Mandatory drug testing for those receiving public assistance.

I stumbled across this and thought I would share and get some feed back, I am not a resident of W.V or on public assistance so this does not effect me directly but something just doesnt seem right to me.
I think if this passes without a riot expect it in all 50 states! It just seems Fascist

CHARLESTON -- Drug testing for West Virginians receiving public assistance is once again a hot topic at the Legislature. Berkeley County Republican Craig Blair took the floor pushing a measure calling for mandatory drug testing for those receiving public assistance. Blair calls it's an opportunity for drug addicts to get help. Blair claims it's the will of the people. "This piece of legislation actually has been passed, or a similar bill, in Arizona. It has passed through the House in Missouri. There's initiatives throughout the country to be able to do this. And, it's the right thing to do," Blair says.

Source

skip to 2:13 in the video for the delegate pushing this "law"

Nice find!

I agree that if you are on public assistance and you are the beneficiary of MY tax money, you should be required to take and pass drug tests in order to recieve that money.

I'm sick of seeing these leaches taking public assistance and using it for drugs/alcohol.

I am not a W.V. resident either, but if this came up for vote in my state I think I would have to vote yes. Typically I am totally against BB stepping into the lives of private citizens, but this is the way I look at it.

If you were to get a State or Federal Government job you would be required to take random drug tests, much like at any other job. If you are receiving money from state or federal welfare programs you are technically an employee of said state or federal government. You are receiving a "paycheck" from them are you not?

Plus, on a personal note, I'm not crazy about giving my hard earned money away to crack heads.

I'm not crazy about the welfare or "Public Assistance" programs we have in this country anyways. I understand that everyone needs a little help sometimes, and it is great that we have a structure in place to provide that help. However, it should not be a permanent thing. If you are receiving any kind of Public Assistance it should be a temporary fix. You should be given X number of months to find a job. Each month you should have to provide a list of all the places you have applied to. At the end of the x months, if you have not found a job you should be required to have a very good reason why. It will then be determined, on a case by case basis, whether you should be allowed to continue collecting welfare.

That's just my opinion. Some of you may not like it, and thats fine. It's just they way I feel about it.

reply to post by Submarines


Saw something very similar to this when I worked in a pharmacy in TN. The state had a public assistance health care fund, called Tenncare, which later went broke. Anyway, I can't even tell you how many times I'd fill a prescription for someone's asthma medication (or more serious breathing problems) and file it on the taxpayer's dime....only to watch that same person go to the front register and buy a carton full of cigarettes.

Hopefully people who are addicted can get the help they need, and will use this as an opportunity to improve their situation.

It's not fascism, it's just foolish, especially in a state that claims to be having money problems (which ones aren't really).

This would be costly and ultimately pointless.

reply to post by paradiselost333


Great topic...

It just seems Fascist

WTF..?


o.k. so you see this as an intrusion..? Or as another form of control..? You really haven't offered much of an opinion - care to try again..?


And, how do we stop the revolving door of public assistance..? Some individuals are in a bad situation and need help - hence, public assistance.


Some of these individuals find it easy to utilize the assistance for personal addictions, and still remain in the system...that's what is crap.


A lot of companies will give you a drug test before hiring you - is this intrusion..? And there is no guarantee that you will get the job if you pass the test...but with public assistance - all you have to do is fill the cup to the line and money magically appears.


Not to bad of a trade off IMO...and what costs more - administering the tests or continuing to pay dead beats..?





mmgaarr iedt

[edit on 2/11/2010 by happygolucky]

I agree, let's line up all the corporate executives and have them pee in a cup.

Goldman-Sachs, JP Morgan, AIG...hell, I can't think of many corporations that don't recieve government welfare of some sort, and since the the SCOTUS has ruled corprorations are "persons", then corporate "people" should be tested first. Start with the board and CEOs then work down to the janitors. If anyone in the corporation test dirty, then that corporation is ineligible for any government assistance for a year, and must show proof of completing drug rehab prior to reinstatement of eligibility for government aid. Additionally, their homes and places of business should be subject to no-knock inspections and spot testing.

After all, it's for their own good.

[edit on 11-2-2010 by apacheman]

Many parasites live amongst us in society, and most people feel sorry for them and want to help them. They want marginalised foreigners to have more control over the community, they want retards to be involved in MENSA, born paraplegics to train runners etc. They do this, not because they really believe those people were destined to do those jobs and were halted by some cruel and unjust force. They do it to feel better about themselves; in the first instance it is nothing more than a kind act of charity to make them feel better and look better in the eyes of others.

