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Drug Tests For Welfare Recipients?
April 1, 2011
Welfare recipients would need to pass drug tests – and pay for them — before receiving financial assistance under bills traveling in both chambers that backers say will send a tough but needed message to substance abusers who use taxpayer money to feed their addiction instead of their families.
On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee on a 13-5 vote approved a measure (HB 353) that would deny benefits to recipients of temporary financial assistance for at least one year if they fail a drug test. A second failed test would kick them off the assistance rolls for three years. Food stamp eligibility would not be affected.
A Senate bill (SB 556) is awaiting action in that chamber’s budget committee.
“Until we bring accountability into the process, there is no way we will ever get a handle on the huge impact substance abuse has on our communities,” said Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala. “We are becoming enablers in this sick relationship.”
Backers said taxpayers should not be paying financial assistance to recipients who are abusing drugs and may use the funds instead to fuel a drug or alcohol addiction. They said further that denying benefits to recipients with substance abuse problems may provide the incentive for them to seek help.
“This is about trying to get to the real core problem in the family,” Baxley said. “Until you do, you will never solve the problem.”
About 113,000 Floridians are receiving temporary cash payments under a program administered by the Department of Children and Families that is expected to cost $211million for the current fiscal year. The agency currently does not screen recipients for drugs. Federal law allows states to deny benefits to recipients convicted of a felony drug offense, a provision Florida has chosen not to adopt. A pilot program conducted between 1999 and 2001 was discontinued after researchers determined it was not cost effective.
Critics say subjecting all recipients to drug tests penalizes their families, especially their children, regardless of whether the parents are using.
In two-parent households, both parents would have to take separate tests, which could run from $10 to $70 a piece.
At the very least, skeptics say the state should at least pick up the tab.
“If the state is going to go down the road from a presumption of innocence to suspicious-less presumption of guilt for only the poorest among us it should at least bear the cost,” said Rep. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg. “Members, we are embarking on dangerously thin ice.”
State officials who would be charged with overseeing the program said many of the details still need to be worked out. Jennifer Lange, program director overseeing DCF’s welfare programs said, in all likelihood, the state would put out a bid and contract with a private company or companies to administer the test and process the results. Details as to what drugs would be tested for and other protocols would be developed by rule.
Mark Fontaine, a lobbyist for the Florida Drug and Alcohol Abuse Association, said nothing in the bill addresses recipients who have tested positive for drugs but have entered or completed substance abuse programs and are now clean. “If that is your goal, if someone takes the initiative to get treatment then they should be able to come back,” Fontaine said.
But even if recipients could opt back in after undergoing treatment, there are often waiting periods for programs, and the lack of slots would prolong the lapse in needed benefits, he said. He noted that the Senate budget has so far eliminated any state funding for drug treatment.
“They will have no access to treatment because there will be no treatment,” he said.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Comments
54 Responses to “Drug Tests For Welfare Recipients?”
i think its a wonderful idea. for ppl complaining about how they are goin to pay for it, the tests don’t cost much. and its not like they would be testing people every month. geez. just think, it may get people to NOT DO ILLEGAL DRUGS!
Seriuosly people, U cant look at some1 because they are down on thier luck, however alot u look right down your noses, ( because your better they are) Hahaha ye right! Cash Assistence should be required for drug testing!! I agree with that. they get card and go to the atm and get thier cash. U know any drug dealer that takes Food stamps for drugs, I highly doubt it! Foodstamp are no longer coming to people for free, if you are tied up in the system then you know what im talking about. There are required classes for employment now that are madatory! For the ones I know that is on it, its not for the free money it is the only way they have to feed thier kids. And not from a lacking of trying to better them selves, but because the lack of jobs and resourses to find jobs. O yea ALL U SELFRIGHTOUS PEOPLE GOD DONT LIKE THAT!!!! God loves folks broke or rich but definelty not Almighty Self Rightous I m better then u kinda of people!!
