Why this blog happened

Today, I spent half my day engaged in a facebook debate on the Florida requirement that any recipient of welfare must submit to drug tests.
Sounds great, right? UNLESS YOU THINK.
I remain aghast at how easy it is to pit Americans against each other by assigning them labels.
I recoil in disgust at what seems to me an overwhelming hatred and resentment of the weakest in our society while we fawn and giggle over Gagas and Sheens.
I revolt against a "punish everyone so no bad guys get away" mentality. That's how the 911 terrorist looked at things.
I despise the "someone is getting a free handout and I am not" whining from those who don't need help.


Here are some highlights from the discussion. I am not kind, but I try to get folks to examine why it is so easy for them to "just know" that people on welfare are also on drugs. And why only illegal drugs matter - there is no provision in the law for boozing, gorging, smoking. As I understand the part of the country I disagree with, what they want to address will in no way be addressed by this BAD LAW.


Florida is the first state that will require drug testing when applying for welfare (effective July 1st)! Some people are crying this is unconstitutional. How is this unconstitutional yet most every working person has to pass a drug test in order to support those on welfare? Re-post if you agree. Let's get Welfare back to the one's who NEED it, not those who WANT it... Go Florida Go !


OMG agree! Those who cannot pass the drug test can carry a cardboard sign on the road side which says "I need _____, God Bless".


DISAGREE STRONGLY BILL. Agree wholeheartedly Rick. Please don't fall prey to the right wing policy of ignoring billions of dollars of corporate welfare, use of your tax dollars to kill innocents, pay off bad bankers and hand overpriced contracts to your pals, while attacking the least fortunate amongst us. No one would argue some percentage of welfare recipients are not doing their best, but to curse all good people with bad luck to such an indignity is cruel and coldhearted and doesn't sound like the Bill I know.
I am extremely depressed and emotionally unstable in my current position. Bill, you think i should have to drive over to a lab every 2 weeks, wait 3 hours with dozens of people and pee in a cup and be judged - every 2 weeks - because I was laid off from my job for no bad behavior.
I did not know you were an atheist. I am, too, but remember how Jesus suggested we approach the unfortunate" drug test them and if they fail, ptu 'em in jail. Wait, maybe that was Bill O'Reilly. The sex offender. No, no, it was rush - the hillbilly heroin addict. Or maybe.. maybe.. it was SATAN encouraging you to hate those who are not you.
HUGELY disappointed.


Sorry, Tom, but I am not aware of your predicament. Wasn't addressing your own economic situation. Was simply agreeing with the original Post. No disrespect.


Thanks Janet, it's no hard extrapolation to say that the same rule would apply to unemployment benefits. I am very upset and sad because it is too easy for people to depersonalize the situation, see someone and judge.
Florida's policy comes from hatred and envy and selfishness. Who is paying for the drug tests?? YOU ARE. So now your tax dollars go to a pharmaceutical company, and we all know how they are hurting for money. DON'T LET POLITICIANS PLAY ON YOUR WORST EMOTIONS. Florida doesn't give a rats ass if the recipients are on drugs. THE ONLY REASON this policy was created is to divert millions of tax dollars to a billion dollar a day industry that owns the governor, under the guise of "saving money" and allowing people to hate a group that doesn't have a lobbyist. Same thing happening here in Texas. Your tax dollars are going to pay for sonograms of anyone seeking an abortion, which is another bajillion tax dollars going to those who backed our corrupt and evil Governor.
RECONSIDER PLEASE


I reposted this from another friends posting. However, I do believe that drug testing should become mandatory for welfare. If you have enough money to buy drugs and booze, you should also be able to take care of your family. It's no one's fault but your own if you're tool strung out or drunk to work. Those who need the welfare should be able to obtain it. Those who abuse it (and I believe there is quite a lot of this) should be forced to relinquish it. I see far too many people talking about "If I can have one more kid, I can get into a bigger apartment." Then these poor kids are put through hell, and grow up just like their parents.

Welfare was originally meant to be a helping hand until you were able to get back on your feet. Now it's abused to no end.


