Why doesn't the government drug test welfare recipients?

I cant believe what I am viewing on this answer question, are all Americans typical 'Lunchiy's, all he wants to do is hit the poor and needy when there at rock bottom. Now, listen here Lunchy and the rest of you: welfare is a tool of government to help those that ane not doing so good as you and me. How do you know you won't be there one day? its easy to slag the worse off when you are not one of them. You should be ashamed of yourselves, it looks to me that people like Lunchy (a Nixon evangelist in every way i.e.. a communist behind every corner) are not interested in saving the communities just bent on destroying the needy as it is politically correct to him not to have the poor souls around. God! you Americans suck.

Why test these poor souls and sh!t on their dignity.

as we say in south London 'Gert yer'

ATB Red

Poor people unfortunately are stuck in a vicious cycle. This cycle is passed down from generation to generation, with a few managing to "move up in the world". Unfortunately the vast majority of the impoverish stay poor for the rest of their lives. For various reasons, such as: lack of a proper education (yes it's provided free by the govt. But have you seen the public schools in the inner city?), cramp dirty etc.. living conditions, violence, etc... Under these conditions people lose their spirit. Drugs are a form of escapism. A break from the overwhelming obstacles that life has dealt them. To answer your question, in my opinion I believe that the goverment doesnt drug test because it wouldn't be beneficial to society. Just think about it for a moment, if you take away the welfare checks and other forms of aid/enslavement from the drug using recipients (not all are junkies) they would resort to violence and other means which are detrimental to society in order to obtain their drugs. Offer assistance in the form of rehab centers to those who want it, and throw a few scraps to the others. Just my opinion.

That would be politically incorrect, like the rest of the welfare state program. It's easier to test people who have enough self respect to get a job and want to keep it.

Pfo, so? Instead of increasing the amount allocated for the program, just eliminate some of the leeches from the program to pay for drug testing.

hiztreebuff, their children are NOT my problem.

Bub, why can't we "just drop them from the program"? I "just get fired" if I turn up dirty on a drug screen.

Bishop McFeely, and the unconstitutional, communist welfare state programs are free? Drop the druggies and the programs will cost less.

Monky, we have a thing called the "Constitution of the United States" here. It spells out the specific, LIMITED authorities of the federal government. Wealth or earnings redistribution is NOT listed. Socialist welfare state programs are NOT listed. The people on these socialist programs are living on money I EARNED by working. MY EARNINGS were confiscated by the federal government and GIVEN to these leeches. I am subject to drug testing by my EMPLOYER (I have a job). Why should anyone "test ME and sh!t on MY dignity"? If my earnings are stolen to support these people, why should they be allowed to use that money to buy illegal drugs? Why should I have to support their ILLEGAL habits? The socialist welfare state programs were intended to buy votes by making more people dependent on the government, and pandering politicians, for their daily sustenance.

Here's some interesting inside information...

When a budget for a program like this is submitted, it includes two parts: program administration and benefit. The benefit part are the actual payments to recipients.

Program administration is expected to be as low as possible. Drug testing would fall under this. So, when the proposed budget is examined, there is a lot of scrutiny on the administration piece. Adding drug testing would substantially increase the administration side, even if it was more that outweighed by savings on the benefit side.

Case in point: some social service agencies don't even have enough money for office supplies, because they've been asked to CUT their administration budget. Employees need to buy their own pens.

If you heard on Fox News or read in the newspaper that a welfare agency was asking for a significant increase in their administration budget, you'd likely be upset.

Not cost effective.

Some of the legal drugs they are on may show up as a false positive, requiring further investigation and costs. Then, when it is proven they are on legal drugs that showed up, the government has paid more for nothing.

And if they are on illegal drugs, they would have to be put into a program to get them off them (you can't just drop them from the program), which would cost even more money and they probably would go back to them.

Aside from costs, most drugs outside of marijuana leave the system within a couple days to a week. Unless recipients could be forced to take randoms within a couple days notice, druggies could still pass their tests and be back on the crap immediately afterward.

I think it would be GREAT for them to drug test the welfare recipients because YOU RIGHT WING JERKS WILL BE PAYING THE TAXES FOR THE TESTING ! ! Still jealous of ANYONE who gets something that YOU dont get. Get a life fag!

A drug test costs about $42, not including the costs of administering the program.

Should the child of a drug addict go without food?

Cost. Drug tests aren't free.

The cost of testing everyone would vastly increase the cost of the program.