I vote YES on welfare drug testing

I know it's not a popular subject and the argument is that it costs too much to drug test everyone when the majority of people aren't taking drugs. Unfortunately, I'm not really buying into that theory because what we could save in pay outs could offset the costs of the testing itself.

If the test is done once a year and costs an average of $30, just deduct that cost from their monthly pay out. Spread it over a couple months and they won't even notice that much difference, then the tax payers don't have to cover that as well. It's a small price to pay for having someone else work to support your family.

Not to mention that some states report saving pay outs because people refuse to take the test. No lost money for a test not taken but we save the money that would have been paid out to that person if we hadn't mandated testing to begin with. Here is one story about just such an instance.

Cost of the tests averages about $30. Assuming that 1,000 to 1,500 applicants take the test every month, the state will owe about $28,800-$43,200 monthly in reimbursements to those who test drug-free.

That compares with roughly $32,200-$48,200 the state may save on one month's worth of rejected applicants.

The savings assume that 20 to 30 people -- 2 percent of 1,000 to 1,500 tested -- fail the drug test every month. On average, a welfare recipient costs the state $134 in monthly benefits, which the rejected applicants won't get, saving the state $2,680-$3,350 per month.

But since one failed test disqualifies an applicant for a full year's worth of benefits, the state could save $32,200-$48,200 annually on the applicants rejected in a single month.

Net savings to the state -- $3,400 to $8,200 annually on one month's worth of rejected applicants. Over 12 months, the money saved on all rejected applicants would add up to $40,800-$98,400 for the cash assistance program that state analysts have predicted will cost $178 million this fiscal year.


In some states, they indicated the people are losing their benefits for failing to take the mandatory drug test. I say that's a win/win but some folks think people refused the test because "it's not right". Are people living on the system really going to risk losing their main, or only, source of income on principal? I sure wouldn't.

There are tons of reports that say testing people on welfare is a waste of time. I think those of us that are busting our butts and still living paycheck to paycheck to support these folks that can't/won't work feel differently.

If I have to take a drug test to get a job so that I can be taxed to support those that don't work, they should have to be drug tested to get my hard earned money.

And I don't care what your situation is...everyone has to pass the test, regardless of how "valid" their need is.

Yeah, I'm jealous!

I know I should be happy that we have a place to live and income to pay the bills but I'm really struggling to get out of this funk because it seems like everyone else has such a great life...and I don't.

Ever since I got laid off about 5 years ago, things have gone downhill. It took 9 months to find a job and my severance ran out before that so I was overextended on all my credit cards and never could catch up. Had to file for bankruptcy but I still don't feel like I'm ever going to get ahead...even working 2 jobs.

On top of the financial stress of being a single mom, my son has turned into one of those kids that I swore I'd never raise. He's selfish & lazy and insists on breaking every rule he can. Unfortunately, at 17 1/2 it's too late to "raise him right" so I'm constantly stressed about him.

Add in the fact that I'm not satisfied with either of my jobs & you may understand why I have fallen into a state of depression. It always seems like everyone else has something to celebrate when all I have are regrets. I know they say your attitude determines how happy your life will be buts it's pretty hard to be happy and upbeat when you feel like you're getting knocked down every step of the way. 1 step forward, 4 steps back.

I try not to get jealous of what my friends have but it's so hard to be happy for them when I can't even get a fraction of the joy that they seem to find in life. They have rewarding jobs. Children that did well in school & are driven to succeed. Decent homes, families & friends. I feel like I have none of that. My constant state of worry over my son, finances and mental state have given me ulcers & many sleepless nights.

I'm at the end of my rope & don't know where to go next.

Lighten Up

I'm not one to get excited, or passionate, about things in my life. I can certainly understand that some folks do and they are very vocal about their beliefs. I have no problem with that as long as it doesn't infringe on my right to the pursuit of happiness!

That being said, there's a difference between being passionate and being a complete lunatic. It's a fine line but I feel that many people have crossed that line these days and it must stop. You can't sue people just because they don't agree with your beliefs. You can't sue people because the rules of an institution require you to do something that you don't really want to do. You can't sue people based on discrimination just because you didn't get something you wanted (job, home, etc).

 

In this Story, a family is suing the school because their atheist daughter has to say "under god" when they say the pledge in the morning.

