at least force the parents into rehab.

 

[dabuddha]

Absolutely!

 

[mizzou]

Hmm... Maybe the same thing you do to any parents on drugs? Take the kids away to a safe household, or at least force the parents into rehab.

No, you just cut the benefits. Simple and done. 99.9% of the time kids will retain medicaid but no reason mom can stop receiving her benefits.

Im actually all for making it parents responsibility, so if moms a crackhead, both she and her children will suffer for it.

It shouldnt be govs responsibity to coddle single parents just because children exist, we can leave that up to privat society (non profit/church, etc)

 

[dpodblood]

No, you just cut the benefits. Simple and done. 99.9% of the time kids will retain medicaid but no reason mom can stop receiving her benefits.

I'm just saying if mom or dad are on crack someone from social services should be investigating the home regardless of whether they're on welfare or not.

 

[mizzou]

I'm just saying if mom or dad are on crack someone from social services should be investigating the home regardless of whether they're on welfare or not.

On a moral level i totally agree, but since the idea of drug testing is to cut benies of "lazy" reciepients, investtigating child services issue could open up a pandoras box and end up costing more $$ with all the rehab testing counseling, etc

Since it seems overwhelming there is no public sentiment, at least on atot, for gov to care about this, thats why i suggest the clean one and done method of gov aid.

You can ask for aid under cettain condiions, if thy arent met, benefits are gone. The more simple the easier.

 

[JSt0rm]

I think we should test drugs on welfare recipients.

 

[MovingTarget]

I too wonder about the cost, but personal liberty is a non-issue. Most people working must pass a drug test, and this isn't really different. They are not required to accept government assistance and if they want it, in my opinion, they better not be doing drugs.



Sorry, you don't get to make that decision. I'm an office worker (IT) and have had to submit to drug tests to get my job and nothing I do can endanger others. Personally, I do agree with you that only people in "dangerous" professions should be tested, but that isn't the way it is and if I have to take a drug test to take a job and pay taxes, people receiving my money should be required to as well. And if they fail, they get no money.

No, I don't get to make that decision, and that is unfortunate. Things would be so much easier if that were the case. I worked in IT before and still had to submit to drug tests even to get hired. That does not mean that it should have been the case, for me or for you. Just because you are subject to that injustice does not mean that others should be as well unless absolutely necessary.

 

[Howard]

I would rather ask why they're on welfare in the first place.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I would rather ask why they're on welfare in the first place.

For some it's need, for some it's lifestyle. If momma was on it you can be. The whole system is screwed, but it's how we want it.

 

[coreyb]

Why shouldn't they? there should be some conditions that come with the free money, and one is not being a drug addict.

 

[dpodblood]

I would rather ask why they're on welfare in the first place.

This too. Seems like it's all to easy for people to get on welfare even when they're perfectly capable of working.

 

[surfsatwerk]

It's disturbing how many people want to rob their fellow citizens of their rights. The whole system should reworked or ended rather than go down that road.

 

[xj0hnx]

It's disturbing how many people want to rob their fellow citizens of their rights. The whole system should reworked or ended rather than go down that road.

You're right, it should be completely revamped. Until it is, and we as a society decide to get serious about ALL aspects of it than we need to do what we can to keep the system we have in check.

Drug testing welfare recipients isn't taking any of their rights away anymore than them having to turn over 6 months worth of bank statements, or other items needed to get free taxpayer money.

 

[surfsatwerk]

You're right, it should be completely revamped. Until it is, and we as a society decide to get serious about ALL aspects of it than we need to do what we can to keep the system we have in check.

Drug testing welfare recipients isn't taking any of their rights away anymore than them having to turn over 6 months worth of bank statements, or other items needed to get free taxpayer money.

You know I started reading these boards a self confessed bleeding heart liberal. I can't say that I'm anything close to that description anymore.

It was my old bleeding heart gut instincts that made me type my first post. It is with new eyes that I read and see the sense in your response.

It's disgusting that our government can't find the middle road between preventing its citizens from starving in the street and creating a subculture of 2nd class citizens permanently on welfare.

 

[Jaskalas]

Your version of America totally makes me think of freedom.

People have PLENTY of freedom inside of prison cells, right?

Least that's what I'm gathering from this desire to enslave recipients.

 

[alkemyst]

This too. Seems like it's all to easy for people to get on welfare even when they're perfectly capable of working.

The thing with welfare is there is not a lot that goes into being 'capable' of work. Bleeding hearts made it what it is and just like those that rape deals here, it's another 'deal'.

The biggest problem is once on welfare and getting food stamps, it can now provide a basis for illegal work. South Florida is notorious for these scams, sometime like 50% of all mediaid is processed through it.

Recently a few dozen kwikee marts were busted that paid out cash for food stamp directly, or allowed the purchase of illegal items with a mark up.

Joe Gangbanger can get on welfare and claim someone gave him the 300M he is driving and explain he is just renting a room from someone.

 

[HeXen]

drug test kits are a joke though. unless you smoke more than a joint a day or take quite a few pills a day, you can pass. guys at my work stopped buying fake piss and holding water in their mouths once they found out they can pass regardless.

 

[xj0hnx]

drug test kits are a joke though. unless you smoke more than a joint a day or take quite a few pills a day, you can pass. guys at my work stopped buying fake piss and holding water in their mouths once they found out they can pass regardless.

It isn't the test that are that bad, it's the method in which they are used. You can pass just about any piss test if the sample isn't from first thing in the morning, which is why in the military they wake you up at 0dark:30 to UA. The first piss of the day is the one that has the highest concentrations of waste all day. after that a few glass of water is all that's needed to pee clean for most test. The CPS here doesn't even use UA's they go straight to hair follicle, ain't fakin' that shit.