Not Druggies After All: 96 Percent of Florida Welfare Applicants Pass Tea Party Governor's Drug Test

probably... haha the bald nipple nibbler

One hell of a quote.

Agreed!

I hope you're not saying that this waste of money was worthwhile. People should not be forced to take drug tests on the whim of an ignorant governor. He wasted more than he saved.

well that depends. How much is 2% of one month of welfare and how much did it cost? Simple math really.

If they did the testing at the end of the month before the checks came out it could be considered sheer idiocy, except if people were loaded before they got the check where did they get the money or dope? Implies an illegal side business.

The did a similar thing in Minnesota while back. They required all people recieving assistance to undergo job search training which took so long that if they were cheats who had a secret job they wouldn't be able to go to it. Got a lot of frauds that way.

In any case if the cost of the testing was more than the money saved it's still stupid. I know I'm sounding totally heartless here, but it's a minimum value argument. We could talk about how cruel and bigoted it might be, but those values are subjective. The dollars and cents can't be argued with though.

I understand your point, but don't forget that drug addicts are drug addicts and will find a way to procure and use drugs with or without money. Drug abuse is not something that can be turned on for a few days and then turned off when the money runs out. Indeed, if that were the case, its not really addiction then, is it? If someone smokes a couple joints at the beginning of the month, they may very well be "hot" at the end of the month, because it takes days, if not weeks, for marijuana to get out of one's system. The harder drugs, such as cocaine or heroin are more soluble and get out much more quickly. But, they are harder drugs and anyone using them is pretty much strung out and doing whatever it takes to get them i.e. theft, prostitution, etc. Your comment, which I've heard before, although humorous, reflect stereotypes, not reality.

so money=value and people=? in your equation. You are talking about people with nothing. They have already been pushed out of the way and most likely on purpose. Where is compassion for another that is less fortunate than you? Lost in the maker, taker mentality?

I am not saying that compassion is misplaced here. I'm saying that even if you completely remove compassion from the equation and think of this like a sociopathic billionaire it still probably doesn't work.

Remember there will always be people who think this way, and they are the ones with the money.

True, but this whole thing is about stereotypes to begin with. They made a law based on the assumption that stereotypes wee accurate and it didn't pan out the way they thought it would.

That does not mean however, that they won't simply just change their stereotype slightly and try again.

you can't afford asparagus on welfare. Think government cheese.

you can't afford diapers but asparagus from Vietnam these days is cheap, wonder if we know anybody there

The point is to give 'em more than they bargained for when you pee in their cup.

It grows wild in places.

Addicts always have enough money to buy drugs if they have any money at all.. Drugs come first. Before everything. Traditionally the big drug buying day is th day they get their check. After that it's catch as catch can.

experienced are you?

I'm a landlord. One of the downsides is you see the undersides of a lot of lives. And before that I lived in a lot of slums. I also knew a few dealers back in the day. I notice you're not debating it.

I also see the global search and uprate/downrate bots are still functioning. Entertaining how suddenly every post you made no matter where or when suddenly goes down. This probably has more to do with shanklinmike's political stuff than this thread though.

Indeed, others should up or down a comment for it's own value. There are individuals who I don't particularly care for, but I do maintain a standard of judging things on their own merit.

HE owned such a lab, but assures us he has no interests in it... since he turned it over to his wife.

Did he ever get his wish for testing all state employees quarterly also? Nice little chunk of change to be made there too.

But the state has to refund the money for negative tests. What profit will they make? Don't worry there'll be another way to profit from the poor. Just wait a few more weeks.

probably some kind of gov't subsidy involved for their trouble

JP Morgan manages these issues for us here in FL, makes you feel warm and fuzzy.

Do they make a profit when those cards are used?

I didn't get to see the contract they signed with the state, but I know from exp that generally the card company gets more money for more processing. 1-500 cards is a base of $250 a month, 500-1000 cards is $500 and so on, and so on with additional fees for processing of course. Makes you wonder why they would want people off the system when if they are on it more money goes to their friends from the gov't and there can also be control over many aspects of purchasing and consumption of the masses, something that might be profitable if those same friends were speculating in commodities as they are.

All the people that need welfare to survive in these systems.

