Pennsylvania officials roll out drug tests for welfare recipient

[JerryNumbers]

Pennsylvania officials roll out drug tests for welfare recipient

This seems to be catching on, more states talking about implementing, I feel that it is a good thing.

[1John2:15-17]

"An invasion of privacy and/or unreasonable search?" They can come up with a better argument than that. Many people in the workforce have to take a drug test prior to hire/job offer.

While there are many on welfare that are truly needy, there are also many who abuse the system, obtaining liquor, illegal drugs, etc. all the while neglecting to provide properly for their children.

Not to mention those who are able to work but somehow got into the system and now just sit back and collect....

Off my soap box now....

[JerryNumbers]

I'm with you. If they're on any medication prescribed by a doctor, they can easily have proof from their doctor, & it want go against them, if not, no check!

Abuse is getting to be more than we can handle.

[1Timothy115]

Yes, and the further from the Lord this nation goes the more we have to make laws and spend money to enforce "good" behavior from the sin sick.

And, we allow the process of more sin, laws, money spent, to continue.

The whole head is sick.

[JerryNumbers]

Yes, and the further from the Lord this nation goes the more we have to make laws and spend money to enforce "good" behavior from the sin sick.

And, we allow the process of more sin, laws, money spent, to continue.

The whole head is sick.

So you think its a great thing to hand check out to the drug addicts therefore supporting their habits.

[1Timothy115]

So you think its a great thing to hand check out to the drug addicts therefore supporting their habits.

No, that wasn't the intent of my comment. I believe it should go a step beyond a drug test. A day's work, a drug test, and then the check. However, it will cost more for child care while some of these people work.

I believe it's Biblical to work for your money, particularly when it's my tax dollar paying your wage. There is community work which would benefit all citizens of a community.

My preference would be they also attend a local Bible teaching/preaching church but that would not fly among the atheists. That's why I made reference to the following...


Isaiah 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

[John81]

What happened to the idea it's up to a person to provide for themselves, after that it's their families responsibility, after that it falls to churches and other private charities.

[JerryNumbers]

No, that wasn't the intent of my comment. I believe it should go a step beyond a drug test. A day's work, a drug test, and then the check. However, it will cost more for child care while some of these people work.

I believe it's Biblical to work for your money, particularly when it's my tax dollar paying your wage. There is community work which would benefit all citizens of a community.

My preference would be they also attend a local Bible teaching/preaching church but that would not fly among the atheists. That's why I made reference to the following...


Isaiah 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Thanks for the answer.

Those who can't work, we are to help, & we do have people that cannot work, & we will always have them, & as the population grows there will be more of them, we should never standby & let them starve.

That is something I don't understand, here in America it seems many Christians that supports missionary work of feeding the hungry in foreign lands acts as if they want those kind of people in our country to starve to death.

[hermanj]

What happened to the idea it's up to a person to provide for themselves, after that it's their families responsibility, after that it falls to churches and other private charities.

Unfortunately, our society has failed to teach individual responsibility (it's always someone else's fault), and since those who grow up in poverty often stay in poverty, families are usually no help either. That brings us to the church, where God assigned the responsibility to help the poor. How many churches have ministries that are actually reaching out to the poor? Not many. So when the church is failing at its responsibility, the government steps in to take over.

[JerryNumbers]

I did not mention those who can work, I did mention those who cannot work,

Sorry, but there will always be people that cannot work, & there can be more than one reason, & even if the reason is some sort of mental trouble, its a real reason.

Sorry, but if it was left up to the churches, many would go hungry & without shelter.

It seems because of compassion that the majority of the citizens of this country wants to help such people, & if they do, there is nothing wrong with that.

And that does not stop churches from helping, & that does not stop Jesus' brothers & sisters from helping though their churches.

I hear people say, if the government would not take so much of my money, I would put more into the plate at church & help more people. I don't believe that when I think about the widow that gave all she had.


Mr 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
Mr 12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
Mr 12:44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Why do i not believe that, most people that hakes that complaint today has much more than this widow ever had, & seem to complain much more than this widow. Everyone can hide behind an excuse, but will our Lord accept that excuse?

[1Timothy115]

What happened to the idea it's up to a person to provide for themselves, after that it's their families responsibility, after that it falls to churches and other private charities.

We would never get liberals&atheists on board with this. Since we have to support government run programs folks should at least work for it and not just run to a drug dealer with check in hand.

[John81]

This is where the problem comes in. Christians, as well as conservatives in general, should have fought government intervention into such matters from the beginning. Sad to say, we dropped the ball and now accept this ungodly and unconstittutional mess as normal.

It's sad how many people reach out to churches or Christians only to be told not to bother them, go ask the government. Where is the bowels of mercies in that? Amazing how many professing Christians will say since they pay taxes they feel no need to help the poor or needy.

If the drug tests do anything more than give the appearance than something is being done there will be a major outcry when liberals start parading "starving children" before the cameras with outrageous claims of why their parent was unable to get "assistance".

As with all other government run programs, this program will be corrupt and subject to political agendas and not run as put forth.

Which, again, is more reason the government shouldn't be involved. Families, Christians and other charities dealing with the needs of people can determine those who are trying to scam them and show them the door while providing a helping hand to the rest.

[BlessedChristianlady8]

I agree with the drug testing and I don't think its invading privacy, your just doing a simple test to find out if your going to abuse the system or not. I wish there are more tests to stop people from abusing the system.
My husband and I been food stamp free for several months and I like that, I don't want to go back in that time, we get enough from ssi now that we can allow certain amount per month of groceries plus ministry one harvest food to order.
Its not too much to feed your family today, its not like your going to have steak and roasts and a good stuff , but you can get by with just simple and traditonal foods.
If I do go back to work in the near or far future, i don't want my tax dollars to go some person that wants to sit, and not do nothing about themselves but, those that actually need it . Our county became two things I don't like one, You can go to the government to get help no problem here is a handout, two families say forget you i am not going to help you, there are governmental programs out there, you know I agree that God put Churches and also families and very close friends and sometimes neighbors to help us not the government, the government is there to help you along not to live off of it.
Years ago when I first got food stamps we had limited amount of food stamps, we asked them why this like like 140 or so, they said that we only are helping you get by not to live off, then later on in years we got our food stamps rose, by the time we had to stop food stamps last year we were up too 336 a month, that is way to much food stamps for us, I am afraid if we go back, we will have that high, Its ashame that our old house we lived in , our neighbors with a little boy had problems and they only got some wic and also food stamps of 30 dollars only 30 dollars and my husband and I at the time had that much money, something is wrong with the system like that.

[John81]

Drug testing will not make much of a difference. The entire system is filled with abuse from top to bottom. One place I worked at had a plant still in the poorer part of town. Every month when the food stamps came out there would be people out in front of our business trying to sell their foodstamps, often for as little as 2-1 or less (you give them 50 dollars, they give you 100 dollars in food stamps).

Does anyone really believe that if a single mother with 6 children tests positive for drugs they are going to cut her off and let the children go hungry?

How many other hoops have been put forth to stop welfare abuse only to see new ways to get around it and also to see the system overwhelmed by those who fail so they system then starts ignoring the results or creating their own ways around the new rules.

[1Timothy115]

I see some passionate comments and I think some folks have a good message. I hope you take it beyond this message board if you have an available outlet.