Federal Aid and Drug Testing

I was reading this article today:


I do not receive federal aid, take drugs nor live in Florida but I want to get the general opinion of those living in the US paying taxes. Obviously all opinions are welcome.

What do you think of this article?

Well i dunno. I don't think i support drug tests for people who really need aid. Its sad that people need use drugs to feel better when they are in that kind of situation to begin with. Denying them the help won't make it any easier for them, maybe some of them can get over the bad times with help and get back to "normal" life

I think it would be a great idea if it wasn't for the fact that the REAL motivation here is being able to bill the state $40 for a drug test each month per person applying for aid whether they pass or not.

I've seen far too many people take advantage of the system but that's not what this is about, this is about business and $$s.

Just another bullshit way for the government to legislate morality. Falls into the same class as banning gay marriage, none of their fucking business. But the American people have become way too accustomed to taking whatever shit sandwich government decides to serve up, so I'm sure that more than a few people would be happy if something like this happened on the federal level...gotta make sure those 'lazy bastards' living off the government dime don't actually have fun while they do it...

ND

To be honest, I don't think they should drug test college kids, they earned their financial aid through good grades/low income. Doesn't matter if they do drugs or not, they still earned it.

wowhaxor said:

I think it would be a great idea if it wasn't for the fact that the REAL motivation here is being able to bill the state $40 for a drug test each month per person applying for aid whether they pass or not.

I've seen far too many people take advantage of the system but that's not what this is about, this is about business and $$s.

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Hit the nail on the head here.

People who supposedly don't have enough money for food or rent damn well don't have enough money for illegal drugs. I remember reading something about how only 2% of people who got tested under this program failed their drug test, and how other people on the internet were making a giant stink about it, how the normal rate is like 8% of people are drug users, not sure where that number came from, but its nice and round for the 2% statistic to be compared to.

They were saying it didn't work because the cost of the drug tests were more than what they saved by denying the benefits. Here's the thing though, if you tell everyone you're going to drug test in order to get benefits, the people who know they will fail won't even bother going. I'd like to see raw stats on how many people claimed on the day it started as opposed to the previous day.

Also if they did random tests after the first time, how many of them would fail? If they get 3 random tests and pass them all, then basically let them go for a long time without testing them.

But like the guy said above, these drug testing companies pushed HARD for it, because they stand to make literally oodles of money from it.

I am a truck driver by trade, and have to submit to periodic random drug screening. Not because of suspicious activity or anything, but just because a computer somewhere spits out my name, and, viola! Off I go to the clinic to do the Whiz Quiz. I have to submit my sample within 3 hours of notification of screening.

I also have to take Breathalyzers under the same scenario.

If I want to continue trucking, I have to do this. I also have to do this if I apply for another job, for my bi-annual physical, and post-accident, if I should crash. Also, my employer can demand that I take a screening, without cause. If they want me to do it, I gotta do it.

If I have to do this in order to continue working, then I have no problem with people who are not working, and in need of government assistance, to have to submit to the same standard. I realize that my job falls under industrial safety criteria, but, never the less, if you want the government to assist you, you should have some skin in the game, too. And that means, regardless if you think illicit drug use should be legal or not, at this point in time, they are illegal and you shouldn't be doing them.

And I really don't see the fairness of using my tax dollars to possibly support someone's illegal drug use.

If you have money to afford to buy your illegal drugs then you obviously have enough money to support yourself and don't need my tax dollars.

Don't give me this legislate morality nonsense, the fact is if your using any drugs then you are voluntarily making yourself less productive and less valuable to society and potential employers. All moral issues aside if you want to do that to yourself fine, but don't expect me to subsidize your voluntarily condition. If these welfare programs should exist at all they should be for those who are in need through no fault of there own.

maybe we should test the CEO's getting corporate welfare and not paying ANY taxes at all. We should really start there, cuz they're leaching off us tax payers.

Reason why the state of Florida has implemented a drug testing program is because their Governor Rick Scott owns a lot of drug testing facilities. The money for the tests will go directly into his pockets. If you dig in further, he spent over $100 million dollars to get elected.

Check out the conflict of interest stories from local Florida newspapers:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/article1161158.ece
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/gov-rick-scotts-drug-testing-policy-stirs-suspicion-1350922.html

These reports are from March and April, shows you how nonchalant the general American public is about the issue.

ibmethatswhoib said:

maybe we should test the CEO's getting corporate welfare and not paying ANY taxes at all. We should really start there, cuz they're leaching off us tax payers.

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I have no problem with that idea.

Frankly, it wouldn't bother me if screening was mandatory for employment in ANY job. And if you test positive, you get one more chance. If the second test comes back positive, not only are you not hired, you are ineligible for any unemployment or government benefits.

If a person is too dumb to stay clean long enough to pass a screening, then they are too dumb to hold the job anyway.

ibmethatswhoib said:

maybe we should test the CEO's getting corporate welfare and not paying ANY taxes at all. We should really start there, cuz they're leaching off us tax payers.

Click to expand...

Or how about we just stop with these ridiculous corporate welfare programs and go to a flat tax system so Obama's buddy Jeffrey Immelt (GE CEO) can pay the same tax rate the rest of us do.

bigeazy said:

Reason why the state of Florida has implemented a drug testing program is because their Governor Rick Scott owns a lot of drug testing facilities. The money for the tests will go directly into his pockets. If you dig in further, he spent over $100 million dollars to get elected.

Check out the conflict of interest stories from local Florida newspapers:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/article1161158.ece
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/gov-rick-scotts-drug-testing-policy-stirs-suspicion-1350922.html

These reports are from March and April, shows you how nonchalant the general American public is about the issue.

Click to expand...

Maybe he is doing it for personal profit, maybe he is doing it because its the right thing to do. Quite frankly I don't care what his personal motives are, I care about the end result.

This is 100% right, that's what he does for a living. Originally CEO of medical clinic start ups he went ahead and is now just a stock holder (like that means he profits any less) for the same companies that test.

Under the guise of saving the state money in a poor economy he is actually getting the state to pay him.

I suppose though what I'd really want to see is the cost of drug tests per year as compared to the $$s in benefits saved by those denied for failing the tests.

FYI to the guy with the 2% statistic I find that to be a made up number. From personal experience I know a LOT of people using these benefits that are getting high all the time. In fact my dealer (income is obviously not taxed=qualifies for everything but is always high and has cash) got them ALL. This includes housing assistance (apartment close to mine at the beach, I paid $1,200/month his was nicer and he paid $135/month), food stamps and energy assistance (not huge but some free electric bills a few times a year would be nice). So ya, it gets abused and I'm certain its by more than 2% since I've seen and known a lot of people who abuse it.