Bill, Evidence?? Or is this abused to no end thing something we all just "know" without proof. Bill I honestly believe this has nothing to do with identifying welfare fraud and everything to do with redirecting tax dollars to corporations and setting up the easy target for voter wrath, "the person getting something for nothing", as no one represents poor folk in the hallways of power. You noted booze yourself, so let's address this. There is no booze test. There is no french fry test, and they're deadlier than tobacco. This narrative is carefully constructed to allow you to dismiss a genuinely needy person as a drug user and sneer at them.
You must examine the scenario more closely. You want drug testing for welfare recipients. This punishes the good people on welfare, and I disagree with your suggestion that they are all abusers. So, the 65 year old chemo patient with chronic diahhrea needs to report to a doctor's office every 2 weeks so YOU can feel better about where your tax dollars go, or releive your anxiety over someone getting a handout.
I submit this is the definition of selfish, me-first behavior. Punish everyone, good and bad, rather than let the bad go unpunished.
And all so Drugtestco Conglom Inc., can scam a few billion more out of taxpayer's pockets.
This is my view; I hate to have been so rough on you, but I stand firmly and hope this does not drive a wedge between us. You are obviously a wise and good man, a hard worker and eager to help. I can't resolve what I know of you from your posts with this support for a law that is not only highly prejudicial and unconstitutional - it's just mean spirited.


Have a baby, get on Medicaid, pay $150/month for a nice new Section 8 townhouse, ( where your boyfriend can squat/ live and pay you rent...and get away with it unless Social Services catches you and they don't have time or personnel as it is...) get free rides to the doctor, free baby sitting, free rides to the babysitter, your $300 a month or so for spending money to buy your cigs, get your nails done, buy your crack, or not, get pregnant again and get more money. Let the state chase the father for child support. Show your child how it all works. And never hold a job where you pay taxes- ever! DON'T GET ME STARTED. But the sad thing is- now in Frederick County your child is going to go into the 1st grade with no Headstart and really be a child left behind.Pee drugs, don't collect. They'll figure out a way to give them 3 chances, just like they do in Frederick County MD where you can pee drugs 3 times before they bust you when you are on probation. Duh.


 I didn't mean for this post to get so involved. I was just reposting someone else's post. First of all, I do believe that welfare works. I just see too many people who abuse it. There were a few people I knew who did this. I truly believe it's a no win situation. It's been abused by those who just don't want to work and have become accustomed to this way of life. While others who truly need it, should be able to obtain it because of it's benefits. Maybe drug testing is not the way to go with this. But I believe it will begin root out the bad seeds to those who should receive welfare. Just like the economy and healthcare, it's so broken, it's almost impossible to fix it.


Laurie - is your observation a result of personal experience, research in the real world, or "a guy told me" or "we all know"? I don't mean to be shi++y with that -- I just wonder, how do so many people know with a certainty the hearts minds and souls of people?? I also must re-state: punish everyone first, sort it out later? Want that applied to YOU? Anyone you know? It's absolutely a nightmare world you're building where we assume guilt on all and it is up to them to prove otherwise. UNAMERICAN sez I. The truth is, liars and cheats will always be with us - many of them elected to office. Peeing in a cup won't prevent boozers and abusers. The tactic you are supporting - test for drugs - does not even begin to address the issue that concerns you. You give a lengthy and accuarte description of how soemone can cheat the system. At NO POINT does it say TAKE DRUGS. So you must admit that this law has NO CHANCE of catching or correcting the very behavior you describe. Do all that, booze it up and beat your wife and shit in the park and you will still get your check.
DO NOT give away your rights or the right sof your fellow citizens without closely examining what you are getting in return.
All this gets you is your tax dollars spent on labs, a percentage of people kicked off welfare and into your street corner begging, and something for a sleazy politician to run on.
I TOTALLY ACCEPT your feelings about welfare abuse. I TOTALLY REJECT the idea that this law is any solution, or even a good idea.


Coming from the medical profession I have to add.... we test known drug users all the time. Most illegal drugs clear the system within a day or two. The only way for drug testing to work would be a surprise testing. Otherwise, you'll only test positive for pot which takes almost a month to clear depending on how fat you are.


Thanks Suzan, an excellent point. Supports my sense that the law is posturing and politically motivated because "it sounds right" when in fact it is ineffectual and only complicates bureaucracy and wastes tax dollars.


this was a whole day of discussion at work a few weeks ago. Why drug tests so bad for them if everyone else has to take a drug test that works why do they get to be lazy and high? so messed up


I AM curious where those who say everyone else gets drug tested all the time are coming from; I never encountered a drug test in the last 3 jobs I took; haven't been asked to take one since 1996. And Texas is as anti-drug as it gets. It seems to only be a requirement when working factories, loading docks, heavy equipment, where where it's a safety issue not a "you are a bad person" test. And you know WHY you are drug tested? Because INSURANCE COMPANIES, everyone's best friend and beloved businesses rammed it down business' throat and use it to deny coverage, YEAH. Here's a news flash: insurance companies are not out for your best interests. They hope you did smoke a joint last month, so they can deny you benefits this month. Jonathan, your argument makes a basic, classic mistake - apples to watermelons. Drug tests at work are done under the ruse of SAFETY, not to determine whether or not you are a good person. It simply is not the same.