Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since you said Many rather than All you obviously do as well. Meaning that there is a group of SNAP recipients that are not taking Medicaid and CHIP. As such thr discussions are separate.
Everywhere it's been done - I mean everywhere, without exception - it's turned out to be a waste of money. The rate of positive tests is always lower than the general public at large. Probably because (duh) people on welfare can't afford drugs!
At least it helps the companies that provide the drug tests. If a legislator supports mandatory drug tests, don't be surprised he or she took money from them.
What 7 states discovered after spending more than $1 million drug testing welfare recipients
What a waste.
"Seven states with existing programs — Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah — are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to ferret out very few drug users.
The statistics show that applicants actually test positive at a lower rate than the drug use of the general population. The national drug use rate is 9.4 percent. In these states, however, the rate of positive drug tests to total welfare applicants ranges from 0.002 percent to 8.3 percent, but all except one have a rate below 1 percent. Meanwhile, they’ve collectively spent nearly $1 million on the effort, and millions more may have to be spent in coming years."
Everywhere it's been done - I mean everywhere, without exception - it's turned out to be a waste of money. The rate of positive tests is always lower than the general public at large. Probably because (duh) people on welfare can't afford drugs!
This. This is one of those things that sounds good to Rush Limbaugh's listener base but in reality is impractical and isn't worth the cost.
Communism is now considered wanting more free market principles in our economy? LOL
Wow-we have come full circle and you probably have no clue of the irony in the fact that people like "FREAK80" now consider Free Market Capitalism to be doling out TRILLIONS and TRILLIONS in tax-payer money to businesses and institutions that go bankrupt and FAIL.
It doesn't seem odd that you support lifetime benefits and guaranteed sustenance to corporations and banks--which are considered people now, I'll give you that---but nothing of the sort to actual living and breathing people. I guess I never realized the life and death importance of the fact that certain named institutions like "Goldman Sachs" and "JP Morgan" must ALWAYS be protected and funded in order to grow and survive in every American generation. We may lose our nation and people in the process, but at least these corporate personhoods will survive.
I was being snarky.
I’m in basic agreement with you. It’s funny how so many people complain about welfare recipients but don’t seem to mind trillions of dollars going to big banks that are “too big to fail.”
When you accept "benefits" from the government, be prepared to give up freedom, and privacy, and be controlled by the "state". This will only become increasingly more so as government becomes even larger, more powerful, and intrusive. What are you going to do? Both parties do it, so there really is no recourse for the average citizen unless you have money, and power.
When you accept "benefits" from the government, be prepared to give up freedom, and privacy, and be controlled by the "state". This will only become increasingly more so as government becomes even larger, more powerful, and intrusive.
Unless you’re a big bank, then you get off scott free.
Status:
"It Can't Rain All The Time"
(set 24 days ago)
Location: North Pacific
15,754 posts, read 7,588,006 times
Reputation: 2576
Quote:
Originally Posted by JAMS14
What 7 states discovered after spending more than $1 million drug testing welfare recipients
What a waste.
"Seven states with existing programs — Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah — are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to ferret out very few drug users.
The statistics show that applicants actually test positive at a lower rate than the drug use of the general population. The national drug use rate is 9.4 percent. In these states, however, the rate of positive drug tests to total welfare applicants ranges from 0.002 percent to 8.3 percent, but all except one have a rate below 1 percent. Meanwhile, they’ve collectively spent nearly $1 million on the effort, and millions more may have to be spent in coming years."
You are so right, OnOurWayHome, it's all about punishing those nasty poor people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldhag1
Psst.... what none of those studies mention or just very briefly throw in buried in a sentence or footnote is that the number of people applying for services decreased, and in some places it wasn’t a slight decrease. People who don’t take a drug test can’t fail it.
Quote:
people applying for services decreased, and in some places it wasn’t a slight decrease.
Then by deductive reasoning the food stamp programs in those states that drug test should see a considerable savings in the program, yet they still report drug testing as a waste.
No, those things already exist. There needs to be a safety net for those temporarily down for people of all ages, not just seniors.
I'm rather conservative in most of my views but having people go hungry or homeless because they are in between jobs or have medical bills that eat up most of their income doesn't sit well with me. Nor should anyone have to go to a church and ask for help there. Not everyone is religious and belongs to a church.
That doesn't mean I like having the system abused.
Just because I mentioned senior centers does not mean seniors exclusively.
Many churches provide meals to all ages. There are homeless shelters that provide meals. There are food banks for people that can and want to prepare meals at home. Lots of other well known organizations prepare meals as they are able including VFW posts, AMVETS, American Legion. Then there are Shriners, Moose lodges, Knights of Columbus and others.
Many of these local organizations have facilities with kitchens and banquet halls of all calibers. Many of them are fully capable and wiling to provide a hot meal at least one day a week for anyone that needs it.
If the money spent on food stamps was used to organize and supplement, it might be surprising how many local groups would step up to feed the hungry.
I realize every church is different but most I am familiar with limit their indoctrination to a maybe prayer and a smiling face when it comes to feeing hungry people. IMHO if you cant tolerate that, you are not that needy.
Many of these local organizations have facilities with kitchens and banquet halls of all calibers. Many of them are fully capable and wiling to provide a hot meal at least one day a week for anyone that needs it.
How about the other 20 meals for that given week? Should the poor person have a schedule of all the free meal places and jump around to 21 different facilities for all 21 meals per week? And haul their 3 year old and 5 year old along because the kids need meals too. Oh - what if one someone in the family is sick that week. Are they still forced to go to the 21 churches for free meals, and spread the germs to everyone else. Because they can't stay home and eat, right? Got to leave the house to get those free meals at a facility. Even if sick, even if snowy weather and bad driving conditions.
How about if they have a job. Do they have to miss some meals because the church breakfast or lunch or dinner schedule doesn't match their work schedule?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
