Drug Testing for Welfare recipients...
 

There is only 1 of the 50 states that allows for the drug testing of welfare recipients, and I think it's Michigan...I'm not sure though.

However, do you all think Welfare recipients should be drug tested? These people are supported by the State, so why shouldn't we drug test them? Because personally...I know drug use and a whole lot of other things are a problem, but especially for people on welfare.... I always wonder why people on "assistance" can afford to buy more expensive clothes than me, afford to get their hair done more often than me, and sometimes drive better cars than me...:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :confused: ....but I digress :D :cool:

What do you all think?

For it!
 

I can't believe that drug testing for welfare recipients is not yet mandatory across the board. We all know that misappropriation of funds (to drug use and other vices) is huge problem within the system and it is the children that are suffering the most. If I have to be drug tested to obtain certain jobs, by all means, welfare recipients should have to be tested in order to recieve government assistance. I think there are a lot of other requirements welfare recipients should have to meet before receiving aid, but I won't hijack your thread with my rhetoric. Man, I think there's a pseudo republican hiding in me somewhere;).

Re: For it!
 

NO! Please do hijack the thread! I could go on and on about what I think welfare recipients should have to go through to get aid!! I was just waiting for someone else to weigh in on the discussion! Especially being someone who works, goes to school, WITHOUT handouts from the government, and still has to struggle sometimes!

PS - I think that Republican that was hiding in ME is rearing it's head more and more lately!:eek: :) :D

Re: Re: For it!
 

Love_Spell_6 and Bamboozled - I definitely agree with what both of you stated. I too am struggling with work, school and being a single parent WITHOUT government handouts. If we have to pay taxes as working people, then welfare recipients should have to do certain things to receive benefits (ie attend mandatory education and workshop programs). If they have a problem or refuse getting tested for drugs, then all benefits should cease.

P.S. - Does this mean that I have latent Republican tendencies too? :eek: :p

Though I do notice a large number of aid recipients who dress well and are quite frankly doing much better than me, I have to say I disagree with them being tested. By doing so you would be saying all aid recipients are addicts or at least you suspect them to be. Welfare isn't the only form of federal aid. What about college students who are on work study,should the government test them? I mean after all they are receiving federal funds. What about the elderly, should we test Mrs. Robinson for marijuana before her medicare comes in? I'm not saying the entire concept is a bad one but if does need to be ironed out a bit. If you are going to impose a test, test everyone.

Well....
 

If you are gping to require testing of welfare recipients you might want to require testing of their case workers, too. I know of two situations where the case workers were the suppliers for their clients.:eek:

Re: Well....
 

I concur

I think that it should be used in all states, I don't see why that haven't thought of it before. You have these babies being born with drug related birth defects and the government helped the child get that way and is now going to pay for that child the rest of there lives.

All I know is that I go through random drug testing at my place of employement, so I'm all for it for everyone damn it. :D

How in the heck by testing people are you saying that they are all addicts? We test our military...do we think they are all crackheads??? It has nothing to do with that. In the case of people on welfare, there is an OBVIOUS and BLATANT abuse of drugs by a large number of them...and taxpayers are getting tired of footing the bill for their crack addicted children, and other related medical problems that come as a result of that. I know it sounds cruel, but I'm sick of it!!

And to address students in college being tested...first of all, when you go to college, the ultimate goal is to give back to society in some way by becoming a PRODUCTIVE member... and our country....as great as it is will assist you. HOWEVER...I don't know if you went to college or not sweetheart, but WE have to pay it back!!!! We are expected to have a job within 6 months after we graduate to pay the $$ back! I know you said work study, but that's a small portion of what the state gives students. ANd look at the name W-O-R-K study!!! We can't just stay at home and wait until the first to get paid!!!!:mad:

But hey....if the gov't was willing to PAY FOR ALL of my education, and only req'd me piss in a cup randomly, I'd be all for it! And last time I checked, college students have to go through a lot of -ish to get food stamps..........and I don't know of any of my friends who had rent based on their income!