@ eab, thank you, we appreciate all the prayers we can get.
As for the ones who have made the remarks about people over weight and on Medicaid…did you ever think maybe they can’t lose the weight? Yes, my husband is some over weight for his height, but you know what? He only eats 2 fairly small meals a day, but it’s very hard to lose it when you are very limited in what physical activity you can do! He has about 8 messed up discs in his back/neck~ranging from bulging, herniated, and some torn…a messed up hip and shoulder~all from a bad car wreck 17 yrs ago because an idiot driving in the rain with no lights t-boned him in his driver door~he actually died in this wreck, but thankfully they were able to bring him back. After that wreck he still kept working up til about a year ago, not no cushy office jobs, but actual hard physical labor from his early teens on up, most of the jobs where things lifted (not by a lift, by hand) from 50# & up for as long as he possibly could! But once you get to the point you have to have a cane to walk, it’s really hard to keep doing that kind of work! So no, not all big people are because they eat too much~some are very limited in what physical activity they can do to help lose weight while still getting the nutrition ALL people need! From re-reading the comments, I have not seen people b*ing about taking the test, just in how to pay for it when they can’t even pay all their bills as it is. That only the ones that turn out ‘positive’ should have to pay. I don’t think employees pay for their ‘mandatory’ tests.
The bad thing about medicaide or having no insurance for that matter. You can’t get oppropriate preventive treatment. Only when you are very sick and then it’s often too late. So in the end the taxpayers pay more for treatment and the patient dies anyway. The system is screwed up.
I don’t care about TAKING the drug tests. That’s not my complaint. My problem is how to pay for it when I can’t pay for everything else that I HAVE to have.
HUD does NOT pay my “rent and utilities”, David, I am responsible for that myself.
Yeah, my kids do eat free at school. Thank God because that’s the only way we make it through the month. During the summer and holidays, I skip a lot of meals so my kids can eat.
I would gladly use public transportation if I could get there, if I HAD the fare and if it went anywhere I needed to go, but since it’s over 2 1/2 miles to the nearest stop, which is a pretty mean feat using a walker, and I’d have to ride it all the way IN to P’cola then back (or to Century and back) to get to the grocery store, then all the way back to P’cola and back out here again to get off at my stop, ALL to get to the store that is less than 5 miles from my house, it just doesn’t really make sense. I couldn’t use it if I wanted to, so that comment is irrelevant.
I don’t ” receive a monthly disability check (cause my backs be hurtin’) ” either. My income is not ANY form of public assistance. I am still awaiting a hearing on my disability claim which is for a terminal disease, thank you very much. And when I die, guess who will be supporting my kids? You, the taxpayer because when I was still in early stages, Medicaid wouldn’t help me go to the doctor, when I had a chance at being cured. Now it’s too late and you STILL moan and complain because I get some help for my kids. They’ve been through enough already. They lost their dad several years ago and now they’re losing their mother and you want to b**** because I get free school lunch, food stamps and substandard health care (don’t let anybody mislead you into thinking you get good care from Medicaid, that’s ONLY if you find a doc who cares about his patients and not the paycheck) from programs that I paid into for years.
I don’t run to the ER with the sniffles. We were always taught that unless you were bleeding profusely, unconscious or not breathing, you stayed home and took care of it yourself. Even if I wanted to, how would I get there?
Shame on all the stingy cold hearted people out there who want to complain because some people need help. There will always be some who abuse whatever system is in place, hence the need for these drug tests. BUT for the majority of us out here, it’s got nothing to do with drugs, laziness, etc. It’s because we have NO OTHER CHOICE!!!!!!
PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE!
There are people out there who legitimately need help. You know them
and I know them. If they are in your neighborhood, please go over there
today and ask them what they need this week, then go out into your
neighborhood and take up a collection and get them what they need.
