Drug Testing welfare recipients costs more than it saves

Bbucko

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I don't know who "boom" is, but yeah: it's pretty obvious that this was all about perpetuating stigma and not about saving money.
 

Horrible

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Was it ever about saving money?

Right is right, wrong is wrong. Why should the workers paying the taxes to support this have to pass a drug test to fund welfare, while the recipients do not?

So, some people have to abstain from recreational drug use, and go to work everyday?

And, some people get to use drugs and sit on their collective asses?
 

MercyfulFate

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Was it ever about saving money?

Right is right, wrong is wrong. Why should the workers paying the taxes to support this have to pass a drug test to fund welfare, while the recipients do not?

So, some people have to abstain from recreational drug use, and go to work everyday?

And, some people get to use drugs and sit on their collective asses?

Out of 40 cases in this study, ONE failed and ONE failed and is appealing.

Really, this myth of everyone on welfare being lazy drug addicts is getting old. It was about saving money, but what it really is actually about is giving money to drug testing companies, like the one Scott transferred to his wife.

Drug testing is a scam, and not every private company drug tests.
 

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Out of 40 cases in this study, ONE failed and ONE failed and is appealing.

Really, this myth of everyone on welfare being lazy drug addicts is getting old. It was about saving money, but what it really is actually about is giving money to drug testing companies, like the one Scott transferred to his wife.

Drug testing is a scam, and not every private company drug tests.


I never said EVERY recipient of welfare was lazy and a drug user.

You're right, not EVERY company drug tests.

I never thought of it as a way to save money, I support it on its basic principles.
 

Horrible

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Which are what exactly?


Not positively rewarding negative behavior. Its as simple as that. No one is trying to stop awarding legitimate claims to deserving recipients. Bottom line, in my opinion, is that if you can afford to buy drugs, you do not require government assistance.
 

MercyfulFate

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Not positively rewarding negative behavior. Its as simple as that. No one is trying to stop awarding legitimate claims to deserving recipients. Bottom line, in my opinion, is that if you can afford to buy drugs, you do not require government assistance.

Who says if you fail the drug test you bought drugs? You can't prove that.
 

MercyfulFate

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very true.

How about this; if you cannot piss clean, then you are not a viable candidate for employment. And welfare is supposed to be a hand up, not a hand out...

So a person who cheats a drug test is okay then? Because that's pathetically easy to do.

Also, it most likely will not catch alcoholics.
 

Horrible

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True, and true again.

you got me.

btw, I like how you are arguing different points rather than sticking to one thing and violently upholding a fallacy.
 

MercyfulFate

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True, and true again.

you got me.

btw, I like how you are arguing different points rather than sticking to one thing and violently upholding a fallacy.

Thanks, and yeah the pro-drug testing crowd usually uses simple talking points which irk me, not saying you but most that I've talked to about this.

Drug testing, especially by the government itself to me is a violation of the 4th amendment.
 

Horrible

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Thanks, and yeah the pro-drug testing crowd usually uses simple talking points which irk me, not saying you but most that I've talked to about this.

Drug testing, especially by the government itself to me is a violation of the 4th amendment.


It is voluntary by the recipient, if they do not want to take the test, then they do not take the check.

I am a fairly cut and dried person, but not impervious to a change in opinion.
 

D_Percy_Prettywillie

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I don't care.

If Holly Heroine wants to get her welfare check and then go blow it on crack or coke? I say more power to her. Once I pay my taxes that money is no longer in my control. It then goes to the government and then (eventually) is redistributed out and some portion of that goes to people who have in some fashion qualified for government assistance, right? Simplified but essentially correct, yes?

Okay, so, I don't have any say about anything else she puts in her body. Her welfare money being spent on Jiff as opposed to Peter Pan- should I be outraged because I like Peter Pan and can't imagine buying Jiff? Obviously not. The point is, that money wasn't mine the minute I paid it into the system and where it goes and what it is spent on is out of my control beyond who I vote for on election day.

If Holly wants to go get high? Fine. I really don't care. Speaking as coldly on the subject as I think anyone should be able- wouldn't continued drug use directly influence her longevity? Basically, if she uses drugs, she'll die sooner? The sooner she dies the sooner there's one less person on Welfare and fewer people being on Welfare being the ultimate goal of both sides of the fence?

So yeah, I don't care.



JSZ
 

FuzzyKen

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I can see benefits to drug testing of welfare recipients, but, there are incredible problems in doing it as well.

The most dangerous is the legal precedent it sets.

The problem is that a person could have legitimate need for a drug that would show up on a screening. You go in to the dentist and have a tooth extracted, the next day you have a little note to report for a pee sample. The dentist gave you Darvocet or Vicodin as a pain killer for your extraction. Bang! You could jeopardize your benefits for dental work and trying to not be in pain?

The next thing is that if one is allowed to discriminate based on a drug screening we have stated that discrimination is OK.

If we can do that we can demand an HIV test and say that nobody who is HIV sero-positive qualifies for aid.

The same thinking, can, if we stretch it far enough be applied to race, religious affiliation, and sexual orientation.

It is not likely, but it is possible that under court appeals that we could in essence institutionalize and make other forms of discrimination legal as well.

The likelihood is in the eyes of the law not the point, it could happen and we are all aware of some real extremist individuals who would try and expand discrimination.

There are also incredible opportunities for abuse. Many who receive welfare are not on welfare because of lack of work, they are on welfare or aid programs simply because of health.

The next thing is that it opens up violations of privacy in many areas and this is also something that Corporate America has pushed for.

In the 1960's and 1970's civil rights and racism were the biggest issues. In the new century and with the proliferation of computer databases your individual rights to privacy and who can get information about your personal life and medical records will probably become the biggest issue people face.

As much as I like the idea of not seeing money provided by taxpayers supporting drug dealers, the possible negative aspects of this kind of thing has such far reaching implications that I have to say that the welfare recipient gets their money and we leave it at that.