Why drug testing of welfare recipients is a bad idea

Anyone who is able bodied, yet chooses to collect welfare rather than find work is the problem.

Originally posted by calstorm
reply to post by CobraCommander

 

That must have been rough.

People fall on into hard times. Even the people who think it could never happen to them. I certainly never expected it, but it happens. It took me a few excruciating years to pull out of it, but I know how easily it could happen again, if I was to encounter certain misfortunes, especially in the current state of the economy.

My life has been an economic roller coaster. When I was born, my family was very poor. My father was German-Irish with 9 brothers. Believe me, they knew the value of a dollar and when he married my mother, they had nothing. But as years rolled by, I was raised with certain middle class privilege as my father became well-off in his profession.

But when he left, it all came crashing down. From one year to the next, I learned what it meant to go from new clothes for school and a really cool toy (metal Voltron, all 5 lions) to exchanging canned vegetables wrapped in newspaper. It took a lot of years and a lot of hard work to dig out of that trench. And I SWORE I would never let myself wind up there again.

Well, I broke that vow to myself. Despite the fact that I have worked full time plus, for decades, since I was 14 years old. I don't think most people can imagine what that does to a man.

Originally posted by Elostone
Anyone who is able bodied, yet chooses to collect welfare rather than find work is the problem.

edit on 9-6-2011 by Elostone because: (no reason given)

What work?

pffft...It's people like you this is aimed at. I am tired of supporting able-bodied deadbeats that are too lazy and unwilling to give up their drug of choice to work and be contributing members of society.

reply to post by Elostone


It's funny how people don't bother to read a thread and still are sooo strong in their opinions on it and it's author. The "lol" emoticon and context of his reply should clue you that he's not on welfare, it's a joke (and a funny one).

A question for you, Mr. Tax-payer...would you accept paying about 9 times more for the testing than the 3% of drug-users welfare saved that it would disqualify? If so, you are really punitive and authoritarian in your mindset, so much so that you would choose this over your own financial self-interest! Remarkable. Did you read the article? Even the snippet he posted in the OP?

Public policy is a complex game of cost-benefit analysis. This policy fails to give the benefit that the tax-payer deserves, which isn't to punish people, but to save money. It costs the tax-payer...doesn't save you money...that was the main point of the opinion piece in the OP.

reply to post by CobraCommander


I can certainly imagine.

I know for me it was humiliating and degrading, and wrecked havoc with my mental state. Also that loss of self, on top dealing with the loss of the life you had prior. I know it took a long time for me to enjoy what I have now because I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop and lose everything again.

Originally posted by calstorm
reply to post by CobraCommander

 

I can certainly imagine.

I know for me it was humiliating and degrading, and wrecked havoc with my mental state. Also that loss of self, on top dealing with the loss of the life you had prior. I know it took a long time for me to enjoy what I have now because I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop and lose everything again.

E#very bit as real as shell shock and PTSD.

EDIT to add: And many people on welfare are dealing with that too. 1 in 4 homeless people are vets. So this law means that you are denying food and shelter to veterans for the next three years because they smoked a joint.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


You just don't get it, do you?

The article makes a good point about how drug testing provides a poor ROI.

Did you see the part about cronyism? Did you READ it?

There's a company connected to the Fla. Gov (no #, sherlock?) that will benefit from this law.

Sure, let them use any excuse they can to stuff more people into their roasting boxes.

Wake up and smell the bacon!!!!

Life sucks if I read all these comments.

All I see is Enslavement.

Where is the compassion, instead I see judging
Where is the love for another human being, instead I see hate for a fellow human

The system is at its end, we start turning to ourselves here. Its the system, and its builders who's to blame. You know.. those people with their 5th home in Monaco, cause they deserve it.

reply to post by Elostone


No, it's people like YOU that are the problem.

You've been brainwashed by the elite to pick on your own.

That broader unemployment rate, or U-6, is up from 16.4% a year ago and from 9.7% in May 2008. It was 7.1% in May 2000.

The real unemployment rate? 16.6%


What work?
Absolutely correct.

Another thing is this. Many people who do work,get drug tested. Has ANYONE ever had a false positive? Now just imaging the chaos,if your on welfare,and you happen to get one of these. As backwards as the system is,imagine having to wait weeks,to take a "new"test. Imagine having your children,who need to eat,not being able to,because of a "BAD" test. I can see so many problems with this.

How bout this one???

A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.

Study Finds Traces of Drugs in Drinking Water in 24 Major U.S. Regions

How about drinking water having trace amounts of drugs already in them? I dont know if that could mess with testing also.....
Just a bad idea overall.

reply to post by greeneyedleo


I disagree with your opinion. I will tell you why. For every "person" you see with designer clothing,getting mass amounts of help,abusing the system,you get a equal amount of those who actually NEED the system,to survive. Now,those who are so called abusing the system,doesn't necessarily mean they are "abusing" drugs. Remember this also. One day you might NEED the system,to just survive. Dont you think Government has abused their privileges already,with ALL the laws,all the taxes,all the debt they have put on their citizens? I could easily get assistance. I am a single father,with no help. I choose not to get ANY help,because I dont want the Government intruding into my life. Just think of how many MORE government workers you would need to enact this draconian practice? The system is broken. How about getting people OFF welfare,instead of punishing them for being on it? I suggest you spend a day at your local welfare office,and see the type of people you would want to test. Look into the eyes of some kid,and tell him he cant eat,because of his parents mistakes.

reply to post by TribeOfManyColours


It makes people feel better about themselves, that they feel they can dish out punishment to those they consider beneath them. Yet they are the same ones who complain about the NWO and tyrannical government. This is nothing more than punishing people on welfare and I have explained in my earlier posts it is discrimination, yet there are people happy to discriminate as long as its not them being discriminated against.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


STAR!!!!!!!!

