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Last post 6 years ago by DrafterX. 24 replies replies.
Drug testing plan for food stamp recipients
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cacman Offline
#1 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 2:00 AM EST
Joined: 07-03-2010
Posts: 12,216
Trump considering drug testing plan for food stamp recipients

The Trump administration is considering letting states require some food stamp recipients be drug tested in order to receive their benefits, The Associated Press reported.

The plan would be narrowly targeted and affect mostly those that are "able-bodied," according to an anonymous administration official that spoke with the AP.

It would apply to about 5 percent of people in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to the source.

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Along with able-bodied people, the source said the proposal would target people without dependents who are seeking certain specialized jobs, the AP reported.

Mandatory drug testing for people in SNAP has been a conservative idea for some time and its implementation would signal that the administration is pushing to give states more freedom on how it implements federal welfare programs for the poor.

Federal law currently prevents states from implementing their own conditions for people to be eligible to receive food assistance.

On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order calling for federal agencies to establish or strengthen existing work requirements for certain individuals who benefit from federal welfare programs.

The White House issued a memo that argued those who rely on welfare would have an easier time achieving economic mobility through strengthened work requirements where they already exist and the creation of new ones where applicable.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/382731-trump-considering-mandatory-drug-testing-for-food-stamps

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Why should it be easier for those receiving a guberment hand-out to receive money/benefits than those that work for a living???

You want a guberment hand-out (what I consider a form of slavery to the guberment) then you should have to work for it, and take a drug-test like many Americans have to do just to be applicable for a job. I would also suggest that guberment officials and politicians be required to take a drug test. Half the time I have no idea what they are smoking when they come up with some of the ridiculous laws they try to impose on legal citizens, while giving away the bank to those that come here illegally.

This falls in line with eliminating the in-state tuition discounts to colleges for illegal immigrants.
dstieger Offline
#2 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 9:00 AM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
If nearly everyone needs a drug test, then may as well leverage economies of scale, no? National labs and 100% mandatory testing for everyone over the age of 6 months.
Phil222 Offline
#3 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 9:05 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
This has been tried before. What 7 states discovered after spending more than $1 million drug testing welfare recipients:

https://thinkprogress.org/what-7-states-discovered-after-spending-more-than-1-million-drug-testing-welfare-recipients-c346e0b4305d/
bgz Offline
#4 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 9:06 AM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Ya, I used to think this was a good idea, but then I came to the conclusion that it isn't cost effective.
Phil222 Offline
#5 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 9:08 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
It's not a bad idea if you own clinics and have friends in government that can send some business your way...
bgz Offline
#6 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 9:09 AM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
I dont't think it's on par with the illegals getting in state tuition.

On that note, as long as the student are still technically legal and can show they've been in state and of legal status for the required amount of time, I don't have a problem with it... but I don't think DACA should have ever existed in the first place.
tailgater Offline
#7 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 9:13 AM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
Not cost effective?
What about the long term benefit of getting people off drugs?
bgz Offline
#8 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 9:50 AM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
That's a completely separate issue... and as long as drugs exists, there's going to be drug addicts.

Not much you can do about that... drug testing welfare recipients isn't going to be a miracle cure for stupid.
ZRX1200 Offline
#9 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 10:15 AM EST
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
Thinkprogress.......ah......
Phil222 Offline
#10 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 10:35 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
ZRX1200 wrote:
Thinkprogress.......ah......


If you have some evidence that contradicts their data, it could definitely change my opinion on the matter. Please share it.
tailgater Offline
#11 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 10:59 AM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
bgz wrote:
That's a completely separate issue... and as long as drugs exists, there's going to be drug addicts.

Not much you can do about that... drug testing welfare recipients isn't going to be a miracle cure for stupid.


The issue isn't separate unless you want it to be.
We're talking two things here: Welfare and Drugs.

People don't hate on the welfare parade because the money helps hard working people who are having some tough times.
They hate on it because far too many abuse it and use it as an excuse.
And those that DO abuse it are likely the ones who wouldn't pass the drug testing, so it brings them to a fork in the road:
They can either receive welfare, or they can do drugs.

Putting more money towards those truly deserving the benefit would save money long term.
It would help remove a lingering stigma associated with welfare.
It would force those who enjoy their recreational drugs to get jobs to pay for it.
It could be a means to address the addicts by identifying them. Get them the help they need.

But hey. If the cost of the test is too high, then forget I even mentioned it.
Herfing

dstieger Offline
#12 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 11:11 AM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
tailgater wrote:

They can either receive welfare, or they can do drugs.