YOU try to live on what the government gives them a month. They (WE)
don’t pay for toiletries which anyone who shoppes knows are the most
expensive things in the store (except possibly T-bone steaks), but
really, how many of you could live without them, or should I say would
want to. I mean do you not have to wipe in the bathroom? Do you
not WANT to brush your teeth in the A.M. and P.M. Do you not WANT
to wash your clothes or feel clean sheets under you? Remember you
christians who put three crosses in your back yard. ‘THERE BY THE
GRACE OF GOD GO I:”.
YOU KNOW THEM, THE NEIGHBORS KNOW THEM…..FOR GOD’S SAKE
HELP THEM. ABOVE ALL DON’T LET THEM LOSE THEIR MEAGER HOMES.
IT’S NOT LIKE A 65,000.00 HOUSE IS A MANSION SO LETS NOT BE JEALOUS.
Let’s see, HUD pays your rent and utilities, you pay for your food with foodstamps, your kids eat for free at school, you receive a monthly disability check (cause my backs be hurtin’) and medicaid covers your medical bill every time you run down to the ER for the sniffles. Sounds like a rough life. Maybe we should start paying car notes and insurance also just so these poor pitiful people and there children, we can’t forget the children, can get to the doctor’s office and grocery store without having to use that disgusting public transportation system. Cry me a river.
I have to do ramdom drug testing for my job. Im a ferm believer people on welfare and receiving food stamps should be randomly drug tested.
The only thing that has made since in a long, long time! Most everyone who gets a job or has a job is subject to drug testing. Why on earth should welfare recipients be exempt. Make everyone who gets any assistance get tested. I am so tired of my hard earned tax dollars going for drugs and bond fees after the fact.
Wonderful news, I have thought of this for years.
to “Huh”—it is an expense like buying gas to get to a job. Think about it.
Well, I grew up working on the family farm. My first paying job was when I was 14. I worked full time from then until I no longer could, which was into my 40s. I figure that in that 25 plus years I paid enough taxes, especially during my single years, to be entitled to get some of it back. ALL of those who receive assistance are not deadbeats who have never worked. Of course there are some, but I didn’t complain about paying my taxes then and the only thing I’m complaining about now is that there are so many others I see who have so much more than we do but receive a heck of a lot more in assistance. Like others said, the Caddy (especially when it’s an Escalade, those cost what? $50k?), the expensive jewelry, name brand clothes and shoes, etc. If they can afford those things, they don’t need assistance, they just need to learn how to cut back. I don’t even HAVE a car but they tell me my assets are too high for any more help. All I own is my house which is valued at $65K and I’m 3 years behind on property taxes so I may not have it much longer either.
Oh well. Whatever.
I love poor people because iam poor i draw a disibility check i would not complain one bit to take a drug test to keep my little income why are you all fussing about taking a drug test if you cant pass it just say you cant! i cant draw food stamps but if i had to take a drug test to get them i would be 1st in line! someone is guilty here
OMG! Someone actually come up with a good idea that is in GOV”T. Amazing, but I think if they demand for them to have the test then it should be paid for by the system who is demanding it. Great idea though.
Well I have to take a drug test to support myself, my family and those on assistance, I only ask for equality for someone to receive my tax dollars and it should include food stamps. Take the test and quit crying. Yes you may not be receiving much but hey if ya don’t need it don’t apply. For those worried about your scripts showing up in the test, all you have to do is prove you have a script for it, they will probably only do a 7 panel run and that only checks for things like coke, meth, marijauna and other ILLEGAL drugs. For some people this is a way of life, I actually heard a judge ask a defendant to you get assistance? She said no, he said well how do you pay your rent? Well your honor I get a check form the state. He pretty much called her an idiot. I had someone tell me once that a lot of the people on welfare are just following in thier parents footsteps and until the parents get up and get out and find jobs its a vicious circle. I saw a lady one time buying so many groceries ,she had gold on every finger and a new caddy in the driveway and the kids wearing rags use a welfare card, she told me if ya know how to work the system its a great way to live and told me to make sure I kept working to support her, talk about wanting to hurt somebody. The money should go to the people who really need it.
