At first glance it seems reasonable doesn't it? I worked for the Department of Corrections for over 20 years and was randomly drug test many times. All the tests were negative and should have been since I was not using any drugs unless one would test for blood pressure or cholesterol medications. If I had to test to continue my employment and pay taxes which ultimately provide the welfare benefits shouldn't those folks have to drug test to receive them? It seems so easy to jump to the conclusion that Kevin did. Fuck 'em, make 'em test! It would seem to me that it must be a bit easier being Kevin than it is being Bodine-DILLIGAF. I can't seem to see things in such black and white terms. Everything has tones and shades. Right and wrong are in flux, dependant on circumstances.
What was the purpose of drug testing where I worked? First, there were guys in the towers with guns. They were prepared to shoot to save my life or someone else if it was necessary. It is an interesting experience to go to the office every year or two and have a hostage photo taken. You want them to know what you look like when the lead flies.When you are making life and death decisions I think sobriety is a reasonable expectation everyone on the receiving end of a gun barrel expects. The second was to avoid trafficking substances to inmates. I have had to deal with inmates who were clearly under the influence of some substance. When you give a violent individual a substance that reduces their ability to reason and be reasoned with it is not a good place to be. Third, the public has a reasonable expectation that those involved in public safety employment will themselves, as a example, follow the law. So clearly there were reasons that appear to me to be rational for requiring drug testing at least in my workplace.
What is the intent when advocating for testing of individuals applying for or receiving welfare? The first thing that comes to mind is punishment. Those lazy drug using pieces of shit are sitting back doing nothing while I'm out here busting my ass and barely making ends meet. They watch the same cable TV shows, eat the same or better food, drive their welfare Caddy, play video games all day and get high. They get for free all the stuff I work for and they get to you drugs while they do it. Doesn't it sound somewhat like a 4 year old kid yelling at the top of his lungs: "It's not FAIR!!!!!!" If you have seen the true face of drug addiction, the track mark scars up the arms of a real user then you understand they don't have those things. The truly addicted have two things on their mind. First, where am I getting my next hit. Second, what do I have to do to get enough money to pay for it. The second intent was voiced by Florida Governor Rick Scott. It was his contention that the state would save money by forcing drug users off public assistance. In practice that idea failed on an epic level. Only 2% of applicants tested positive and the state of Florida was forced to reimburse everyone else for the cost of the drug test in addition to pay for staff and administrative costs of the program. It didn't fare any better in the courts. United States District Court Judge Mary S Scriven ruled the legislation violated the constitutional protection against unreasonable searches. The court held that warrantless, suspicionless drug testing was unconstitutional. In Minnesota state officials determined that participants in their welfare program were LESS likely to have felony drug convictions than the population as a whole. In Missourithe state spent $493,000 on testing referring 636 for drug tests out of 32,511 welfare applicants. Only 20 came back positive and 200 refused to comply. Even if all 200 were drug users the cost of $2,200 per positive result is more than the median benefit in the state.
It appears that we are left with a program that is ineffective, expensive and according to one judge unconstitutional. The other thing we are left with is a large segment of the population that is just continually pissed off. They are struggling to achieve the American dream. A dream that seems at their fingertips yet somehow still out of reach. Doing the right thing seems to have no reward and doing the wrong thing appears to have no ill consequences.
Welcome to my world. A world with no answers, just more questions. I don't know what is right in this case but I do know being pissed off about it solves nothing. So DILLIGAF, my friend DILLIGAF.
I first check my blog in the morning to see if I made any typos, then check yours to see a really good one. I am Salieri to your Mozart. Excellent commentary. Oh,and I love the story about the oven up in the quilt alcove. Everything has a story, doesn't it?
ReplyDelete