Drug tests for welfare checks?

[The Straight Story]

Came across this today:
http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/ViewPost/17844

Then found this:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/285070_mcgavick14.html

And a general google search turned up quite a few more.

With companies like Scott's firing you if you smoke at home, and other companies having mandatory drug testing, I can see that we may well end up heading in this direction - though personally I am opposed to it (we give out a lot of corporate welfare and don't drug test the CEO's).

Does anyone really think this is a good idea?

[tridim]

1. Are they going to test for alcohol?

Or just the evil Marijuana?

I think it's a terrible idea, because that's exactly what they'll do.

[Turbineguy]

2. To me it's a hobson's choice

take away the welfare check and then the people can turn to selling dope. It looks like a typical McGavick idea. Hits a nerve with people who don't think too deeply about the consequences.

To me, if you are on welfare, your life is miserable enough. The way to get people off dope is to make the alternative better, not worse.

[underpants]

3. Yeah but if you got all the welfare people off the dope

the market would dry up and there would be no more drugs in the USA.

:sarcasm:

Welfare is now called TANF and accounts for exactly 1% of the Federal budget.

[Matariki]

5. or better yet - let their kids starve

[On the Road]

7. It is a Difficult Choice

One problem with putting controls in place is how to assign penalties when people don't meet them. Especially because government programs have to depend on rules rather than personal judgment.

Typcially what ends up happening is that people who badly need assistance are often denied assistance because of some beaurocratic transgression.

I had a Section 8 tenant who was taken off the program after two months because they left their previous residence a mess. This seems like an inappropriate penalty -- if this family needed assistance, they should have had to pay for the cleanup by, for example, losing a month's assistance.

People on welfare often make bad choices. That IMO is not a reason to leave them completely without resources.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. How about we test old people...

before they get their social security checks.

[originalpckelly]

6. I think we need to start drug-testing the President.

Oh wait, he's just a dope.

[Debi]

8. Well, it wouldn't be right for our tax dollars to pay for someones drug habit

[gollygee]

9. Drug addiciton is a health problem

and should be treated as one.

[raccoon]

10. And if the person has drugs in their system, are they guilty until

proven innocent? Mistakes do happen.

Personally, I am against this. Another dumbass idea.

[Left Is Write]

11. No, no, no. No.