With unemployment rates at 6.3% In Texas, and
more tax’s taken out of the working citizens paycheck I can speak on the behalf
of all of us, we are tired of giving out handouts to the un-needed.
Unemployment benefits come from an employer-paid program that provides
temporary help for qualified workers who lose their jobs through no fault of
their own. Of course one can’t predict if they are receiving a lay off and have
to receive unemployment benefits to pay the bills. It is a nuisance to the
working citizen to hear or witness someone collecting benefits and being a
druggie. Texas lawmakers are considering a bill to require drug testing for
people who receive these benefits. Is this ethical?
Absolutely it is. In todays society most
companies perform background checks, pre-employment drug screening, and some
require a credit check. If one is collecting Federal funds from the State, it
should be a requirement to take a drug test and possibly random tests while
receiving benefits. Of course it would cost the State additional funds to
extract the tests, but it would narrow out the inconsiderate citizens that
abuse the program. If one can’t pass a drug test on while receiving benefits,
how are they supposed to pass pre-employment drug screening to obtain a job?
The Taxpayers pay for these programs and too
many people are “riding for free” without any requirements. The key factor is the
requirement that people receiving benefits are actively seeking employment and
that job seeking is verifiable. It is very interesting to know that Liberals
want to limit the ounces in my soda can, or how many bullets I can buy, but
cannot admit to unemployment drug testing would be in their best interest.
Hopefully Texas will pass the “drug testing” requirement for Government
benefits, whether it is for a lay off or welfare. I mean 36% of your paycheck
is due to taxes. If we have to pay them, lets make sure our money is not being
given to the drug addicts.
First I would like to say wow, this is a very great and very true. I believe that when giving out benefits we should do background checks AND drug tests. We shouldn't be giving out aid to the people who spend all their benefits on drugs because that simply isn't fair. I hate the fact that 36% of my paycheck does go out to the people who don't use it to help their family with food and shelter, instead for drugs. There are other people who really need the money more and with people doing this is simply unfair.
ReplyDeleteThough I think I identify mostly as liberal, I must say, I completely agree with your article. Especially as a student, working and living on my own, I feel I’m being pulled every which way by taxes and payments. I believe it would really benefit everyone in the long run if we weren’t spending money on people who don’t earnestly deserve it. Truthfully, if I were to be taxed to benefit others, I would prefer it to go to other hard working students who are experiencing the worst financial strains if anyone at all. People who take the money of the people and do nothing with it to improve their lives are plainly despicable, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, while I still agree that background and subsequent tests should be done to determine those who should qualify for aid, I also wish there were actual statistics I could look at to tell me just how many people are taking advantage of working citizens’ tax payments. It could very well be that only a few people are low enough to throw that money in the fire and waste their life away. In that case, we would have to analyze the actual expenditures of screening people and what is actually irresponsibly used. If the money wasted by drug addicts is less than the cost of doing tests, it pains me to say it, but it would be in our best interest to simply cry as the money is burned on the streets, in dark alleyways, and behind curtained windows.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Brandon that taking and passing a drug test should be a condition for receiving government benefits. But I would take it a step further by saying I think it should also be a criteria for receiving financial aid for college because there are students who use their financial aid to buy alcohol and marijuana while in school. Young people are inundated with ads offering drink specials every week to entice them to spend their financial aid (other people’s money) on liquor. Billions of tax payer's money is wasted on parties, alcohol and drugs by students. They are not using the money on their education. A drug test should be administered before receiving financial aid every semester. Is it ethical? Hell yes, I do not want my taxes to pay for their parties! How can they become productive citizens if all they have done while in school is use the funds to get high and party?
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