I am disabled and unable to work. I get food stamps and medicaid for the kids and medically needy for myself with a $245 share of cost, meaning that my medical bills must be over $245 each month for medicaid to step in and pay for my doctor’s visits, medications, etc. Otherwise, I’m supposed to pay for it out of my own pocket.
My grand total income in cash (none of which is public assistance) is $359 a month. We do get food stamps,but they aren’t supposed to be enough to pay for all your food each month. You are supposed to supplement them with cash. I’m still trying to figure out how to do that since I’m supposed to be paying electricity, water, property taxes, garbage, etc AND buy hygiene products, shampoo, toothpaste and brushes, deodorant, soap, detergent, dish washing liquid, etc AND buy my kids clothing and shoes and do ALL of that on $359. Geez, I only WISH I could afford the price of drugs!
And, btw, I only have internet because a friend gave me an old computer and my neighbor lets me “piggyback” on his connection.
I can’t help to wonder why people seem to hate poor people so much lots of are good people but are having problems. Maybe because no one cares some of these people have medical problems but cant get help because who really cares about a poor person. So Ive started thinking a few hundred dollers. I dont think its worth all the trouble they go through to get the cash assistance. Im thinking crime would be better they could meet more people alot of “higher” class people that go into their neighborhoods to buy drugs. they could then maybe go to jail and get medical/dental help and if they can make 20,000 in crime maybe do a year in prison get their health back right they will be ahead. But I guess I get tired of people doing that drug court thing really what is that. most of those females have lost their kids keep geting introuble they get chance after chance because why? But a poor mother or father gets looked down on for trying to keep their kids. Then lets say one smokes a little weed they loose all their help for a year. But the crackwhore with her hand out head up gets all the chances she wants. Maybe thats the problem the poor women keep their hands in with her head down because she knows how people feel about her. And prays she doesnt get sick because again Drs also will look at her like everyone else like shes nothing. But the drug addict will get all the help because people want to help them even though they are the ones who dont want it.
To family honestly needing the help….
Thank you for your heartfelt post. While those who know me are aware of my senses both of humor and skepticism, I am serious when I say to you…God bless you and your family.
I will pray for you and yours and I am certain those on this forum who truly have Christian sensibilities will do the same.
Thank you again for a little dose of reality.
My family receives assistance since my husband’s disabilities got too bad that he could not work any more, and we’re trying to get his disability started. I am more than willing for us to take a test, but when it shows negative ~I don’t believe we should have to take from our assistance to pay for it. Yes charge the ones with positive result because obviously they don’t honestly need the assistance, but not ones who turn out negative.
For a family of 3, we get $303:
ATM fee to even be able to use the money= $3
car ins= $104
phone= $49
that leaves only $147 to pay electricity, water, & rent ~not hardly enough
And never mind cost of gas to get to dr apts!
If it was not for having such a wonderful family to help us above the assistance, and our landlords being family, we would not even have a roof over our heads…even with the assistance!
So no, not all on assistance “have it made”! And if my family didn’t truly need the help we would not be on it. Not all receiving help are dead-beats; some truly just need help to get through a hard time. And last I knew, there is a limit to how long you can receive cash assistance in a life time.
reanna said….It is really strange that I read somewhere that our newly appointed governor has millions of dollars worth of stock in a chain of clinics that do drug testing in FL. I guess he didn’t make enough money from his hospital Medicare scam.
I said…I read the same thing ,reanna. But, let’s be fair, he passed the stock to his wife, I believe, when he became governor. Therefore, if any money is made by the Scott family on this, it would be her money. As such there is no possible way he could benefit from any theft…..err….I mean profits taken from the public.
