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LuckyTheDog

(6,837 posts)
Tue Apr 23, 2013, 04:14 PM Apr 2013

Drug 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 isn’t.

In fact, based on the experience of Florida’s 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. It’s 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
This paragraph from the article sums it all up... KansDem Apr 2013 #1
When they test the GOP Masters First, Get Back to Me Demeter Apr 2013 #2
The GOP's "solution" for poverty: Lefty48197 Jul 2013 #3
Goobers WovenGems Sep 2013 #4

KansDem

(28,498 posts)
1. This paragraph from the article sums it all up...
Tue Apr 23, 2013, 04:25 PM
Apr 2013
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 don’t 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.



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!!! .....

Lefty48197

(11,147 posts)
3. The GOP's "solution" for poverty:
Wed Jul 31, 2013, 02:28 AM
Jul 2013

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
Tue Sep 17, 2013, 03:54 PM
Sep 2013

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.

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