Herfing




You say that like doing drugs is a choice for them.












oh...jeez...i tried typing that with a straight face....channeling my inner Huck....couldn't do it...lol
Phil222 Offline
#13 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 11:24 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
tailgater wrote:
The issue isn't separate unless you want it to be.
We're talking two things here: Welfare and Drugs.

People don't hate on the welfare parade because the money helps hard working people who are having some tough times.
They hate on it because far too many abuse it and use it as an excuse.
And those that DO abuse it are likely the ones who wouldn't pass the drug testing, so it brings them to a fork in the road:
They can either receive welfare, or they can do drugs.

Putting more money towards those truly deserving the benefit would save money long term.
It would help remove a lingering stigma associated with welfare.
It would force those who enjoy their recreational drugs to get jobs to pay for it.
It could be a means to address the addicts by identifying them. Get them the help they need.

But hey. If the cost of the test is too high, then forget I even mentioned it.
Herfing



A very low percentage of welfare recipients "abuse it." Low single digits varying from a few different studies numbers that I have seen. The amount of people on welfare who use drugs is even less than that. That is if we are going by the data that we have from previous testing of recipients and using it as a unit of measure.

If people are abusing welfare and using drugs, where is the evidence? What are you basing your opinion on? I will flip flop on this issue in a heartbeat, but I need something substantial to back up these claims, otherwise, we are just blindly contributing to that "lingering stigma associated with welfare."
DrafterX Offline
#14 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 11:34 AM EST
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,535
I had to take a drug test so I can work... Seems only fair... Mellow
dstieger Offline
#15 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 11:42 AM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
Do they pay you in food stamps?
bgz Offline
#16 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 11:43 AM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Phil222 wrote:
A very low percentage of welfare recipients "abuse it." Low single digits varying from a few different studies numbers that I have seen. The amount of people on welfare who use drugs are even less than that. That is if we are going by the data that we have from previous testing of recipients and using it as a unit of measure.

If people are abusing welfare and using drugs, where is the evidence? What are you basing your opinion on? I will flip flop on this issue in a heartbeat, but I need something substantial to back up these claims, otherwise, we are just blindly contributing to that "lingering stigma associated with welfare."


Yes, this is my exact point. I have flipped from the other side of the coin because it just doesn't seem cost effective for the percentage that's effected by it.

You have to buy the tests, pay for the additional people you need to give the tests, do the enforcement, handle the paperwork, etc...

The more I thought about it, the more I thought it's cheaper to just give the slackers the money.
Phil222 Offline
#17 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 12:23 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
DrafterX wrote:
I had to take a drug test so I can work... Seems only fair... Mellow


I guess fair is fair...Cool This administration has spent so much money and added over a trillion dollars to the deficit, what is another couple of million?

I say go for it...will just be one more failure on his watch.
opelmanta1900 Offline
#18 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 12:31 PM EST
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
bgz wrote:
Yes, this is my exact point. I have flipped from the other side of the coin because it just doesn't seem cost effective for the percentage that's effected by it.

You have to buy the tests, pay for the additional people you need to give the tests, do the enforcement, handle the paperwork, etc...

The more I thought about it, the more I thought it's cheaper to just give the slackers the money.

Passing a pee test costs $15.99... had to do it multiple times... it's inconvenient but by no means difficult... and it's free if you know someone with clean pee, like a welfare baby...
dstieger Offline
#19 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 12:39 PM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
opelmanta1900 wrote:
Passing a pee test costs $15.99... .



Inflation...what inflation? Hah.

IIRC, the going rate for a bottle of clean pee was nearly that much way back in 1982
opelmanta1900 Offline
#20 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 12:40 PM EST
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
It's all synthetic nowadays... it's cheaper than paying people to stay sober and pee in a bottle i guess...
Phil222 Offline
#21 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 12:41 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
I guess if you cheat, so does everyone else. Case closed...Cool
RMAN4443 Offline
#22 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 1:27 PM EST
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
the company I work for DOESN'T test......one day I asked my boss why, and he told me "Rick, if we started testing we would have to get rid of half of you guys, and we'd have a hard time finding enough skilled "clean" machinists to replace you all"..........I'm pretty sure he was referring to Mary-J-Wanna use and not hard drugs.......this conversation was 7-8 years ago
Ewok126 Offline
#23 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 2:46 PM EST
Joined: 06-25-2017
Posts: 4,356
Yep, with a lot of companies its more about having the warm bodies than safety.
DrafterX Offline
#24 Posted: Thu, Apr 12 2018, 3:01 PM EST
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,535
Yep, and if they end up ripping their arm off on the pot then worker's comp doesn't have to pay anyways... Mellow
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