Posted on 05/04/2015 12:17:52 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Under Governor Scott Walker's leadership, Wisconsin will join eleven other states as the newest state to require welfare recipients to pass a drug test before they can receive state welfare funds.
While some liberals and liberal-minded religious groups have called out Walker for "targeting" the poor and those with addictions, Walker's response has been spot on: if they're receiving funds from the state, the state should be able to make rules for these people to live by before they can receive a dime.
But Walker's drug test isn't simply a play to restrict the number of people who will be eligible to receive welfare, it's also a giant step forward in changing unemployment payments from helping freeloaders live off of the work of others to payments which will actually help others prepare to receive employment.
Walker's reasoning is solid. Most, if not all, employers will require a drug test for new employees and by letting people know that unemployment and welfare are just a stepping stone for those who want to receive funds.
The religious groups that oppose the change to welfare state that the change will unnecessarily target the poor and those with addictions. Walker's has the perfect and correct response, however. He says that the state of Wisconsin, by identifying those welfare recipients who have a problem with drugs, will be able to help those people with their addictions and get them back into the workforce faster.
It is innately outrageous, however, that people would take offense with Wisconsin setting benchmarks and tests for people to have to qualify for state funds. You don't argue with a bank when they set rules for you to abide by if you borrow money from them. There's really no difference with welfare funds.
If people looked at welfare like real money being given to them by hardworking people, perhaps they'd be able to see the genius behind Walker's welfare reform. He's taking a huge step forward.
".........Most people agree that there should be some form of an economic social safety net for those who’re in need. But there should also be standards set and enforced for those seeking benefits. Proving one isn’t on drugs is an obvious one. That so-called religious leaders are trying to thwart the implementation of Gov. Walker’s legislation is in my opinion a clear case of what low regard progressives (political or religious) have for the very people they claim to help. What these religious fakes are actually saying is that by simply being in an economic underclass- for however long- trumps one’s ability to resist the temptation of using drugs. In other words- they’re poor and can’t help it.
For progressives it’s always about class and never about the intrinsic value of the people in the varying economic classes they hold in contempt. So much for ‘justice.’"
"Madison — With federal approval in doubt, Gov. Scott Walker is moving ahead with his campaign pledge to ensure that drug users aren't getting public health care, food stamp or jobless benefits.
As Walker explores a 2016 presidential bid, the proposal being included in the governor's Feb. 3 budget bill will help him sell himself to GOP primary voters as a leader committed to overhauling the core programs of government.
For the first time Thursday, Walker committed to drug testing recipients of BadgerCare Plus health coverage and also pledged free treatment and job training for those testing positive for drugs.
But the governor offered no details on how the state would cover the costs of that or the testing or whether he expected it to cost the state money overall, as a similar program did in Florida, or save tax dollars. The budget, he said in a statement, would also drop to four years from five the limit on how long a recipient could be in the Wisconsin Works, or W-2, program, the replacement in this state for traditional welfare.
"We know employers in Wisconsin have jobs available, but they don't have enough qualified employees to fill those positions," Walker said. "With this budget, we are addressing some of the barriers keeping people from achieving true freedom and prosperity and the independence that comes with having a good job and doing it well."
The governor said the drug-testing proposal would apply only to able-bodied adults, not the elderly or children, and would include transitional jobs initiatives. Walker wants to test all FoodShare and BadgerCare applicants but limit the drug testing for unemployment benefits to certain applicants.
The idea expands on another requirement passed by Walker and Republicans in 2013 to make able-bodied FoodShare recipients receive job training.".....
I for one welcome the changes.
How is it the people who work and have money deducted from their wages and pay these people have to take drug tests, but if you’re getting benefits you don’t? If you are on drugs and taking govt benefits, it proves you have no desire to hold any kind of decent job. How the hell are you going to pass any potential drug tests.
This is total fairness. Total fairness. If you’re living off the charity of others it’s not that much to ask to please not spend it on substances that will prevent you from being hired for even some of the most basic (or better) job positions.
Kevin D. Williamson (National Review)- It is WELL WORTH a full read [visually broken into 3 small sections - so be sure to keep reading; total length no longer than a 2 page printed article]. Who are they? How do they compare to Baby Boomers, Gen Xers? What is their outlook, their options?
"Generation Vexed: The downwardly mobile Millennials may be waking up at last"
"...............Conservatives will never out-snark, out-mock, or out-tweet the popular culture that embraced Barack Obama as a semi-religious icon. But Millennials are right at the beginning of what promises to be an unpleasant, extended encounter with the facts of life, and it may be that they will soon figure out that there is more to understanding those facts than snark and emojis. Mocking them would be easy, while persuading them will prove difficult and frustrating, because conservatism, unromantic disposition that it is, is in the end an exercise in calculating a balance of human imperfections. The Millennials do not understand that — not quite yet."
great post.
When I drove a cab (I say that so often I know I will be made fun of for it sooner or later) there were SO MANY drug addicts who were getting SNAP, welfare, housing help, etc. An if thee was a way to turn that into a commodity for drugs, they did it.
And they were a mess. Just like “Requiem fro a Dream.”
So much money wasted!!! wow. So many young lives on the edge of dying.
One gal just started talking to an imaginary mother and never stopped. I had to call the cops. And she was laughing and taking to the imaginary person the whole time!!!
Cops said sometime they NEVER come out of that ad just sit In a psych ward talking to nobody for months or years.
How about the breeding cows who have 18 kids through 18 different men just to increase their welfare?
You are correct.
To do anything less is to enable sloth, encourage dependency and invite decline.
If you care for the poor you should stop their addiction instead of fueling it and ruining their lives
Why don’t conservatives propose mandating drug tests as a condition for receiving government student loans and grants?
The economic safety net should be done through churches, not government.
Good question.
Are public employees tested? Educators.
While governor Walker is actually governing in conservative mode, and instituting concrete steps such as drug tests to receive benefits, the poor senators, all they can do is talk about it.
Where are all those jobs to offset the sheer volume of soon to be starving people? This BS. Drug test the politicians first!
But sadly they're holding out their hands, like other groups that take money from the government (churches, food outlets, schools, etc), and it opens the door for government to set the rules.
BIG government uses money like a drug - get you hooked, then feeds the addiction.
Not working = Baltimore riots.
No options, no future, no outlet for anything but fury and frustration.
Courtesy of the Democratic Party.
I would be okay with Walker/Cruz. Or Cruz/Walker.
Walker and Cruz seriously should team up, ASAP.
Think they would stand a way better chance together.
I want this liberal machine to eat dust, and explode.
Never be able to rise again.
Impose a weight limit for food stamps.
Here they are, but I doubt they’ll go for them:
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=&l=Milwaukee%2C+WI
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=&l=Madison%2C+WI
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=&l=50315
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.