Symmetry wrote:Phatscotty wrote:Symmetry wrote:Phatscotty wrote:
Applying for welfare benefits in Florida? Soon youāll need to get drug tested.
A measure requiring the tests passed the Senate on Thursday and is headed to Gov. Rick Scott, who called it one of his legislative priorities.
Recipients who test positive for drugs would lose their benefits for a year. If they fail a second time, they lose the benefits for three years. Parents who test positive must designate another adult to receive benefits on behalf of their children.
Read more:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/06/2 ... z1LiDpFdc3http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/06/2 ... z1LiDFEdLSI can't believe it took this long.
This is actually something I think we might agree on partially. I don't think anyone wants to see welfare payments spent on drugs, and people whose only problem is drug addiction receiving welfare.
However, there are a lot of people who have significant problems apart from drug use that should still receive welfare payments. Let's go for the extreme example here of a person with serious multiple sclerosis illegally using marijuana to manage the pain. If a failed drug test took them off welfare, and they had no real ability to hold down a permanent job, then I would say this is a bad policy.
Yeah I think this is one of those things that everyone agrees on, but politicians just can't seem to gather the muster to make a reality. The reason I support this is because I realized that, in effect, the money that is given to people who are having hard times and need help, actually winds up in a drug dealers hands, which probably pays for all kinds of guns and booze and other drugs, well, the life of a drug dealer ya know. And we aren't talking about a pot dealers here, this is like coke, heroin, and the kind of people who get their "aid" for the month but have spent every penny of it on the first weekend. Not to mention the chaos and domestic violence and abuse that come with it.
It's just a measure of common sense accountability. I don't want to make this political, and anyone feel free to share other states that already have same/similar legislation. But I am curious if this is going to be a trend among red sates, or all states.
About your example....read the story I think it mentions that. anyone who has other drugs they need must notify the doctor/gov't of those drugs and...i dont remember but it covers that. These guys are actually doing something for the good of society and it is rare.
Sort of- pot dealers are also drug dealers, but that's nitpicking.
Basically, I don't want to see people who only have a problem with drugs supported by welfare. I do think they should be supported by the state in other ways- mainly via rehab programmes, prescription alternatives, needle exchanges and decriminalisation for possession.
For those on welfare for a good reason- say serious disability or mental illness, I don't think that failing a drug test should be the line that stops welfare.
I would also say that drug testing should be restricted to those under serious doubt of being on welfare only for drug issues. You're right that it's a common-sense issue. It's also one that I suspect neither side of having much common sense on.
In the end, any policy involving drugs should go hand-in-hand with a more sensible policy on drugs in general.
Well, there you have it. I too support people with disability and mental illness, as that was those programs original intention.
I will tell you one thing. My friend from school has a serious drug problem. it started with alcohol and graduated to drugs, harder and harder. One day he broke his ankle, and then got put into oxy-contin. Now he gets drug tested regularly and if they find anything in his blood that is not supposed to be there, he will only get a half-fill. Guess what? He stops using all drugs about 2 weeks before he needs to get a refill. People respond when you threaten to take something away from them that they need. It's time to get tough and buck up because people who are getting help, it's only supposed to be temporary right? They should be saving as much as they can and living frugally and building a plan to make a better future, not getting high. Drugs have no place in any of that.
It is also true that money that is given to someone is spent much more freely than money that person has to earn by themselves. It's very easy to waste cash-handouts when you dont have to respect the value and time and effort and sacrifice of the person that had to earn that money and pay it as a tax. The system was good in it's intentions, but now it's a voting mechanism where all you have to do is promise people more shit and they will vote for you.
Once people learn they can vote the treasury, it's a road to bankruptcy. People will always have more to vote for even when all of their problems are solved, I guarantee you there will be a whole new list of problems.
This is common sense. We are trying to help people after all, aren't we?