Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients

Unit 2 Project: Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients
Tracy Brown
Kaplan University

Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients

When considering effective ways to cut government spending, each state should start requiring mandatory drug testing among all its welfare recipients. Cutting welfare benefits to known drug abusers will allow benefits to be doled out more effectively and efficiently to those Americans that are truly in need, diminish drug use in those poverty stricken communities that tend to rely on welfare assistance and take a chunk from the government’s out of control spending.

I think that this is an effective thesis statement because it clearly outlines my paper and it states what side of this discussion I have chosen to represent. It is stated clear, concise, and to the point.

Because mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients is an issue that is not in full effect, it may be difficult to find opinions from “reliable” sources concerning such legislation. It may also be difficult to determine long term effects of such a program like cuts in spending and reductions in drug abuse.

I will be researching government websites both nationally and locally. I would also like to contact local government representatives to perhaps get an opinion about the idea of said legislation. In addition, because this is such a new topic, there are many newspapers to research that will have the latest on states that want to begin developing the idea of mandatory drug testing.

It will be difficult to avoid logical fallicies on this topic. Because I am coming down on one side of this discussion and want to persuade my audience, I will want to use comments and information from those that view it as I do. Using statistics that are deemed factual will help in showing that these are not just biased opinions from politicians that are simply looking for another vote.

If I were to begin to persuade a city council meeting or write a letter to my local government representatives about the importance of mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients, I would begin by saying: Welfare is not an entitlement! It was never intended to be as such. When President Roosevelt enacted the Social Security Act in 1935, it was during the great depression, when 25% of Americans were unemployed. Since then welfare has generously extended its hand to millions of Americans (2012). When someone is benefitting from these programs, and is not deemed disabled, it should be viewed as a “hand up” not a “hand out”. It is an issue all over the country that welfare is being abused by its benefactors. Cards are being used for ATM withdrawals, to purchase liquor, buying cigarettes, and even gambling in casinos. Food stamps are being openly traded for drugs (Camden, 2011). Not to mention the deception that is occurring about how many dependents a recipient is responsible for. To be subjected to a simple urine test to receive money and benefits from the U.S, government is not too much to bear. It is no different than obliging to mandatory drug testing for a job. Florida state governor Rick Scott has stated that in his state alone they will save 9 million dollars a year because of benefits being cut due to mandatory drug testing. With these kinds of cuts in spending nationwide, it is sure to reduce government spending a great deal. Not to mention the effect it will have on drug abusers. Florida state governor Rick Scott has implemented drug counseling on a volunteer basis for those benefactors that test positive (Delaney, 2011). Cuts in spending, responsible distribution of benefits and reductions in drug abuse, this sounds like a win-win scenario for us all.

References

Author Unknown, (2012), The History of Welfare, Retrieved from: http://www.welfareinfo.org/history/

Delaney, A., (2011, November 27). Rick Scott Backs Drug Tests for Welfare Beneficiaries, Public Worker, and Himself, Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27drug-testing-welfare-_n_983235-.html/

Camden, J., (2011, February 04). The Spokesman-Review, Abuse of Welfare Electronic Benefits Transfer Cards Targeted, Retrieved from: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/feb/04/abuse-of-welfare-electronic-benefits-transfer/

References: Author Unknown, (2012), The History of Welfare, Retrieved from: http://www.welfareinfo.org/history/ Delaney, A., (2011, November 27). Rick Scott Backs Drug Tests for Welfare Beneficiaries, Public Worker, and Himself, Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27drug-testing-welfare-_n_983235-.html/ Camden, J., (2011, February 04). The Spokesman-Review, Abuse of Welfare Electronic Benefits Transfer Cards Targeted, Retrieved from: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/feb/04/abuse-of-welfare-electronic-benefits-transfer/