Alas, it is also true that Scott’s company did steal from the taxpayers but hey, we elected him anyway, so let’s let bygones be bygones. I mean, if a man can’t funnel money to his friends and family when he is governor, when can he take a little off the top? Also, people should consider Scott will probably not make a dime while he is governor. He’s probably just really setting himself and his businesses up for when he leaves office. That’s when the real money can be made if he is positioned correctly.
I even have a friend a church who said to me “I knew he was a crook when I voted for him.” We try to maintain a Christian perspective around there.
McDavid Citizens for a Free America
It is really strange that I read somewhere that our newly appointed governor has miliions of dollars worth of stock in a chain of clinics that do drug testing in FL. I guess he didn’t make enough money from his hospital Medicare scam.
And, oh, yeah, just because a person looks ok to you, that does NOT mean that they are able to work. There may be physical or mental issues that you can’t see.
This makes sense, but there are going to have to be some exceptions. For example, what if the prescription meds you take will cause a positive result? What if you have cancer and are given THC pills to help with nausea and appetite?
If you pass the test, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. If you fail, you pay.
If you really need assistance, you will NOT have the money to pay for the test. That’s only common sense.
It WILL hurt the children so instead of taking the kids benefits, why not have a sort of guardian to receive the benefits for them and spend it appropriately? Require receipts to be turned in on a monthly basis to show that it was spent on the kids.
And, yes, there are a lot of people who go to the store and buy groceries for someone else using their food stamp card and receive money in exchange. Reporting them for food stamp fraud doesn’t seem to do much good. I’ve reported one girl several times and they haven’t done anything yet.
Yes, we should test for tobacco use anyone who is on Medicare, Welfare, Medicaid (probably not Social Security, since tobacco use will get them off the rolls). We should absolutely test for alcohol. And look at obesity!! There are billions of dollars spent every year because folks won’t loose a little weight. And a lot of those people are on government programs like Medicare or Medicaid.
If they can’t buy food, they will soon lose a little weight by golly!! We should have every adult in the US tested for all these things at least once a year and more if possible! We would soon weed out the loses, ingrates and lazy bums.
We can set up testing stations for everyone to be called to at random to be tested. This is totally possible and affordable because I read a science fiction story about it once. We can take the funds required from our education budget, since this is about educating folks,right? So it can definitely be done. Alcohol abuse, drugs, overweight, tobacco, you automatically get 30 days in the hoosegow to straighten yourself out. 2nd offense, you get more time. 3rd….life. In the story I read they just incinerated ‘em for 3rd offense but,hey, we are not a harsh people.
Let’s move now to get the losers, the poor and the more unfortunate people out of our society!
Now!
Mc David Citizens for a Free America
I believe evey one that is able to work should. I also believe in testing for tobacco. If a peson can pay for tobacco they can buy grocerys for their children. We pay for these people to eat so they can use their money for tobacco. i wish this law could be changed to include tobacco. It would also protect some children from secound hand smoke.
I bet the left wing liberal idiots will start screaming racism !! Hell you cant disagree with obama without being called one. I used to drive a racecar……………does that make me a racist also??? Its about time the freeloaders were held accountable before their kids take up there bad habits !!!!
I approve of this testing 100%. I know lots of people getting assistances that could work if they weren’t to lazy. I also think they need to come of with some kind of solution for these girls who keep having illigitimate children, and each time the check gets bigger. Thank God we have been blessed to make it without help, but I resent my husband working to support people who are more able to work than he is. I pray this passes.
Bet a lot of those now on welfare, or government asst, are freaking out about this. Yep , hopeful the party is over.
they may have to pay for the test and the article said anywhere from $10 to $70…I doubt it will be $70. But really your paying for a test to ensure you get a check, how in the world is that an incovenience? If you feel like you don’t have the money to pay for it then simply don’t accept assistance. And I am so sorry, if you have any luxury items then you can afford to pay for it.
