From CNN:
Saying it is “unfair for Florida taxpayers to subsidize drug addiction,” Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday signed legislation requiring adults applying for welfare assistance to undergo drug screening…
…Under the law, which takes effect on July 1, the Florida Department of Children and Family Services will be required to conduct the drug tests on adults applying to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The aid recipients would be responsible for the cost of the screening, which they would recoup in their assistance if they qualify. Those who fail the required drug testing may designate another individual to receive the benefits on behalf of their children…
Pretty short and sweet, right? I mean, if we’re going to pass out the cash to the needy, we want to at least ensure that funding for children goes for the children (rather than, say, being exchanged on the black market for drugs) and, also, we should provide every incentive for people on drugs to clean up. Where is the problem with this common sense bit of legislation? Well, here is how Democrats view the matter:
…”Governor Scott’s new drug testing law is not only an affront to families in need and detrimental to our nation’s ongoing economic recovery, it is downright unconstitutional,” said Rep. Alcee Hastings. “If Governor Scott wants to drug test recipients of TANF benefits, where does he draw the line? Are families receiving Medicaid, state emergency relief, or educational grants and loans next?”…(report edited to indicate just what sort of person Hastings is)
To which question we reply: why aren’t such recipients already required to undergo drug testing? If your taking taxpayer cash then we have a duty to ensure that at the minimum it will be used properly. Just to make it clear to Hastings, it is unlikely that a person addicted to drugs will properly use welfare or Medicaid or educational grants. This is not a move against providing aid, it is a move against wasting aid.
But that isn’t the point – Democrats live and die by the number of people they can pass the taxpayer cash to. The more on welfare, the better and if a portion of it goes up in crack smoke, then that is ok. As long as the money keeps flowing, as long as Democrats can preen themselves over being generous, as long as highly paid government union workers keep donating to the Democrats, all is well. And how dare any Republican try to stop this gravy train!
Well, enough is enough – it is time for a bit of morality, not just syrupy “caring” as a masquerade for pillaging the Treasury.
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