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Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests

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Welfare and unemployment beneficiaries would have to pass a drug test to qualify for programs under an amendment offered Tuesday by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

Hatch introduced an amendment to the tax extenders bill that would require those who are applying for some of the benefits in that bill, including unemployment and welfare benefits, to pass a drug test in exchange for the benefits.
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Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room


Do Senators have to undergo random drug testing? All's fair...
 
Kal'Stang said:
Good. We don't need to be paying for a crack addicts habit.
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A crack addict is very unlikely to have worked long enogh to collect UI. A occasional pot user yes
 
Kal'Stang said:
Good. We don't need to be paying for a crack addicts habit.
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I agree, let's go one further. Since we the people are paying the wages of so called "public servants" ALL politicians should be subjected to the same tests as those on unemployment, agreed?
 
Kal'Stang said:
What is going to cost more? A crack addicts habit? Or a $20 drug test kit?
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How about a thousand drug test kits for every positive, plus the court battles over false positives?
 
I think Senator Hatch should have his colonoscopy broadcast live on The Daily Show.

Hatch is a prime example of elected officials who have become too old and dodgy to hold public office. He's overdue at the drool farm now.

I think brokers who handle my money, anyone's money should be tested for drugs. Oh, that would go over like a turd in a punch bowl, wouldn't it?

"Yes, but you see these people are working. Why make them take a drug test? If they were using drugs they wouldn't be working."

"Yes, yes, Senator and if you were still working, as it were, you would be wearing your undershorts over your dress pants."
 
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TheNextEra said:
I agree, let's go one further. Since we the people are paying the wages of so called "public servants" ALL politicians should be subjected to the same tests as those on unemployment, agreed?
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Hell yes, but go one more and have random alcohol tests at congress sessions. No martini lunches on the taxpayers bill.
 
Kal'Stang said:
Don't need to work to collect welfare.
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Due to changes made in the 90's, able bodied people cannot collect unemployment longer than 2 years.
 
Kal'Stang said:
What is going to cost more? A crack addicts habit? Or a $20 drug test kit?
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The drug tests over all testing at this point what how many people?

Conservative can you chime in here?
 
It's unreal and so contradictory for these politicians to try and control what less fortunate people spend money on when the majority of them are on the receiving end of the biggest handouts in this country. Absolutely disgusting. If ANYONE ever tries to force a drug test on me for the sole reason that I am unemployed I am relocating. I know this issue has come up several times before, but I honestly find it repulsive.
 
AmandaCourtney said:
It's unreal and so contradictory for these politicians to try and control what less fortunate people spend money on when the majority of them are on the receiving end of the biggest handouts in this country. Absolutely disgusting. If ANYONE ever tries to force a drug test on me for the sole reason that I am unemployed I am relocating. I know this issue has come up several times before, but I honestly find it repulsive.
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Me too! The top 10% get annual tax breaks that average $58,000 which is more money than 90% of the country makes in a year! How about drug testing for all those folks?

Welcome to the forum! :sun
 
Catawba said:
Me too! The top 10% get annual tax breaks that average $58,000 which is more money than 90% of the country makes in a year! How about drug testing for all those folks?

Welcome to the forum! :sun
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Well you see the rich can go to Betty Ford.
 
winston53660 said:
Well you see the rich can go to Betty Ford.
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Good point, but that sure shoots a hole in the conservative talking point of equal opportunity for all. :sun
 
Catawba said:
Good point, but that sure shoots a hole in the conservative talking point of equal opportunity for all. :sun
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How many times did Lindsey Lohan f up? Paris Hilton popped with cocaine? etc
 
Military, and other "government workers" get randomly drug tested. I see only positive coming from drug testing UI, welfare, or any recipient of "government funds," whether it be state or federal.
 
BigPun said:
Military, and other "government workers" get randomly drug tested. I see only positive coming from drug testing UI, welfare, or any recipient of "government funds," whether it be state or federal.
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Are prepared at a minimum to spend 300 million on that?

That is assuming 15 million unemployed at 20 dollars per test. And no contested tests.
 
winston53660 said:
Are prepared at a minimum to spend 300 million on that?

That is assuming 15 million unemployed at 20 dollars per test. And no contested tests.
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Random testing, not test all. The military, and parole folks do it quite well. Take what they have been doing for decades and use it. With a signature on the seal saying this is your bodily fluids is hard to argue against.
 
winston53660 said:
Are prepared at a minimum to spend 300 million on that?

That is assuming 15 million unemployed at 20 dollars per test. And no contested tests.
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I'm not very familiar with the facts on this topic. Do you know how many people on government assistance would be disqualified on the basis of a failed drug test, and how much money in turn would be saved?

I'm wondering if that value meets or exceeds your 300 million figure.
 
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Top Cat said:
Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room


Do Senators have to undergo random drug testing? All's fair...
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I support mandatory drug testing for all tax payer funded employees.


I also support mandatory drug testing for those seeking welfare,food stamps, section 8 housing and other tax payer funded benefits. Do you know why? Its because these things are supposed to be a helping hand not a hand out. If you got money for recreational drugs then you obviously do not need the assistance of the tax payers. Recreational drug use also interferes with your ability to get a job seeing how many employers drug test.
 
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A great idea! Just the other day, I was saying that we don’t have enough people manifestly lacking in moral fortitude, desperate for money and hooked on drugs.

Like many obdurate conservatives, I don’t care about spending more government money or making society as a whole worse off, so long as I can hurt people that do things I find disagreeable. With Sen. Hatch‘s idea, we can forward the conservative goal of making it even harder for people on the margins to become or continue to be productive citizens!

Having another homeless bum committing crimes on the street for their next fix rather than a functional addict/casual user at a working class job is a small price to pay for punishing people for doing things I disagree with. Reducing funding for an obviously beneficial program like unemployment and spending disproportionately great amounts on drug tests, prisons, and police is just fine by me!
 
I don't agree with drug testing for EI. If you've worked the necessary period of time to qualify, then you are entitled to the money according to the rules. No drug testing is necessary. Your pay deductions went into EI.

Welfare is different. My new position on it is that drug users should be accepted under welfare programs if they agree to effective rehabilitation programs. The system can care for them as long as they show an earnest effort to turn their lives around.

On the whole though... this seems like another unjustified attack on the poor at the behest of the GOP. The poor are not the reason why we are in a recession/depression; it's the rich, corporate welfare in the trillions, and the organized criminals of Wall Street and their congressional cronies that has put us here.
 
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