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Michigan
Related: About this forumDrug tests for welfare recipients: A solution in search of a problem
Miichigan Republicans are playing the culture war card again with the idea of drug-testing welfare recipients. The thinking goes like this: Because everybody knows welfare recipients are heavy drug users, the screening would reduce the number of people on assistance. It also would keep our tax dollars out of the grubby hands of drug dealers.
Sounds reasonable, right? Well, it isnt.
In fact, based on the experience of Floridas drug-testing plan, there is reason to believe it would be a pointless boondoggle.
The Florida program went into effect on July 1, 2011 and lasted four months before being halted by a judge. Its impossible to know how well the costly program, which is still tied up in court, would have worked over the long run. However, according to PolitiFact Florida, 96.3 percent of those who took the drug tests passed them.
More: http://blogs.detroitnews.com/politics/2013/04/23/drug-testing-welfare-applicants/
Sounds reasonable, right? Well, it isnt.
In fact, based on the experience of Floridas drug-testing plan, there is reason to believe it would be a pointless boondoggle.
The Florida program went into effect on July 1, 2011 and lasted four months before being halted by a judge. Its impossible to know how well the costly program, which is still tied up in court, would have worked over the long run. However, according to PolitiFact Florida, 96.3 percent of those who took the drug tests passed them.
More: http://blogs.detroitnews.com/politics/2013/04/23/drug-testing-welfare-applicants/
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Drug tests for welfare recipients: A solution in search of a problem (Original Post)
LuckyTheDog
Apr 2013
OP
KansDem
(28,498 posts)1. This paragraph from the article sums it all up...
But welfare recipients are not the only ones who benefit from state spending. If poor people can be being tested for drugs, then why exclude people who do business with the state? Why not test executives of companies that get state tax credits? What about members of the state Legislature who draw nice salaries from the state? Clearly we dont want our tax dollars subsidizing illegal drug use by those people, either. Am I right?
The difference, of course, is that welfare recipients tend to be unpopular with the Republican base. That makes them an easy target.
The difference, of course, is that welfare recipients tend to be unpopular with the Republican base. That makes them an easy target.
Why not administer lie detector tests to corporate CEOs who reap public funds, either as tax credits or subsidies?
Q: Are you ripping people off?
A: No
BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!! .....
Demeter
(85,373 posts)2. When they test the GOP Masters First, Get Back to Me
Lefty48197
(11,147 posts)3. The GOP's "solution" for poverty:
If little Johnny is so poor that he has to go to school in old torn clothing and if he can't afford a good lunch because his family is so poor, and if his mom smokes weed, then the only appropriate solution is to make little Johnny poorer.
WovenGems
(776 posts)4. Goobers
The idea was brought up by the Republicans. The testing will be done by a friend of the Republicans. I smell ALEC in this issue.