PLEASE don't get me started on comparing student LOANS and/ or WORK study to WELFARE! !! !! !:eek: :eek: :mad: :mad: :eek: :mad:

OK I need to go relax, relate, and release! :) :D

YES you DEFINITELY need to relax. Please don't address me as if I am ignorant. I am currently in college and a work study student so I think I should have some right to state my opinion. As far as footing the bill for crack addicted children, you don't seem cruel but something else which I will not address. There are a number of people on welfare who DO WORK..or did you not know that? Child Care is WELFARE, all government aid is still welfare, worked for or not. You basically contradicted yourself by saying who says they are crack heads then you said footing the bill for crack addicted children.....hmmm Everyone is not fortunate enough to be college educated and have good jobs, come from decent families. REALITY is 52% of the minority population lives below poverty level. Would you want members of your family to do without just because they take 25.00 of of your check each week? I don't like the fact that I work all day and don't see every penny of it but a lot of people come from homes where they received welfare and then do great things. It's sad how so many black people are the first to yell NO WELFARE but a few years prior they were probably receiving it. But anyway, I never said having them tested is wrong I simply said if we are going to test them then we should test everyone. So what the hell are you getting all worked up about?

My question to everyone is this....What are people/gov't trying to accomplish by drug testing welfare receipients(sp)?

Dsuchlady is correct when stating that there are MANY forms of what is considered gov't welfare. It doesn't end and begin with a person receiving a check every friday.

Pell grants are welfare
Section 8 is welfare
Food Stamps (or that card) is welfare
Subsidized(sp) housing, daycare, etc is all welfare

Again, I guess I am wanting to know the reasoning behind drug testing welfare recipiants. If it is just to reduce the number of people who are on welfare (assuming that if one test positive, they will no longer receive benefits) how about we focus on preventive measures, such as the job training, counsuling, etc.?

Additionally, if we are now speaking from personal experience, when I was in college 8 out of 10 students that lived off-campus lived in SECTION 8 or SUBSUDIZED housing and received food stamps. I guess it all depends upon which state you're in, but in Kentucky, it was not that hard at all.

Ok, off the topic but GC need spell check because I can't spell worth a lick today! :p

THANK YOU HONEYKISS That was simply what I was stating, there are many forms of welfare(gov't assistance) so what about those people, should they be required to be tested. Also, what will happen if the test comes back positive. It is easy to implement a RULE but what about rehabilitation or anything of the sort if the rule is broken.

I understand where you and dsuchalady are coming from. I am not a social Darwinist, but here are some things to consider:

Pell Grant - you must attend college and have a financial need for it. It is expected that once you graduate, you will enter into the workforce and pay taxes.

Section 8 - in New York, you have to be homeless (ie, as a result of fire), or escaping a domestic abuse situation in order to receive Section 8 (and you will still be put on a waiting list, which can be very long). And if you are working, you are obligated to pay a portion of the rent. The higher the income, the more you have to contribute. If your income is too high, you are removed from Section 8 and will have to pay rent on your own. If you are evicted from your Section 8 apartment, you are no longer eligible to receive Section 8.

For the ones who received Food Stamps and Section 8 while in college - I am assuming that these students did not plan on being on an 8 year plan at at 4 year school and that once they receive their degrees they will find work and pay taxes.

I have a problem with those who receive welfare and have no plans to make any attempts to remove themselves from the system. I've seen too many people where I grew up at receive Public Assitance, continue to have children, yet you could not convince them to get and education (not even a frigging GED) or receive job training (which more than likely will be at no cost to them). They are too busy trying to look fly and hang out at the club on the weekend. Those are the people that piss me off, not college students receiving aid - at least we can assume that a college graduate wants to become a productive member of society.

Allll.....r u mad?? :eek: Let's bring it back to the topic at hand and be adults ok;) I have an opinion just like you.....and it's not about you, it's about the issue. So please take the childish attacks elsewhere.....