Yes drug test, I am under a doctors care and they still drug test me. Why? Because people abuse and sell their prec.’s drugs, so now they do it to make sure you are taking what they are giving you. And I pay for it out of my pocket. And oh yes, you pop positive , You are cut off from ever thing. This is the price for bad habits. And what we are talking about here are ILLEGAL DRUGS.
I think this is wonderful!!! hopefully alabama will do the same thing! if your not using drugs then you have nothing to worry about!!! maybe the cost of the drug test shouldnt cost so much because there are people who really need assistance but as far as failing the test and you would not get assistance….i love that idea!!
It should go one step further or include alcohol testing in this drug testing, many people are alcoholics and they never or rarely test for that since it only stays in the bloodstream for a few days. I know many employees who show up to work drunk or with hangovers and the general population feel thats okay…but to me its still a drug and should be tested for too. Come on its even gotten to the point if you smoke or ever have smoked especially in Florida, employers such as state, local, federal govt doesn’t or won’t hire you… Whats next? We are in the stage of Big Brother… and how does this work for those on prescriptions drugs who will test positive… do they have special priviledges? Prescription addiction is a real issue in the US and people tend to think as long as you have a prescription its okay… but the pill mills are in question here too!!
Drug test anyone who gets tax dollars. That means Social Security recipients, Medicare recipients, and Medicaid users.Drug test the butcher, the baker,and the candlestick maker. We could save a bundle by putting these people out on the streets.
Drug test everyone at least every quarter. People should not mind since drugs are illegal. If you fail your drug test twice, it’s prison for you!! 3 times and it’s the death penalty!! We will get this scourge off our streets once and for all.
Rush Limbaugh, we are coming for you!!
This is a great idea in my opinion if it was worked properly.But I do agree that the money to come up with for the tests would make it hard on some people(those not on drugs). Think about it..If they pass the test,let the government pay for the test,if they fail the test the government will still end up paying since their money supply will be taken away.As to people in nursing homes,do they get the money or their family? If the children are going to suffer,aren’t they already suffering with crack heads for moms and dads? Stop the cash funding and go back to food stamps….less abuse going on there.The real problem is you can make more on the system than off of the system.When you total up food stamps,free health care,free medications,free gas cardsfree transportation and free cash…it adds up to more than a lot of people make working 40 hours a week.The system is broke,and this is just a bandaid,good idea in some ways,but a bad idea in other ways.
Ref to ■Kathleen Wilks::::
IF YOU TRULY NEED ASSISTANCE THEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE YOU WILL TEST NEG.
ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID!
I have been taking random drug test for 15 years in order to draw a paycheck, that I have worked for. If I fail one test no more paychecks! What is wrong with folks who draw a check for not working taking a drug test? I don’t mind my tax dollars paying for the test as long as the test is negative. If a person test positive it should be on their nickle!
Its interesting how this group of people hate poor people and think they should cough up money that don’t have so that these people can feel good about what? That the person with an IQ of 40 who receives services doesn’t get away with doping? The 72 year old nursing home resident test negative for what Cocaine?
Infants, the mentally and physically challenged and the elderly in nursing homes are the bulk of those receiving benefits. So grandma must be tested on a random basis to remain in the nursing home. Read your statistics about who receives these benefits before you agree to sound stupid.
I totally agree with this and I even accept Food Stamps and Medicad. I would be more than happy to submit for a drug test.
I already hate relying on the Government for anything, but after I lost my job in Sept of last year it was a nice breather to know your family will at least be feed. I have another job, but the pay is half what it was.
I can tell you that there are crooks out there that abuse the system. Basically, if your driving a Hummer and on Food Stamps, something is wrong.
Another thing I hate is being able to buy alcohol with welfare. I mean they regulate what kind of foods you can buy, why not alcohol?
I agree with “huh”
They should have the state pick up the tab, and if someone fails it, they should be required to pay for it.
I mean, come on, we are talking about people(well, most of them) who can’t afford FOOD, how on earth are they going to pay for a drug test?
