Florida welfare drug testing

[BrattishTaz]

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The reason behind the testing is to determine if you are committing a criminal offense...I don't know of any other way to take it as being treated.

They are all being tested to determine if they are committing a criminal offense, not as if they have committed a criminal offense. There is a huge difference. No different than pre-employment testing.

 

[chickenbottom]

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i didnt have time to read the other posts or anything but if someone has food stamps you can only buy food items. but i guess you could sell them for anything that you wanted to so i do agree it would be a good idea to do this

 

[Kikiriki]

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Really? No doors allowed? I did not know that....

The tests for public assistance applicants will be administered just like pre-employment tests. You can close the door and there is a sink just outside of the bathroom.

You hand the cup to the assistant and wash your hands. There is no reason for anyone to feel as if they are being treated as a criminal.

If you can close the door, the test only proves you know someone who is not on drugs, or where to buy clean urine. I have not had a closed door test since 1984 or 85... Some monitors avert their eyes, some don't. Do you want the gov wasting more money for worthless test?

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

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If the government was providing my chickens, the coop, my garden and my whole milk (or more applicably, raw milk) then yes, they get a say in how I do it and how I manage the goods they have GIVEN me. As it is, I provide the chickens, the garden and the milk (well, Kroger's provides the milk, but you get the point). That means that I control what I do and the gov't has no say in the matter.

It is the same argument for the bank. They are GIVING me money (which they expect back). That means they control what information they need. It would completely be within a bank's rights to require a drug test before loaning out money. As it is, most banks don't give a rip about personal drug use. They care about fiscal responsibility and whether they will get their money back. That is why they do credit reports and whatnot. If I don't want them running a credit report on me then I shouldn't apply for a loan. Same deal.

Quite frankly, I think the system should move away from handing out money and go back to handing out goods. Beans, rice, bread, veggies, cheese, milk, etc. Perhaps some classes to teach folks how to cook said foods nutriciously. While you CAN barter those foods for other things it is harder than using a welfare debit card.

 

[redhen]

You are getting money and food for FREE.....period.
If you dont like the drug testing rules..then DONT apply for free things.
Simple, if you ask me..
Pay for your drugs when you are WORKING for them.... dont expect ME to pay for them.
I hope this law passes to EVERY state!

OOH and a loan?? Nope...not the same thing at all.. because you pay a loan back...

BUT if a banks terms were that you had to pass a drug test... then either take the test or shop elsewhere for your loan.
Again... simple decisions...

Unless your a druggie, that is..

 

[spiritdance]

My initial reaction to this was that it's a good idea. However, there are a couple of things that trouble me about it when I slow down and really study it. The first is that it seems to be in some measure a continuation of the knee jerk opinion gaining a foothold in this country that "poor" somehow equates to "lazy" or "worthless." A significant portion of the poor in this country are poor and WORKING. I don't know if any of you on here have ever tried to support a family on minimum wage, but it's nearly impossible, and no, it's not because "everyone wants a cell phone" or aid recipients are all "driving Caddies and buying big t.v.s" Minimum wage just barely pays the bills these days, especially with gas prices where they are, and there are plenty of people out there who can't find anything that pays better in this economy. But the working poor get lumped in with the drug addicts and ne'er-do-wells all the time, and this smells an awful lot like that kind of thing, especially when I hear over and over again arguments that "they should all just get a job," or "they're all just getting handouts." I was raised to believe that you help those who are trying to better themselves. Second, this is only "voluntary" if you miraculously can choose not to eat. Yes, you can get food stamps if your test is clean, but it still isn't "voluntary," because if you don't take the test you don't eat - PERIOD. You can walk away from a job that requires testing, but you can't stop eating. So I'm a bit troubled by the illusion that this is voluntary. Whatever other arguments prevail - for or against this law - at least let's acknowledge that it's MANDATORY, and that it indeed does infringe on choice. All societies must make decisions regarding where and how such infringements are necessary for the greater good, but it's critical that any society wanting to remain free recognize those instances for what they are and NEVER take them lightly. I really don't know, after more consideration, exactly how I feel about this ... except that I KNOW we should not go down this road without a lot of serious soul searching and a full awareness of its implications.

 

[GaNewChick]

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And the money spent on drug testing could be better spent on providing childcare and incentive programs to companies for on the job training. Those in it for free money will find another way.

 

[dacjohns]

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Have you ever been tested? No door allowed, and no washing hands after you pee all over the place...(former military, and aerospace...)

Girls have bad aim, typically.

Really? No doors allowed? I did not know that....

It depends on who you work for on how the test is conducted. In the Army the observer had to see the cup, the junk, and the urine going into the cup. Sometimes the shirt had to be pulled up and the pants dropped. Not a pretty sight.

 

[redhen]

OOh well... they had to start doing that because its a BIG thing now is to buy clean urine..keep it warm on your body and "pee" it into the cup...
Again.. its the sneaks and creeps that ruin it for others... but it HAS to be done for a reason...

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
If the government was providing my chickens, the coop, my garden and my whole milk (or more applicably, raw milk) then yes, they get a say in how I do it and how I manage the goods they have GIVEN me. As it is, I provide the chickens, the garden and the milk (well, Kroger's provides the milk, but you get the point). That means that I control what I do and the gov't has no say in the matter.

It is the same argument for the bank. They are GIVING me money (which they expect back). That means they control what information they need. It would completely be within a bank's rights to require a drug test before loaning out money. As it is, most banks don't give a rip about personal drug use. They care about fiscal responsibility and whether they will get their money back. That is why they do credit reports and whatnot. If I don't want them running a credit report on me then I shouldn't apply for a loan. Same deal.

Quite frankly, I think the system should move away from handing out money and go back to handing out goods. Beans, rice, bread, veggies, cheese, milk, etc. Perhaps some classes to teach folks how to cook said foods nutriciously. While you CAN barter those foods for other things it is harder than using a welfare debit card.

Meant raw milk, thanks.