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98 Percent of Welfare Applicants Pass Drug Test

Boo Radley said:
If they are only getting two percent, then it raises questions. Are there too few to worry about, thus making the test a waste of money? Or did we waste money doing the test wrong? Or the wrong test?
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I would agree. 2% of the total IMO would not be worth the effort. Now maybe I'd institute a random test. It would keep a percentage of even that 2% clean. If it was below 2%, it's certainly not worth the effort. It's why I said we need accurate numbers without anyone trying to politicize it. Hopefully they are.
 
Temporal said:
98 Percent of Welfare Applicants Pass Drug Test



So much for that myth. Thanks for wasting money on hysteria over something that is barely a problem.

Many of the alleged "leeches" on welfare now are the people who, until 2 years ago, were part of a functional work force and were productive contributors to economy. Now their lives are in chaos, their investments for the future are disintegrating before their eyes, and they are reduced to lesser prosperity. So... let's kick them while they're down and imply that they're drug abusers as well!
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I suspect that the percentage will rise once the economy is back on track. Currently we have a LOT of people hurting that otherwise would not be seeking aid. I believe that once our economy returns to normal that only then can we have a more reliable number of drug users seeking assistance.
 
Temporal said:
98 Percent of Welfare Applicants Pass Drug Test



So much for that myth. Thanks for wasting money on hysteria over something that is barely a problem.

Many of the alleged "leeches" on welfare now are the people who, until 2 years ago, were part of a functional work force and were productive contributors to economy. Now their lives are in chaos, their investments for the future are disintegrating before their eyes, and they are reduced to lesser prosperity. So... let's kick them while they're down and imply that they're drug abusers as well!
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If this only covers TANF then it's incomplete and not a myth.

Posted from my phone
 
Harry Guerrilla said:
If this only covers TANF then it's incomplete and not a myth.

Posted from my phone
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Maybe, but it's a start. I don't see anyone putting up proof to the paranoid claims that welfare recipients are mostly abusing the system. It's all speculation. At least this is an actual attempt at verification. It's not surprise to me that the results are not very dramatic. Too bad FA had to spend so much money on it.
 
Maybe the new mandate convinced some to get OFF drugs. The higher % demographic of drug users matches that of higher % of welfare recipients. I find it hard to believe welfare recipients in FL are the exception.
 
ThinktownUSA said:
Maybe the new mandate convinced some to get OFF drugs. The higher % demographic of drug users matches that of higher % of welfare recipients. I find it hard to believe welfare recipients in FL are the exception.
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Well - if I was a drug addict and broke I wouldn't try to fool the system, I'd just avoid the system completely
 
One note... every time there's a conversation about welfare, we hear about people who abuse the system.

What I want to emphasize is this: in any system of welfare, there are going to be people who abuse the system, and there will be other people who are left out, fall through the cracks. You can't draw your line magically perfectly in the middle because the groups overlap.

So would you rather have a system that incorporates and assists too many people, and has some sponging off? Or would you rather have a system that helps too few people, and we get starving kids in the streets?

I'm okay with a few bad stories of sponges here and there. I've had friends who were on welfare as kids... because of it, they had something to eat before school, and now they're smart, functioning and helpful members of society. In other words it did the public good. And now they're paying taxes so some other people can get a hand up when they need it. And I'm glad.
 
deltabtry said:
Both drug testing and welfare both have serious constitutional issues.
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.....as do maintaining a standing military and starting wars in foreign lands.... just saying. Things are what they are. Thinking that the evolution of the United States has been done outside of the Constitution, well, that also is debateable as to fact, as to significance and as to remedy.
 
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Temporal said:
One note... every time there's a conversation about welfare, we hear about people who abuse the system.

What I want to emphasize is this: in any system of welfare, there are going to be people who abuse the system, and there will be other people who are left out, fall through the cracks. You can't draw your line magically perfectly in the middle because the groups overlap.

So would you rather have a system that incorporates and assists too many people, and has some sponging off? Or would you rather have a system that helps too few people, and we get starving kids in the streets?

I'm okay with a few bad stories of sponges here and there. I've had friends who were on welfare as kids... because of it, they had something to eat before school, and now they're smart, functioning and helpful members of society. In other words it did the public good. And now they're paying taxes so some other people can get a hand up when they need it. And I'm glad.
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Every government program has some level of abuse, including Welfare, Medicare, Homeland Security and Defense Spending. In fact, the abuse in the Pentagon probably dwarfs the abuse in all other government programs put together. Didn't Donald Rumsfield complain about missing $2.3 Trillion?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU4GdHLUHwU

You do not stop a program because of abuse; you fix the abuse problem.
 
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Instead of wasting even more money on drug testing, just eliminate welfare.

