Drug test for welfare recipients

[Nitrous]

While I like the idea that my tax money does not fund someone else's drug problem, I wonder...

I do not have to submit to a pee test, for my Permit to Carry a Concealed weapon. I probably never will since there is no "Welfare Amendment" to the constitution, guaranteeing it as a right.

I would always be willing to submit to drug testing and am proud of that. I prefer employers who randomly screen employees and am a little surprised that there is no requirement to prove sobriety among those wishing to carry a firearm, concealed. :/

What do you all think? If the police have to submit to a test, should I as well? Arguably, for the police, it is "for their job" but...

 

[redhen]

I also think that if you recieve welfare you should HAVE to work for it OR be enrolled in a college program..(with a decent GPA)
Instead of paying state workers BIG bucks to man the turnpike toll booths or pick up trash on the highways... or shovel snow at state buildings (court houses,..etc..) in the winter time...heck, even work the DMV counter.. ,
LOTS of options for the states to save money on employees.....
There ARE many jobs they could have the welfare recipients do until they can find a job and get back on their feet.
Otherwise you just have people sitting home everyday, doing nothing and getting paid to do that.... its just NOT right... NO motivation!
Put them to work until they can find other employment. It will save the states a LOT of money and motivate the welfare recipients to get a job OR get a decent career through college.
And yes, hair drug testing should be MANDATORY for recipients!!!,... I cant state that enough..

OOh and if anyone says they wont have anyone to watch their kids while they work for the "state",... they already have programs here where your childcare is FREE if you are on welfare and trying to work OR are going to school... FREE, no cost to you...

 

[Oregon Blues]

[[[[.....If they are given the right to test them the that also gives them the right to force everyone to be tested.......]]]]

Whoa! You mean if the welfare recipient refuses testing, he won't get his check, and if I refuse to get tested, the government will refuse to accept my check for the taxes I normally pay? Oh man, I hate it when that happens.

It is not true that employed people have more disposable income to spend on drugs.

Druggies who get a welfare check steal, deal drugs, and lie about their income to qualify for that welfare check. Working people have to spend their money on food, rent, and medical insurance. People on welfare get those thing paid for them.

If you really want to save money on the welfare bill, place an immigration officer in every welfare office and also go after the deadbeat dads who refuse to pay their child support (or the deadbeat moms; let's not discriminate)

The government already has the power to test government employees, and they already do so. So giving them the power to test welfare recipients isn't giving them any new power.

I don't mind welfare for people who really need it. I'd just like to see the cheats removed from the welfare rolls.

 

[Chubby Chicken]

Drug addiction is a health issue, not a public matter.

We are the only first world country to make personal and moral issues legal ones.

Homosexuality
Drug Addiction
Abortion
Prostitution
We swear on the Bible in court.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I'm sure the disabled should lose there 4th amendment rights an be treated like criminals for being disabled. Same with the widows of people who fought an died to protect the constitution. Na, they don't deserve the protection it give cause they are taking your money.... Lets throw away everything this country is suppose to stand for just to catch a few people smoking weed as opposed to getting drunk.

 

[EweSheep]

I'm all for it. Tax dollars hard at work, not someone to blow it on recreational drugs and illegial RX drugs.

Two days ago, my hubby's employer had a major crackdown, having the Illinois state cops with drug sniffing dogs, checking out employees' cars, including the higher ups. Twenty people was arrested. That is about 1/3 of the work force at hubby's place. They do randomly pick people off the floor, take a pee test and if clear, they are free to go. Safety is the BIGGEST issue and CAT would not tolerate any employees having illegial drugs. If you take any RX drugs, you must bring the containers in so they can write it up on their records.

He has heard people getting reckless and getting hurt on the job, guess what. They found drugs on them. When hubby was working there in the first month, a forklift driver was reckless, gun the lift (one of the CAT engines) off the floor, knocking hubby and his two other co workers off their feet and one had her hand pinched because the forklift driver yanked the platform too quickly. After his supervisor yelled and reported the fork lift driver, the driver was sent for the pee test...guess what he didn't have a job, immediately fired and test positive for majorauna (sp).

Too many temp workers have drug in their systems, and such a very high turn over rate at hubby's place of work. SUCKS!

 

[chickened]

No pee no check. Sounds fine to me, maybe the answer to welfare reform we need.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

The testing is unconstitutional.... But then welfare is also unconstitutional. An in my opinion so is gun permits.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't have a big problem with state check recipients having to submit to urinalysis but IMO people who have a job (i.e. expendable income) are much more likely to use drugs. The majority of welfare recipients can't afford it.
To that end I would like to see ALL people getting a check from the government(taxpayers) submit to urinalysis. That includes the governors and legislators. I would bet my bottom dollar there would be a higher percentage of positives in that group than in the welfare group.

I also find it startling that so many assume someone on welfare is also likely to be on drugs.

 

[ivan3]

rebelcowboysnb wrote: Do you really want to give the government the power to drug test "the people" at will?

Thoughty notion, cuz.

Yeah, EVERYONE, who receives ANY tax money, should be tested. I'd start with anyone receiving government backed student loans (no bigger group of dopers and gropers). All Social Security recipients: hey, the `drugs' might be by prescription but, without oversight of the possible dangerous syngergistic effects... well, the first thing you know they'll be driving through Farmer's Markets and killing innocent children! On my dime? I think not... Medicare/Medicaid???

How about those folks with their mortgage exemptions? Isn't that worthy of some attention? Maybe they're growing dope in their basements and we can catch them and clear them out. All the investment bankers that received all that money, let's not forget them. All members of Congress, All Corp. execs (write-offs and subsidies).

Let's not stop there. Let's work through the Mortality and Morbidity stats and test everyone whose lifestyle (and the majority of Americans die from conditions related to their lifestyles) might cost tax dollars - drug test and weigh `em, I say!

Our testing methods are ever more exacting (trillionths of a gram) and `lab on a chip' technology ever more sophisticated. Let's just outfit each `citizen' with a chip under their skin and install `reader' kiosks all over - just wave your forearm over the reader, `citizen'...

I think I've solved the budget debt crisis!

(read Swift's, A Modest Proposal before concluding I want to eat your babies....)