But, as the saying goes, the path to hell is paved with good intentions. People expect that, having helped these parasites, one day birds will tweet, the sun will shine and a retard will skip off with his head of MENSA badge pinned to his jacket, all achieved with some good ol' fashioned hard work. However, that is not the reality. A whole society becomes victim to these parasites who have been allowed more and more and thus have expected more and more. What we thought was harmless and in need of a helping hand overthrows us and selfishly takes more and more.

Because we no longer have any goals and have stagnated, we rely on charity and focus on miniscule 'cute' distractions to keep us focused and amused without recognising how these things are able to grow and take over our lives - not out of any evil will of their own, but through our own misguided 'good deeds' spawned from our own lack of any healthy culture.

Anyone that receives free money from the Government becomes their slave anyway. They should have to do whatever they say to do. How about if you don't like it, get a JOB. Or DON"T USE MY TAX MONEY FOR YOUR DRUG HABITT! No sympathy here. They should also be limited to what kind of car they can drive, what kind of clothes they can wear, and they should not be allowed any "extras" like cable TV, or the internet. I work real hard to support my wife and child and I can't afford extra things like Cable and the newest clothes, and these guys should get it for free with no strings attached? Now that is communism, steal from me so someone else can live better then me.

[edit on 11-2-2010 by trueperspective]

reply to post by paradiselost333


If that is Facisim then I guess I'm a Facist.

I piss hot at work I get fired, no more income for me.

Why should these fools get my tax money, drive around in nice cars, wear 200 dollar shoes, get high and get to sleep in every freaking day?

You recieve money from the state you are in essence a state worker. You should be held to the same standards (drug policy wise).

I think I agree actually.

I also think that the state needs to have free detox clinics. having a bunch of junkys with no source of money will only make the crime rate spike bigtime.

Many parasites live amongst us in society, and most people feel sorry for them and want to help them. They want marginalised foreigners to have more control over the community, they want retards to be involved in MENSA, born paraplegics to train runners etc. They do this, not because they really believe those people were destined to do those jobs and were halted by some cruel and unjust force. They do it to feel better about themselves; in the first instance it is nothing more than a kind act of charity to make them feel better and look better in the eyes of others.

reply to post by concernedcitizan

I think Hitler had a solution to this problem.......



[edit on 11-2-2010 by smyleegrl]

reply to post by paradiselost333


The war on drugs is a war on personal freedom.- Bill Hicks.

Anyone who actually believes that we should stick with a monetary system, should start thinking outside the box a bit more. We don't need this primitive way of dealing anymore.

EDITealing as in exchanging goods. Not what some of you are thinking.

[edit on 11-2-2010 by gandhi]

I hope everyone here agreeing with this also is a general advocate for drug testing. Otherwise, it's just a temptation, using someone you may perceive as beneath you or taking something from you, to further justify encroachment on your own right to privacy by having your own factiousness used against you.

If I do not advocate this kind of screening for myself then I simply do not advocate it at all.

Public assistance is basically to help feed the children of the unfortunate. So what happens to these kids when mom or dad fails the drug test? The same thing that happens to them whem mom or dad sells their food stamps for money to buy drugs. Either way, the money we tax payers fork over each paycheck is not going to provide food for the kiddies. I've seen $300 of food stamps go for $50 just so a parent could get that crack fix.

reply to post by smyleegrl


The pharmacy you worked in sold tobacco??

I am asking a serious question as here in Europe and especially Spain it is certainly illegal.

Thanks

reply to post by EnlightenUp


The thing is, where does one's right to privacy end?

Personally, I think it ends when it infringes upon someone else. And if I'm an employee who's using illegal drugs, could that endanger my co-workers? Lower my productivity?

reply to post by EnlightenUp


So, you're mentally, physically able and willing to work? Ok fine, we need a urine sample.

You are not well enough to work? Your medical condition will worsen? Ok fine, we need a urine sample.

I don't know. I believe you are right EnlightenUp.

reply to post by Irish Matador


Yes. Here in the States a lot of pharmacies are combined with grocery stores, convenince stores, etc. So at the pharmacy you can also buy household goods, food, things of that nature.

Some pharmacies choose not to sell tobacco, but that's up to the individual business owner. The pharmacy I worked for was all about the $$$ and so they sold whatever made a profit.

Will tobacco and alcohol be also tested for in this new scheme? i think it's only fair considering someone could be wasting just as much tax payer money on those in comparison to other substances marijuana,lsd,coc aine etc.