So why is drug testing wrong in this case?

[Hyena Dandy]

If we're worried about "We can't afford to pay druggies" then why can we afford to test welfare recipients? Because if they get a positive, they're getting payed by the state. Which is gonna cost more than the price of just giving drug addicts welfare checks.

Its cheaper not to change anything. Its not a budget issue. The only way this could save money would be if there was an amazingly huge percentage of welfare recipients on illegal drugs. Enough that not giving so many people their monthly checks offsets the number of people who aren't druggies and therefore we have to pay for them.

[Tanasi]

So.... are you going to donate the millions that it will cost to test everybody?

^-.-^

No, sometimes there's a cost to get something and especially so if one hasn't earned it. Now that I think about it I'm already pitching in for the receipient to get welfare and moreso if they pass. I guess for those that don't then that's money they won't have to spend on dope. When thinking of this the old saying "Beggers can't be choosers" come to mind.

[Andara Bledin]

No, sometimes there's a cost to get something and especially so if one hasn't earned it. Now that I think about it I'm already pitching in for the receipient to get welfare and moreso if they pass. I guess for those that don't then that's money they won't have to spend on dope. When thinking of this the old saying "Beggers can't be choosers" come to mind.

Let me get this straight... We don't have enough money available to give all worthy recipients assistance, so you want to take that money, spend millions of it on drug testing to catch the maybe 1% of recipients who actually do drugs, not all of whom have even spent any of that money on said drugs and deny even more people who don't any access to those funds.

What sort of fantasy world does this make sense in?

^-.-^

[Ipecac Drano]

I'm sure it's humbling (and maybe even humiliating) enough for these people to ask for financial assistance, but it's terrible that they're being suspected of something without probable cause.

If there were some who had prior convictions for usage and/or possession of an illegal substance, then test them.

[Tanasi]

First of all I don't think it will cost millions as this only applies to new applicants. I also think that many ofthose that know they'll fail won't bother to go for testing being afraid of getting in trouble with the law. This only applies in Florida and how new applicants are there each year??? In the thousands yes, tens of thousands maybe, hundreds I don't think so.
Andara At least this is a working solution to a problem, you been asked what for a solution and you said that you didn't have one. So far all you've done is snipe, please present a solution other than throwing your hands up in defeat.

IP, yes it is humbling asking for help when you can't provide for your family and yourself. Is this drug test any less humiliating than the ones lots have to take to get a job??? It has to apply to all otherwise those that get tested will asked why they were tested and those other people weren't.

As I've said before some gifts come with strings attached.

[Andara Bledin]

Andara At least this is a working solution to a problem, you been asked what for a solution and you said that you didn't have one. So far all you've done is snipe, please present a solution other than throwing your hands up in defeat.

This is a solution manufacturing a problem to make money off of.

You want an actual solution that won't cost taxpayers millions and will actually have the desired effect: Swap over to cards for all payouts. Keep tabs on where every dollar of state assistance is going. A positive solution with negligible drawbacks and negligible expenditures that will also combat other unacceptable spending habits.

I didn't offer a solution because not only was one never requested, but I don't think there is a problem to solve - this is a manufactured "crisis" for the sole purpose of sucking money out of the state.

^-.-^

[Tanasi]

Why wouldn't that solution also cost millions of dollars to create and implement???
I'm not saying your idea is a bad one just would be a long time in development and implementation and most likely expensive. It would probably combat other fraud.
The thing is, the drug testing is something that can be ready to go fairly quick as the vast majority of the "infrastructure" already exists.

[Andara Bledin]

The federal government has already mandated that all states use EBT cards for food stamps as of 2002, so it's a program that is already in place, with a solid foundation and available throughout the country. There is actually less of a barrier to entry for that then for mandating drug testing, which has to be built from the ground up in terms of policy and administration, will cost the state millions within the first few years and offer no benefit, especially when compared to using cards.

Add in the fact that anyone that fails a drug test can designate someone else to receive money on behalf of their kids that they can then take and spend on drugs, this idea is worse than useless.

^-.-^

[FArchivist]

First of all I don't think it will cost millions as this only applies to new applicants.

Wrong. The legislation says it applies every time someone reapplies. Every person on welfare has to reapply every year for it. Those are the rules. So it's not "new applicants"

I also think that many ofthose that know they'll fail won't bother to go for testing being afraid of getting in trouble with the law.

If that were true (which I don't think it is), then that means that only the innocent will be tested - and have to pay for that testing.

This only applies in Florida and how new applicants are there each year??? In the thousands yes, tens of thousands maybe, hundreds I don't think so.

1,690,000 reapply for benefits every year. And that was in 2008. They believe they've added another 300,000 right now due to the rather atrocious economy.

Is this drug test any less humiliating than the ones lots have to take to get a job???

Absolutely. I can refuse the job and walk away with my dignity.
Or, I can refuse to take the test to get benefits, walk away with my dignity, and starve to death on the street.
Hmmmm.