Welfare drug testing not needed (3-21-09)
Drug testing welfare recipients may sound like a good idea, but it's not worth the costs, nor the fight.
State Rep. Kasha Kelley, R-Arkansas City, has introduced legislation that would require drug tests of people who receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (federal welfare), General Assistance and Grandparents as Caregivers Assistance.
The bill recently passed the Kansas House Health and Human Services Committee.
The Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services estimates the plan would cost about $1.4 million by 2011.
That's a lot of money for little gain. There's no evidence that welfare recipients use illegal drugs more than the general population. The state already assesses adults receiving welfare for drug and alcohol abuse.
Most people receiving assistance already feel the shame of it. This would add more stigma (especially to grandparents who need help raising their grandchildren).
Kelley is normally loath to increase spending; we think those instincts should prevail here.
She is also strong on individual rights; we think those instincts also should prevail here.
A federal appeals court a few years ago struck down similar efforts in Michigan as unconstitutional. And federal law prohibits testing people who receive food stamps and Medicaid.
People who get cash "handouts" from the government are easy targets, especially during hard times.
But demonizing welfare recipients makes much less sense after the 1996 Welfare Reform that required recipients to work and cut them off after five years.
Let's leave it at that.
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1 comment:
So do you also feel that companies should not drug test their employee's?
Is it an infringement of my rights as a human being? Does it demoralize me?
Or do you, being as liberal as you are, feel that since the government should help everyone out no matter what would be appalled to know how many people are on drugs? Or is it ok that they are taking money from you and me with no consequences to illegal behavior?
Not everyone will test positive and that's great but don't you think in the long run we'd save money by cutting off the funding for those who use their government money (my money).
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