Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

[clintlove]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

Point taken Didi. However if you lived where I live, you'd see drug users (and many addicts) living off the government through our tax dollars. It's not just temporary either, some live off welfare and food stamps for their entire lives. And then they have the nerve to have cell phones, designer clothes, rims on their cars ect. It's infuriating when I have worked for my income since the age of 14 and these people sit around (I'm only talking about the ones taking drugs, some people do need welfare for the right reasons) and don't take care of their kids anyway. I see this first hand everyday and I am very sad for their children.

Most people have to take drugs tests for work and if they failed, hey guess what, no job and no money for food, bills, clothes for themselves or their kids. If you need government assistance then you should be responsible enough to take care of yourself and your kids by not doing drugs.

[lilsensa]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

Point taken Didi. However if you lived where I live, you'd see drug users (and many addicts) living off the government through our tax dollars. It's not just temporary either, some live off welfare and food stamps for their entire lives. And then they have the nerve to have cell phones, designer clothes, rims on their cars ect. It's infuriating when I have worked for my income since the age of 14 and these people sit around (I'm only talking about the ones taking drugs, some people do need welfare for the right reasons) and don't take care of their kids anyway. I see this first hand everyday and I am very sad for their children.

Most people have to take drugs tests for work and if they failed, hey guess what, no job and no money for food, bills, clothes for themselves or their kids. If you need government assistance then you should be responsible enough to take care of yourself and your kids by not doing drugs.

^^Bingo.

[coleby761]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

So it's a really good idea to limit their options ??? So we should be like the junkies ?????

Most programs are through Social Services so failed drug tests will prolly result in Child Services stepping in. What's your solution then?

[cohiba]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

If you can't find the willpower to quit drugs to be able to feed your kids, then I don't think you'll ever be able to get clean. I'm not saying immediately deny them foodstamps if they return a positive test, but rather offer drug counselling and give them a choice of either get clean within 2-3 months or lose their benefits. A long term drug addict who shows no desire to quit is an unfit parent imo.

[res0nat0r]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

lilsensa and clint get +10

[threehills]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

Didi has a point about the kids.

How would you/she feel if parents who failed the drug test had their children taken away by the state? The state would feed them. If the parent is doing heroin, should they be raising kids?

If this measure is implemented, this seems like the next logical step. Not saying its good or bad, but if this measures is implemented, could start us down a slippery slope.

[i!!ustrious]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

i was an addict, (just completed my penal code 1000 drug class). i also had to testily in a child custody case involving 2 junkie friends in january. the mom used to lock the baby in a seperate room cos it was crying -- while they were too busy slamming dope, and smoke b's all day, -- and so they simply forgot about the child... you can imagine what that lead to. it's an ugly world. unless some have lived, and or been in it, they might not fully understand why this policy is such a great idea -- an idea that will challenge and promote sound direction; a policy that in the end, will ultimately help / renew the user's life. hopefully it's application will work.

i understand this will be dire for most users and will cause massive upheaval, but going without food for a duration of time is a good thing; it makes you steadfast and vigilant, and forces you to know your true priorities, and adhere to your real responsibilities.

[FM]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

there will always be idiots who can't get their priorities straight in life.

Let Darwin sort that out.

I'm sorry but 300,000,000+ people in the US, law of numbers simply states there are going to be those that don't give a shit, those that may fall back and forth but at least have a shot if they work at it to get out of their predicament, and those who play the game properly and use it in times of need...which will get them going again.

[Micko]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

Insightful stuff alright

Should help a lot

[Steve Graham]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

LOL @ didi calling us self righteous for thinking its a good idea to regulate where out of work drug addicts get their money.. what sort of ideal world do YOU live in

how about it being disgusting that people with out jobs and trying to raise kids are so selfish that they would rather do drugs than clean themselves up and get a fucking job

how many intersections where you live have pan handlers begging for money? how many of them you think use that money to buy food? how many use it to buy drugs and alcohol?

you dont know do you? thats why if I ever give anything to these people I give them food not money..

I work hard for my money, the key word being WORK, therefore I dont look lightly upon people that are lazy and try to abuse the system.. unfortunately any policy is going to have its pit falls, and I'm certainly not against doing drugs, I'd be a hypocrite if I said I was.. BUT any time in the past that I have been out of work and new I needed to pass a drug test to get a job, I had the motivation, where with all and common sense to stop whilst looking for a job.

[lilsensa]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

you dont know do you? thats why if I ever give anything to these people I give them food not money..

I bought a cheezeburger for a homeless guy holding a "Need money, please help" sign outside of a McDonalds once, and when I handed him the burger, he threw it at me and said, "I don't need any fucking food!!!".......Guess he wanted money for some alcohol or something....

[Steve Graham]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

^^^ exactly

we've all seen the documentaries on how some of these panhandlers are pulling in 1000's a month

I actually appreciate the ones that just have signs saying, "need beer, I'm being honest" lol

[spyros]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

imo if you have kids and fail a drug test, your kids should be taken by goverment as youre definately unfit to raise them. simple as that.
as for the law here, it should apply on people not working, doing fuck all day and claiming benefits, while spending the money on getting wasted. nothing wrong with getting wasted, but do it with your own money, meaning go get a fucking job like everybody else and not with mine hard-earned ones.
failed a test?? STOP HIS FUCKING BENEFITS!!!

[simonr]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

I'd like to add an approach - they should be made to cultivate waste land to grow food on it ... if they want to make money for drugs they can sell their produce, plus they'll have food for their kids too.

You never know, being outside & working on the land may entice them away from smack and the dark world they live in.

[floridaorange]

Re: Want to be on welfare.... pass random drug tests

^Good thinking Simon, sound concept forsure.

People reading this from outside the US keep in mind that new orleans tops the list for cities with Crime in America.

_____

The CQ Press "City Crime Rankings" list named New Orleans its most crime-ridden city based on a reported 19,000-plus incidences of six major crimes -- including 209 murder cases -- in 2007.

The Gulf Coast city of about 250,000, still grappling with the aftermath of 2005's Hurricane Katrina, was followed in the rankings by Camden, New Jersey; Detroit, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri; and Oakland, California.

The lowest crime rate was reported in Ramapo, New York, about 40 miles northwest of New York City, with only 688 total crimes and no reported killings in a city of about 113,000. It was followed by Mission Viejo, California, south of Los Angeles; O'Fallon, Missouri, outside St. Louis; Newton, Massachusetts, west of Boston; and Brick Township, on the New Jersey coast.

The study's publishers said they dropped previous characterizations of "safest" and "most dangerous" from this year's study, calling those qualities "perceptions of the individuals who live in these communities." But they defended the comparisons as a valuable tool for researchers and the public.