The state of Georgia has recently passed a law that would require welfare recipients to be drug tested. Apparently, Republicans were for the law and Democrats were against it. One question: Why would Democrats be against such a common sense measure? Are they playing political games again and trying to appeal to the welfare crowd in hopes of keeping and expanding a voting bloc?
Isn’t it common sense to ensure that tax dollars are not being wasted on crack, meth, marijuana or other drugs? After all, citizens are paying taxes out the wazoo to support the entitlement crowd. Why not make sure that whoever is receiving benefits are not using it to buy drugs?
Many working in the private sector are drug tested all the time, so why treat welfare recipients differently?
Democrats state that this requirement would cause a burden to the recipients. The law will require recipients to pay for the test which runs $30.00 to $35.00, but if the test returns negative, then the recipient would be reimbursed with their first benefit check. Since the recipient is being reimbursed, no burden is created in actuality. And of course, Democrats are also using their typical rhetoric by claiming that Republicans are simply trying to “bash the poor”.
A similar bill was passed by the state of Florida, but of course the ACLU stepped in on behalf of a recipient that refused the testing. The Florida law has now been put on hold by a federal judge because it supposedly violates the Fourth Amendment: unreasonable search and seizure.
When did welfare become a right under the Constitution? And if the practice of drug testing is constitutional for the private sector employee, why wouldn’t it be for a welfare recipient? After all, those private sector employees are footing the bill for the welfare recipient.
We don’t see such a fuss over drug testing in the private sector simply because people prefer to work. And if one isn’t doing drugs, what’s the big deal?
I’m glad states are beginning to clamp down, or are at least trying to. The next step should be implementing strict oversight to tackle welfare fraud.
It’s time the feds let states govern themselves and stop using the Constitution to block things that are indeed constitutional, but simply not liked by Democrats. It seems the only time Democrats actually care about the Constitution is when they try to use it wrongly through their political games.
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