Spot On! 100%

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
reply to post by TribeOfManyColours

 

It makes people feel better about themselves, that they feel they can dish out punishment to those they consider beneath them. Yet they are the same ones who complain about the NWO and tyrannical government. This is nothing more than punishing people on welfare and I have explained in my earlier posts it is discrimination, yet there are people happy to discriminate as long as its not them being discriminated against.

Why? Why do people think like that..

What happened to people, that start thinking like this.?

I think elements Government/religion and money are the structure that allows inequality to exist.
Who made the world go round in these elements?

reply to post by TribeOfManyColours

Why? Why do people think like that..

What happened to people, that start thinking like this.?

I think elements Government/religion and money are the structure that allows inequality to exist.
Who made the world go round in these elements?

Because TPTB want us at each others throats, they dont want us to act like a homogeneous group as this may threaten their position. So if we can fight amongst ourselves and take satisfaction from dishing out punishment to one another, it makes the life of TPTB a lot easier. Divide and rule is the oldest trick in the book and has worked for centuries. It is usually the corporate owned media that help maintain these divides. In the UK, benefit claimants are 2nd only to terrorists as public hate figures in the media.

I dont think any of these people back in the day cared about ANYTHING,except getting food.

Dont think its not happening now.



I suggest EVERYONE see this.........You tell me if its SO important to test anyone that needs help. Look at these kids,and tell me if your heart can still think that way.






The "Haves" will always have their opinions. The "Have-Not's",not so much.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
reply to post by TribeOfManyColours

 

Why? Why do people think like that..

What happened to people, that start thinking like this.?

I think elements Government/religion and money are the structure that allows inequality to exist.
Who made the world go round in these elements?

Because TPTB want us at each others throats, they dont want us to act like a homogeneous group as this may threaten their position. So if we can fight amongst ourselves and take satisfaction from dishing out punishment to one another, it makes the life of TPTB a lot easier. Divide and rule is the oldest trick in the book and has worked for centuries. It is usually the corporate owned media that help maintain these divides. In the UK, benefit claimants are 2nd only to terrorists as public hate figures in the media.

I believe your explanation. Now what do we do?

Do you want to grow old just knowing this?
Do we want children growing up in this system?
We have to do something, but what? (It is going to happen anyway)

Originally posted by sonnny1




That broader unemployment rate, or U-6, is up from 16.4% a year ago and from 9.7% in May 2008. It was 7.1% in May 2000.

The real unemployment rate? 16.6%


What work?
Absolutely correct.

Another thing is this. Many people who do work,get drug tested. Has ANYONE ever had a false positive? Now just imaging the chaos,if your on welfare,and you happen to get one of these. As backwards as the system is,imagine having to wait weeks,to take a "new"test. Imagine having your children,who need to eat,not being able to,because of a "BAD" test. I can see so many problems with this.

How bout this one???

A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.

Study Finds Traces of Drugs in Drinking Water in 24 Major U.S. Regions

How about drinking water having trace amounts of drugs already in them? I dont know if that could mess with testing also.....
Just a bad idea overall.

I don't think they're talking CSI-type forensic testing here. We're probably talking about a litmus strip kind of thing. What prevents a person from saying "ok, I'm taking this, this and this prescription" before the test?

Originally posted by Orkojoker

Originally posted by wildoracle13
I don't think people on welfare should be watching porn on my tax paying dollars either. I mean, if they save money on food, they have more money for x rated materials. I think the government should test them for porn too.

There are all kinds of stipulations we could tag on to a welfare check now that you mention it. How about no entertainment? After all, if you have money to rent a movie once a week or buy toys for your children, you obviously don't need welfare. In fact, no children at all. All pregnancies of welfare recipients must be aborted. You should also not be allowed to purchase any food that is not at least as cheap as ten-for-a-dollar Ramen noodles. You also may not keep the temperature in your home above 45 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. If you live in the south, no air conditioning. If you can survive without it, you don't "need" it, and "We the Taxpayers" should not be giving you all of our money. If you are found to have more than one set of clothing during your weekly state home inspection (one shirt, one pair of pants and one pair of shoes; no socks, as they are frivolous and unnecessary and I don't want to cough up MY hard earned pay just so you can have a cushy layer between your foot skin and the inside of your shoe) then you are KICKED THE FOCK OFF. You may not sleep for more than 5 hours in any 24 hour period. The rest of the time you should be either filling out job applications, interviewing for a job or panhandling.

You are right on the money. Rather, they should just be corralled into mini-fema camps until they find work. I mean, that way we can make sure that there is no hanky panky going on. On a more serious note, my point here is: Stop asking/allowing government to regulate us for EVERY LITTLE THING. We are all citizens just the same and because some of us are on welfare or lazy or doing drugs or whatever... doesn't mean we want our friggen government put it's sticky fingers in our buisness.

reply to post by lazydaisy67


Did you see the list of substances that can trigger a false-positive?