The post states, "The savings assume that 20 to 30 people — 2 percent of 1,000 to 1,500 tested — fail the drug test every month." If the test costs $40.00 per test, that's $40,000.00 per month to a drug testing company. $40,000.00 that could be put to better purpose. Plus, when you consider the added staff to implement the program, I'm sure the overall cost is much, much higher. Taking away resources, which were designated to help the poor and giving it to corporations to check poor people's pee, just seems un-American.

Right is wrong, wrong is right? It's an "Assault on Reason".

Agreed. Maybe the governor can also instigate death camps to kill off that extra four percent. They are such a burden on society anyway. Besides, it is not like rich people, or their children, do drugs at all. God bless them.

If you were not understanding my message, that was called sarcasm. The four percent which did not pass the test should be helped even more than those on welfare. They need help, and your disdain is not at all helping them turn a new leaf. We have a huge poor problem in the United States, but our leaders would much rather blow up civilians in Libya with $2 million missiles than feed our poor.

He owned a lab that does such tests. But he doesn't so no conflict of interest. Except he turned it over to his wife. So his motives are not so much unquestionable concern for the public purse.

People shouldn't starve because they are sick. Why not a chance at rehab? You can bet they have children. If they refuse rehab then they should be penalized , but the children would suffer then. If the state has to care for the children, there is still no savings for anyone. This program should have been given more thought.

You can bet the military contractors are making out like bandits and I'll bet some of our current and former politicians are sharing in the bounty.

Wether the children of the rich do drugs or not is not the issue. The issue is the use of public money in this scenario. YOur attempt to ataogorize my response concerning the 4% as "distain" is absurd. Rehab was not part of the original post. Stop changing the rules in mid stream and being peeved at me. It is the job of the gov to apply due diligence in the spending of the publics money. Your last sentence doesn't even belong here.

Neither the gov or his family should profit from this. However, that is another issue altogether and has nothing to do with this thread.

See my comment above. No where do I oppose any rehab. My comment is on the gov. duty to provide due diligence.

Oh, the fact that his family owns a lab that processes such tests is very essential to any honest discussion of the thread topic. Why do you want it omitted? It is pertinent, especially considering Rick Scott's little legal problems with massive fraud done by other company under his stewardship. He has a history that needs close watching ANYTIME medical labs and the government he heads up bump uglies

Right on, we are all very close to being on welfare ourselves. Every individual on the planet is entitled to the pursuit of happiness as long as it's not at the expense of another. Takers and makers...phooey.

I've had friends post on facebook, giving kudos to drug testing in Florida, justifying it by saying, "if we have to pass a drug test to work, they should pass a drug test to get welfare" Many of them are drinkers. That's like a sightsaver, picking on a blind person. They are both far from perfect.

Many people would do better if they didn't drink alcohol, but who am I to 'judge' what they do? Too many people, allow people to mislead them ito thinking, forcing people to urinate in a cup, confiscating their body fluid, is acceptable. One's urine has surpassed the value of one's abilities.

What one does in the privacy of their own home, should be judged by their actions, not their pee. Talk about an up is down world. Politicians and our media can 'spin' people into believing anything. Two wrongs don't make a right. One's urine should not outweigh one's work, or rights. We 'still' have a right to privacy. They haven't changed the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They just chose to ignore it. Sad, sad, sad!

The beautiful thoughts this country was founded on were never allowed to be.

I love you, Connie! I despise drug testing in any arena. It is the biggest money and time waster. The assumption is that someone who tests positive for drugs is irresponsible, a junky, an addict. Addiction is a disease that needs treatment. Tell me why a person with a disease does not deserve to receive food benefits? And it also carries the assumption that all of those who test positive are not actually on drugs. Any true drug user is privy to the ways to pass a drug test. I could tell you now how to pass any urine drug screen and I do not do drugs. I hate them. But I do not hate the people who have been caught up in the disease of addiction. I have seen many a soul usurped through drugs and it is a sad sad thing to watch. But not something that can be fixed by with-holding employment or government assistance. Just another excuse to punish the downtrodden for not being rich.

The new breeds don't even try to hide their disdain for ordinary Americans.

ordinary Americans are blinded to the world around them and until they start looking around and seeing some truths may continue to receive the world's disdain. We are supposed to be the beginning of the beautiful dream and instead we need to see that is not the case.

I am sure Rick Scott's friends got the multi-million dollar contracts to do the testing through Wells Fargo or some such nonsense.

this rich assholes need to go... Oligarchy no more. Bastille Day anyone?