I’ve already had some say, “come one, how hard is it to come up with $40?” Well, apparently they have never lived on low income. I have family members who have to pay a late power bill every month, because it takes so long to come up with enough money to pay it….these people would not be able to ‘come up with’ drug test money. However, they are FOR the drug tests, think it’s a wonderful idea, will get rid of the dope fiends abusing the system, but they just can’t afford it. I mean, if we’re going to do this, let’s do it right. Make the ones that fail pay for the test, the ones that pass will receive help.
I think any type of government assistance should be tied to drug use (and avoids any form of discrimination). If you do drugs or get arrested and convicted of a drug-possession crime then you should not get any entitlement or be allowed to take ANY TAX DEDUCTIONS. This would hit all people of every background and every socie-economic status.
Drug test for ALL government assistance. Too many people choose NOT to work..but would rather sit ( hang out) and wait on a check. Anytime people can get something for free they’re going too…We know it’s not free ( the taxpayers foot the bill) but they don’t contribute so it’s free to them. The government feeds this mind set. If you test positive for illegal drugs you should be cut off fromALL assistance… MAYBE it would break the cycle!
I agree… I think if most people being hired today need a drug test so be it, Folks on welfare should have to do the same. By the way,,, How do some get checks in different States and they don`t get caught??? Just Asking..
The only ones against it are the ones that are users. The ones paying for it (me, the taxpayer) as ticked off. We are sick AND TIRED of paying for them all. At least a third of them if not more, are users. I’ve been asking for this for years!
I agree totally! I think this is for Florida but I sure hope Alabama follows suit!
If this passes, which I hope it does. The state is about to save a ton of money.
Good! Enough said!
About time. Should be nationwide.
What does the goverment give to people that does not work besides free food? I know free insurance is this what they are talking about? This will only hurt the children.
This is the best idea so far this year!
“Food stamp eligibility would not be affected.”
Why not? They fail the drug screen take em all the way off the .gov tit.
Now if they would come up with term limits for welfare. With both drug testing and time limits to how long they can be on welfare we could get the dead beats burden off the rest of us tax payers who chose to work everyday. I thought about it the other day as I near retirement: I will had to work forty years just to retire and a lot of these people you see standing around by the curb in thier front yard or inciting riots when the police are called ahave been retire since day one. Some of these families on welfare are third or forth generation and never had to work a day in thier hole life I think it’s time to start taking this free life away from those retiring at age 18 or maybe 21. Don’t be scared to call a spade a spade
“Backers said taxpayers should not be paying financial assistance to recipients who are abusing drugs and may use the funds instead to fuel a drug or alcohol addiction. They said further that denying benefits to recipients with substance abuse problems may provide the incentive for them to seek help.” just one question….do cigarettes count?
just kidding….here is what amazes me about this drug testing hullabaloo….
doesn;t anyone else find it interesting that Rick Scott bequeathed his 60 million share in Solantic to his wife right before he took the governorship? Solantic. it is a chain of urgent care clinics. but guess what else they do? drug testing. imagine that! Solantic stands to make a killing under these new drug testing policies for welfare recipients and state employees. and what really gripes me is that this won’t curb drug use. after all, folks will buy cigarettes instead of milk for their kids when they are down to their last dollar. i am not buying this, not for one second. Solantic and drug testing. Scott’s private business plan.
Very good idea but why exclude foodstamps. I know people who sell their stamps.Let’s say for example you give me $100 and in return I buy you $150 dollars worth of groceries with my foodstamp card. It happens all the time. I’m not a big fan of gov’t in my private life or drug testing in schools but if someone is receiving what amounts to free money from them or rather us(taxpayers) then yes I think this is a very good idea.
AMEN TO THAT…
If they are broke how are they supposed to pay for it? If the state demands it, the state should pay for it
if i have to be drug tested for employment and random testing during employment, by all means HECK YEA people appying for welfare need to be drug tested too!!!