End of story!
 
dadrone said:
Instead of wasting even more money on drug testing, just eliminate welfare.

End of story!
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You have to love Cons, they have such simple answers to a extremely complex problems.

What would you propose to do instead? Unfortunately, your solution would be the beginning of another story.
 
Why is it so important that unemployed people don't get high in their spare time? They have serious problems. They need something to make it easier. Why is it so important to deny them some pleasure?
 
dadrone said:
Instead of wasting even more money on drug testing, just eliminate welfare.

End of story!
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Why do you hate humans so very much? We cannot simply eliminate welfare as that would result in the deaths of babies, children and adults. Do you wish to live in a country that does not care about the people here? I do not.
 
Paschendale said:
Why is it so important that unemployed people don't get high in their spare time? They have serious problems. They need something to make it easier. Why is it so important to deny them some pleasure?
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Because if they can afford that crap then they don't need to be collecting welfare! If they're honestly stupid enough to spend their money on drugs when they need to buy food then I have no sympathy for them if they starve.
 
Kali said:
Why do you hate humans so very much? We cannot simply eliminate welfare as that would result in the deaths of babies, children and adults. Do you wish to live in a country that does not care about the people here? I do not.
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The fact of the matter is that a good portion of those on welfare don't "need" it. Furthermore, people on welfare need to have a plug put in them to prevent having kids until they're off welfare. It shouldn't take a mathematician to explain to them that if they can't afford to take care of themselves then they can't afford a kid!
 
upsideguy said:
You have to love Cons, they have such simple answers to a extremely complex problems.

What would you propose to do instead? Unfortunately, your solution would be the beginning of another story.
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Maybe build a wall around Manhattan and dump the poor there?:mrgreen:
 
1Perry said:
I'm not making accusations. I'm just curious what sort of test they are gave? I have twin 20 year old sons. They smoke some pot. eh, anyway they've got a lot of jobs lately through the local jobs agency. They have to take a drug test whenever they get hired. I asked them about being able to pass them. They told me they are gave a swab to put in their mouth. According to them as long as you don't put your tongue on it, you pass.
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That sounds strange, and I wouldn't trust a myth like that... Maybe they aren't testing for pot or maybe they are doing other things, like that drink mix that cleans the urine.
 
Paschendale said:
Why is it so important that unemployed people don't get high in their spare time? They have serious problems. They need something to make it easier. Why is it so important to deny them some pleasure?
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People should be more worried about supporting their families adequately than getting high - some reality, here. No one who's responsibility free goes on welfare to begin with. They all have children.

Or is there something wrong with wanting people to be responsible for their life choices?

I have 4 kids - however much I miss drinking - I don't get wasted every night. Nor do I do anything like I did when I was younger and more immature. My responsibilities and priorities have shifted as it should when you aren't just in your boat alone.
 
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Aunt Spiker said:
If I was a drug addict I don't think I'd give a rats ass.
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Well, then at least you understand what we’re dealing with here.



There’s nothing wrong with wanting people to make responsible choices in life…except it is inevitable that some people won’t. As a society, how do we deal with them? Do we kill them off or let them mooch off the rest of us? Do we kill them directly with a bullet to the head, or indirectly through homelessness and the Darwinian underworld? Do we let them mooch directly through Welfare or indirectly through increased crime and policing/prison costs?
 
Befuddled_Stoner said:
Well, then at least you understand what we’re dealing with here.



There’s nothing wrong with wanting people to make responsible choices in life…except it is inevitable that some people won’t. As a society, how do we deal with them? Do we kill them off or let them mooch off the rest of us? Do we kill them directly with a bullet to the head, or indirectly through homelessness and the Darwinian underworld? Do we let them mooch directly through Welfare or indirectly through increased crime and policing/prison costs?
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I support aiding people who WANT to be helped - by first giving them the option of actually getting away from their addiction.

In exchange for support you must clean yourself and lives up - if you fail to do so then you will be removed from the support system.

if smeone doesn't want to be helped then, by all means, don't bother.
 
Temporal said:
98 Percent of Welfare Applicants Pass Drug Test



So much for that myth. Thanks for wasting money on hysteria over something that is barely a problem.

Many of the alleged "leeches" on welfare now are the people who, until 2 years ago, were part of a functional work force and were productive contributors to economy. Now their lives are in chaos, their investments for the future are disintegrating before their eyes, and they are reduced to lesser prosperity. So... let's kick them while they're down and imply that they're drug abusers as well!
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The Tampa Tribune, huh? So much for what, Florida maybe? Are you applying this stat nationwide now. And they misreported it, it's 96% maybe. The whole number sounds like bull****, it should even to you a galactic sized liberal.
 
how did the lawmakers fare when tested for drugs?
 
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