Florida welfare drug testing

[booker81]

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My father was disabled in a pretty bad accident at GM, and drew SSDI. While my brother and I were under 18, he was able to draw an "allotment" for lack of a better word, to also cover for the cost of providing for us since we couldn't exactly go out and work at 8 years old.

Once we turned 18 however, that extra amount stopped. Luckily, we were out of the house pretty soon after 18, so my parents didn't need that money as much for our care and support.

 

[ChicksterJo]

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I think alcohol should be included in their testing...however, testing for alcohol whether by saliva, urine, or hair follicle is useless since it only stays in the blood/urine/hair for up to 48 hours. This means that people who are abusing alcohol may still get these benefits anyway.

 

[Wifezilla]

standing by and doing nothing when you KNOW that children are going hungry because their food money is being spent on drugs

It's called child abuse. It is already illegal, and no, I am not willing to pay millions in ransom to someone to keep them for abusing their kid. Billions have been spent on social welfare over the years and there are still cases all the time of abuse and neglect, so apparently taxing me more and putting me in the poorhouse isn't going to make the situation any better. Lets just skip the millions and start enforcing protection laws already on the books m'kay?​

 

[EastTexasChick]

I skipped ahead so dont know if this was posed or not... Im ALL for drug testing for walfare, like others said you have to get drug tested to get a job and keep one. But I would go one step further and not only make them get drug tested, but they should also have proof that they are trying to find a job (when my DH was laid off last year he got on unemployment and the only way he could get the money thet HE paid into it was if he had proof that he was looking for work, when the place he was working for hired him back on limited time that money was deducted from his unemployment check, ex say he got unemployment for $600 everyother week and he got hired on making $400 a week the unemployment would pay the difference of $200 so he would still get a total of $600 every other week).... also I would give them a time frame to be on (you only get so many moths, years, of getting WF depinding on your situation) People on unemployment only have so much time on it (DH had a set amount and if he ran out he would have to file an ext and you only get so many of those)... I understand people get down on there luck and every and anybody can lose it all but there has to be a time when enough is enough!!!! If they keep making it easy to get all this stuff, before long all the hard working poeple of this country are gonna get tired of breaking there backs so someone else can reap the benifits.... sorry about the spelling I was on a roll LOL and dont get me started on the illegals either LOL!!!

 

[PineappleMama]

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It's called child abuse. It is already illegal, and no, I am not willing to pay millions in ransom to someone to keep them for abusing their kid. Billions have been spent on social welfare over the years and there are still cases all the time of abuse and neglect, so apparently taxing me more and putting me in the poorhouse isn't going to make the situation any better. Lets just skip the millions and start enforcing protection laws already on the books m'kay?

Could work... except that those laws only get put into effect if someone reports the offense... be that a neighbor, family member, teacher, ER worker... THEN they have just cause to poke into their business. Otherwise they're left alone.... too often until it's too late. (not that I mind that CPS can't kick down my door for no reason, I like the fourth amendment) These tests would be them willingly surrendering to a search... two possible things ... users with kids would be caught, forced to get clean or lose their kids... just as if someone had filed a report of suspected abuse/neglect... if clean good for kids, if they don't get clean then at least the kids are safe somewhere where food isn't a bartering tool.

Other side is that users who know they'll be caught might not apply... singles that's not too large a concern to me (except that if they can't sell their stamps they might resort to robbery but since when does America bribe people not to commit crimes?), but for those with kids... to not apply... that could cost the kids, which bothers me. But if their folks are selling their stamps 2-1 or even 4-1 to get cash for other... vices then the kids aren't getting anything anyways. Maybe the parents would realize they can't take care of them, can't even manage themselves, and find someone who can.

Mainly the reason abuses of this system happen is because nothing is really checked. You're told to bring check stubs, but if you're paid cash or you claim your working spouse/BF/etc doesn't live with you then there's nothing to check and your application gets pushed right through... put your new car in their name, and rent your place, and you've got no known assets. DHHS just doesn't have the resources to go to these homes and see for themselves if these people are telling the truth. Given the insane number people on the dole we've been told it's cheaper to just hand them all a check than it would be to actively check for fraud. Donno if that's true or not... the amount saved from benefits not given to cheats/users versus the amount invested to weed out the cheats/users... I don't know those numbers... but it makes me ill to think people are cheating, heck enjoying and bragging about it, while their kids may or may not even get a package of Ramen for supper. And to think of what kind of adult that starving child will become... a Type A over-achiever... due to being poor fights to pull themselves out... or a bum who knows the system inside and out and will live on it for life... or a drug user or... ???

 

[BlueBike]

I've given this a lot of thought, and as much as it pains me to say it, I don't think mandatory drug testing for welfare flies constitutionally.

The supreme court has said that a drug tests are a search. The 4th Amendment says the government cannot search you without probable cause. Applying for welfare benefits doesn't provide probable cause for a government search.

You could use the same line of reasoning to say that because we don't want people using tax payer funded highways to transport drugs, every person who wants to get on an on-ramp has to submit to government strip searches whether there is reason to believe they have drugs on them or not.

If we don't insist that the government follow the constitution on programs we like (like this one), what's to say it has to follow the constitution any other time. I'm afraid I'm not willing to put that much faith in the government.

 

[pdsavage]

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But they don't have to apply for anything,there are other ways to get help if they need help.There is no law forcing someone to apply.
And the cops do random road blocks and check everyone going through the road blocks.

 

[havi]

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Next time they go to drug test me at my job, I'll make sure to tell them its against my 4th Amendment. We'll see how well that turns out.

 

[Boyd]

Bluebike, I really hate quoting myself but....

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[Sugar Sand Farm]

This new law does not apply to food stamps It is for the people who collect money on a debit card as well as food stamps. There is also a clause that you can reapply in 6 months the first positive and after 1 year with the second positive. THe crooks will get around the law as they usually do. You can designate someone else to receive your allowed monies so thats what they will do. You will see alot of old grannies collecting for the drug addicts who cant pass. THis is the only thing this governor has done right so far dont knock him