A new day for sure, may it dawn tomorrow.

Good point darling.

Probably something more potent....

"He also tried passing a law that would in effect declare all non christian religions criminal!"

Wow, nothing worse than a christian politician who doesn't understand the separation of church and state, I think this is one of the main points used to trick the christian mass, argue this point with your average person in southern Ohio, and well, good luck!

I was thinking of moving to Tennessee. Grew up in California. Living is Washington State, but I think I am Southern at heart. My daughter who stayed there for 3 months, said people were real friendly.... and polite. Now being Christian, finally, I do believe, like Steve Earle sings it, "God,in my little understanding, don’t care what name I call. Whether or not I believe doesn’t matter at all." Peace be upon you.

He apparently doesn't understand Christianity either. But that ain't unusual for politicians.

We got some good folks but we also got some of the most ignorant,hateful TURDS you can imagine. Mostly in State Government!

Christians always care for the poor , the sick and the elderly; not the richest in society. There's a big difference. The posers today are just that . Remember peace , hope, love and charity....

Or they're just on the synthetic garbage that can't be traced in a drug test, like Anonmaly mentioned...

If a drug dealer can't afford $50, then he ain't turned pro.

Maybe you misinterpreted my text? No offense, I was definitely saying that their drug money was used to take the test and buy the detox kit they needed to pass it.

The dealers probably make small change in comparison to the ones they work for. I'm sure if they were on welfare, Scott would have scoured for criminal records to make sure they didn't benefit. All of this is just another dog whistle for white supremacists anyway. He could care less about drug use. He was trying to make money off of the poor. It is so easy to take people's minds off what you're doing wrong by blaming someone else. Race and elitism color our thinking mightily in this country.They are great dividers and effective money-making schemes. Most of the purveyors have never held an honest job, but sure know how to seperate poor people from theirs.

"For a hamburger today, I will gladly repay you on Tuesday." Wimpy (from Popeye)

I agree, but at the ballot box, please.

They can when they sell drugs, too.I'm not saying everyone on welfare is a drug dealer/user, but a good percentage obviously are.

They obviously are NOT. Mr. Scotts drug testing plan has provided "Empirical" evidence that contradicts your theory.

Each and every aspirant to public office should be teated as should all sitting government officials. Hell,I`m all for a mental evaluation for any Republican/Tea Poisoner/Libertarians,even thinking of running.

That explains a Lot.

and (sorry to reply late) and.... the $30 they charged the welfare recipient is refunded to them if they pass. Solantic Clinics wont be refunding the $30 they received. Mrs Scott will keep that money. The $30 refund comes out of the Florida State Checkbook. Tax payer get stuck for $60. The guise of the whole drug testing was to save the tax payers money. Weed out the welfare abusers. Ended costing tax payers twice as much.

This is also not a one time testing. This was entered into our state laws. All new welfare recipients will be tested as well as random past recipients. A nice monthly pay check for the Scot's.

I saw a documentary on Current about oxycodone use in Florida. They said that people in Kentucky and some other states fly to Broward to get cheap drugs to sell. Is that true?

It still benefits him. Slimeball.

Remember he was caught defrauding the govt and paid one of the largest fines ever assessed.

we call it hillbilly heroin. I don't know of the traffic for prescriptions. But I know a doctor near me that rubber stamps oxy scripts to anyone. You don't even have to fake a problem. Just come right in and say you want some. Pay the office visit and off to walmart pharmacy.

Until the law is repealed he will continue to get paid too. His predecessor, Gov. Criss, spent his first year in office undoing all the money panhandling laws Jeb Bush created. Jeb embraced the word "privatize" and closed state offices, Fired employes in the name of fiscal responsibility, and gave the contract to his political contributors. State payroll, and unemployment check deposits went to an accounting firm in Va. Criss stopped it and rehired state accountants and did the state checks out of the state of Florida. Republicans told Criss not to run for re-election. Criss wanted a different state office. They wanted Scott to take his place. Basically someone that would write laws in their favor. Criss was a decent governor. He did things to help Florida. He wasn't a saint. But correcting money laundering at state level and putting Florida State employees back to work he did. Imagine that? A republican that created jobs and saved money.. No wonder he lost his job.

I would assume that it is I saw the same documentary. But they were testing the unemployed for illegal drugs. The people in the documentary had legal prescription drugs. As underhanded as it was.