'Urine or You're Out'

[pepperpot]

JOB - URINE TEST (Whoever wrote this one deserves a HUGE pat on the back!)

Joe, the average worker says; Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I
work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it
sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine
test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the
distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test.
Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to
pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping
people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with
helping someone sitting on their lazy butts, doing drugs, while I work. . .

Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a
urine test to get a public assistance check? Pass this along if you agree or
simply delete if you don't. Hope you all will pass it along, though . . .
Something has to change in this country -- and soon!!!!!

Guess we could title that program, 'Urine or You're Out'.




****too bad we can't mandate this.....:agree

[atprm]

actually, in our state they do have to pass urine and drug testing in order to receive benefits.

or they did at one time, until someone pulled the race card --

[speedygirl]

I was looking to see how it was in our state and found it from January of 2007. Very true.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1762437/posts

[speedygirl]

http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/10757res20030415.html
Welfare Drug Testing

The War on Drugs has become a war on the poor. Instead of helping lift the destitute out of poverty with compassionate and sensible economic policies, drug laws target the poor, trapping them in a vicious cycle of poverty and disempowerment. Drug testing welfare recipients is just one example of how our drug laws single out the poor.

Brief History

As part of his administration's war on drugs and zero tolerance policies, President Reagan ordered drug testing of all federal employees in the 1980s.[i]
The Supreme Court scaled back random drug testing to only include employees in safety sensitive positions such as pilots and conductors. [ii]
The 1996 Welfare Reform Act authorized (but did not require) states to impose mandatory drug testing as a prerequisite to receiving state welfare assistance.[iii]
Michigan is the first and only state to require random drug testing of all welfare recipients.[iv] In its lawsuit fighting the Michigan policy, the ACLU contends that "mandatory drug testing of a broad swath of the adult population has never in our nation's history been proposed or enacted by a state government, much less approved by a court."" [v] The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court decision striking down Michigan's policy.
Current Laws
The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable search and seizure. [vi] Mandatory drug testing is considered a search, and courts have ruled that most drug testing programs can only be imposed if they serve special needs, usually related to public safety.
In 1996, Congress undertook a massive overhaul of the welfare system. Under the Welfare Reform Act (officially known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act), people convicted of drug offenses are subject to a lifetime ban on receiving cash assistance and food stamps.[vii] The law also allows states to impose drug testing on welfare recipients.
Michigan enacted a law authorizing suspicionless drug testing as a condition of eligibility for family independence assistance, MCLA 400.57l. The law directed the Family Independence Agency (FIA) to ""implement a pilot program of substance abuse testing as a condition of family independence assistance eligibility in at least three counties, including random substance abuse testing."" Although the legislature called for ""substance abuse testing,"" the most commonly abused and most lethal drugs - alcohol and tobacco - were not a part of the testing program. Refusal to be tested resulted in denial or termination of FIA income support and the possible termination of medical insurance, food stamps and support for pregnant women or nursing mothers. FIA participants who submitted to drug testing also risked losing vital assistance. According to Michigan law, ""failure to comply"" with a substance abuse treatment plan resulted in the reduction or termination of assistance under FIA programs.[viii] The courts have struck down the Michigan policy.[ix]
Although no other states have implemented a law as extreme as Michigan's, Arizona[x] and Vermont[xi] are currently considering similar legislation. ....

[meltodd69]

DH and I talk about it all the time.
You know I have to take one to run a machine, how about our politicians taking one to run our country!

[fleabones3]

I do believe Oklahoma does that..drug test if you are recieving full welfare

[msmom79]

I know where i work if we get hurt-instant "pisstest"-,also to have a job "peetest" i also think it should be mandatory for welfare persons. If i have to be tested to work-they should be tested to get state assistance.jmoo

[pepperpot]

Instead of helping lift the destitute out of poverty with compassionate and sensible economic policies, drug laws target the poor, trapping them in a vicious cycle of poverty and disempowerment.
Like drug use isn't already doing this? That is (mostly) the main problem! :doh:

[LuvBigRip]

I work in an office, with a digitizer....not heavy machinery, yet I had to take a test to get the job, and have had to take random tests to keep the job.

[hblueeyes]

I have no problem requiring those who receive assistance to take a drug test. However there are problems relating to the test. Cocaine and other hard drugs stay in the body for up to 48 hours before it has been motabilized and cleaned thru the system. Pot can remain trapped in fat cell for years. So smeone can smoke a doob and 3 months later test positive.

Also, what about those woman who sell their food stamp allotment or just buy junk for the kids? Should the government intervine here? I know people who smoke pot and are great parents. I also know people who dont and cannot manage more than hot dogs or cereal for their kids dinner.

Me

[cabby92]

There need to be some guidelines and drug tests are a great place to start. There should also be parenting and budgeting classes along with resume prep and a lot of other things. Welfare should not be a free ride. If you can't do the work to get off it someday then get off now.

[LuvBigRip]

There need to be some guidelines and drug tests are a great place to start. There should also be parenting and budgeting classes along with resume prep and a lot of other things. Welfare should not be a free ride. If you can't do the work to get off it someday then get off now.

I totally agree. My mom and I were talking a few nights ago about this. Back in the 1970's when the Vietnam war was ending, and there were tons of the Vietnamese Boat people coming in to California the state helped them find housing, sin some cases housing was built expressly for them. In order to qualify for the housing they had to take classes on house to maintain the home, budget classes, english classes. The state felt that they would destroy the property if they were not taught how to properly live in it. Many of these people came from mud huts in the jungle.