Politics: Should Americans be required to volunteer and take drug test for welfare?

Question

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/09/18/bill-would-require-michiganders-to-work-for-welfare/

Volunteer at food banks, charities, etc and take drug test to get welfare, anyone?

Answer 1

Yes. When people are given things for free with no responsibility, it leads to a lower self esteem and a feeling that they are not competent to provide for their family. To have such low requirements of being drug free and doing volunteer work seems to be reasonable. The recipients could gain job skills through the volunteer work and being drug free is good for their health.

Answer 2

Although it's good business for employers to avoid employing folks who have positive drug screens, government assistance programs don't have the luxury of being able to refuse "hiring" someone onto their rolls. It's designed to be a safety-net program, in order to provide appropriate rehabilitative services and temporary support to folks who can't find employment. Now, we can argue about how such programs can be made more effective, but few are arguing that we should abandon these programs altogether. Including the author of this email.



Businesses can afford to drug-test their employees, because insurance savings outweigh the cost of testing. Businesses have the option of refusing to hire - an action that costs them nearly nothing. However, when the government has a welfare recipient with a positive drug screen, their options are pretty limited. They could:



1) Call the prosecutors, and charge violators with the crimes they've committed. Costing a lot of money. And even more, if we send folks to jail. And even more, when folks start asking the constitutional question of whether this is an illegal search without probable cause.



2) Require substance users to go to substance abuse treatment in order to receive further services. This would require a huge expansion of our government's capacity to treat such folks, costing a lot of money. Granted, the government might save a little of that money, initially, upon a minority of folks who would refuse treatment (and their welfare checks). But most of these folks would probably start "surviving" by breaking the law. And we'd end up paying that way again. And, of course, some disgruntled folks will probably still make a constitutional claim that the government is carrying out illegal searches.



In short? This "money-saver" will probably cost more money than it saves. A lot more.

It might be worth it. But I think that's where reasonable debate must begin.

Answer 3

Here's my question about drug testing for welfare: Are they gonna test for alcohol, too?



Yeah, yeah, booze is legal. But it can certainly be abused like any other drug, right? Sitting around on your keester drinking cheap beer all day instead of looking for work isn't really any better than smoking a joint and playing games on your X-Box all day instead of looking for work. And I assume the point is to make sure people aren't squandering that money on non-essential things?



Just sayin'



As for works programs...in theory, it sounds great. In practice, you get bloated, make-work programs like some of the stuff FDR pushed. For every useful public work that came out the New Deal, there was a whole lot more of "move that pile of stuff around for a while" type jobs. Private charities are more efficient, but if a guy doesn't want to be there, he's going to do the absolute minimum to get by. Volunteering really only works with actual volunteers.

Answer 4

Sure if we can send YOU the bill. I am so tired of paying for more and more programs that only work to destroy society and starve more children. The sad reality is most drug addicts on welfare have kids so when you cut their food stamps- you just take food from children!



Why can't we do use more energy and money to create more ( paying ) jobs and pull people up by their boot straps? Why can't we PAY people to work at the charities and if they want to pay to drug test - let them do it!

Answer 5

First let's get the corporate welfare mouchers doing the drug testing first.

Answer 6

Yes to volunteer. But it's not volunteering at that point; it's community service and should be required.



No to drug testing. Too expensive, too much room for fraud, and in states where they already DO drug test, it has made no real difference in the way funds are spent and people act.

Answer 7

I have been saying for years that people who get welfare should have to report to work every day. Just like the rest of the citizens that are supporting them.



This gets them into the habit of earning their money and having a sense of pride and accomplishment. Just giving people money for nothing makes them lazy and they vote for people who say that they will give them more. Johnson's "war on poverty" has been a national disaster. But no one wants to say that.

Answer 8

Yes!!! You know how many crazys are on there lol not all but some im like really lol Or at least keep an eye on them or something they say that its just a sterotype but when your at food4less and they got a bunch of kids running around moving your cart its what makes them a sterotype.

Answer 9

I like the idea.....even here in Canada, yet there would be practical issues on the deployment.....



I would really like to see a decent plan & cost analysis before I jump on board.

Answer 10

Welfare has turned into pandering for votes.

Answer 11

I am not a fan of the government requiring anyone to do anything but if the government is going to fund a person's life then some requirements might be expected.

Answer 12

Send them to a fema camp.

Answer 13

No, a direct IV feed of cheetos will suffice.

Answer 14

Yes,,,,,,Americans should be required to volunteer and take drug test for welfare.



I have to drug test to keep my job. I would love to look every welfare reciepent in the eye, as I'm handing them a bowl of bean soup, instead of an EBT card.



But welfare is no longer about compassion or food and shelter,,,,,it is about growing government and buying democrat votes.



The biggest determining factor in politics is,,,,,,,, "Can the democrat party buy your vote?"



High paying government union jobs, forever unemployment, forcing the rich to pay the taxes of the poor, federal funding for abortions, free healthcare, welfare and food stamps, SS, lifetime disability, Medicare, Medicaid, etc. all democrat vote buying programs.



Because we all know everyone living on government money votes for democrats, and big labor union gives big money to the democrat party, to buy democrat politicians.



This statement is very easy to prove, just ask any one living on government money who they vote for,,,,,,any public teacher, any mailman, any DMV worker, any firefighter, (now cops and military are 50/50, it's a gun thing), but ask any state college student getting Pell Grants or government student loans, most union members, any illegal alien, or your retired parents who are struggling on SS and Medicare, or the poor living on welfare, anyone at the SS field office, or in the unemployment line. Myself I get SS but I do not need it, so I donate my SS to the NRA, and vote for Republicans, but my statement did say "Living on Government Money"..........



Big Labor to Dems

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/totals.php?cycle=2010&ind=P



Top Campaign Contributors

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?order=A



Food Stamp Recipients Up 28% in 2009

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5825OT20090903?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true



obama Offers $75k Grant to Sign Up More Food Stamp Recipients

http://nation.foxnews.com/food-stamps/2012/01/30/obama-administration-offers-75000-grants-sign-more-food-stamp-recipients



Boost in Welfare Rolls Sees New Voters

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/22/boost-in-welfare-rolls-produces-new-voters/



Welfare Check and Voting Card

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/opinion/10tue1.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1296054601-9BhlfEcWHTAq8P312Rp4ow



obama Supports Illegal Immigration 6 States

http://news.yahoo.com/u-challenges-south-carolina-immigration-law-204640718.html



Federal Contracts to Union Shops Only

http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/15/obama-administration-hands-down-rule-limiting-contract-bidding-to-union-shops/



Hey look at this voting block



91% of Blacks Support obama Others Do Not

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/10/obama-approval-gallup-blacks.html



Look here,,,,,,,,,According to the NYT "Democrats abandon white working class voters"

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/the-future-of-the-obama-coalition/



Now why is that??????????

Because democrats have a hard time buying the non-union private sector white working class vote.







Drug testing welfare would save 50% of the cost of welfare.



..

Answer 15

YES