 

Here's a thought...how about she refrain from saying the pledge at all or omit those 2 words if you agree with the rest of it?

 

Why are we using the school when they aren't the ones that wrote it in the first place? It's not like they have the authority to change it.

 

If the school was making her say the pledge each morning, then I could see the parents being outraged; however, it doesn't sound like that is the case. It sounds more like the kid has been saying it all this time and the parents are just looking for attention and maybe some money!

 

I'm so sick of people that look for discrimination in everything and will do anything to get money for nothing!

 

There will always be people that hate you for whatever reason. Unless it makes it impossible for you to go about your daily life, it's not worth stressing over! Suck it up, Move On, Don't be a Baby! This is the real world and it's time we learned to deal with it...without being an ass!
 

 

New Year 2012

Yes, I'm making resolutions for 2012.

Yes, I'll probably abandon most of them by March.

Going through the motions anyway. :)

1. Get healthy & lose weight again.

2. Be more positive.

3. Volunteer somewhere.

4. Stop wasting money.

That should be more than enough to keep me busy this year. Can't wait to see how well I do.

Being free of debt was nice...for the few months it lasted.

I like to think that things happen for a reason. And while that reason is not always clear I can usually roll with whatever happens. Today, I've encountered the one thing that I just can't handle. My car is out of commission.

I cannot stand being without a car. It's my only source of transportation and I cannot stand being dependent on others. Especially when it means I'm depending on someone else to get me to my new job on time.

On top of the gas leak which will require the gas tank to be replaced, the brake pads need replaced and the transmission is slipping. I can't get another car because I have no money left and I can't get a car loan because I don't have any proof of income.

Throw in this chest pain that I'm dealing with and I'm about to lose my mind.

I guess what really bugs me is that I've lived with tons of debt all my life. I lost my job, got severance, paid it all off & then had to charge a bunch of my credit cards back up to live on since it took so long to find a job. Now, what little credit I have left is gonna be charged up fixing the car so I can get to work to make money to pay off the credit cards. What a vicious freaking cycle.

UPDATE: mom found a 2007 recall that might cover the issue. Fingers crossed.

ANY job is not always a Good job!

 Unemployment: A jobs problem or a work problem? – USATODAY.com

The woman interviewed in this article appears to think that people who aren't able to land a job are being too picky and/or aren't trying hard enough. I'm afraid that I must disagree with her observations. She mentions the multiple emails she gets for potential jobs but doesn't say what her area of expertise is. She also doesn't indicate if she actually landed any of those job offers. I think it's unfair of her to make a blanket statement about the job search process because each persons situation is different. Any job is NOT always a good job!

Sure, there are job openings at Burger King, The Dollar Store or Kohl's...but settling for a job making minimum wage is not always the answer. A starting position at those places will get you in the door but will hardly bring home enough money to support a family/household. Unfortunately, some of us only have 1 income to depend on so the rate per hour can be a very important factor in choosing a job...especially when taking a job means you lose your unemployment.

I can understand her thought process to a certain extent but people taking low paying jobs they don't want/like is a huge contributing factor in the poor level of service that consumers receive in almost every area of the U.S. today. See more on my feelings about this issue here.

I had several potential job offers during my 8 months of unemployment but they paid less than what I would make on unemployment and required that I drive to another town to the office. Does that really make sense? When I have set expenses and a child to raise...NO, IT DOESN'T! That may be what is stopping some people from taking jobs that are available.

Or, it could be the overabundance of other job seekers that are just starting out and are willing/able to accept a lower hourly rate because they have another source of income or they are younger and still living at home.

It's also been my experience that people without a degree but lots of experience are at the biggest disadvantage. I believe this is due to us falling in the middle of what employers are looking for...experience with a degree or no experience & willing to start at minimum wage. Unfortunately, I have a family to provide for and minimum wage just isn't gonna cut it..at least not while I can still claim unemployment for more than that!

Luckily, my waiting paid off and I landed a job paying more than unemployment, although not as much as my previous job. I expected that so it wasn't a surprise when I got the offer. At least now I know I can become a productive member of society again and don't have to worry about how I'm going to pay my bills each month.

I hope the job market turns around soon and that all those folks that desperately want to work can find decent paying jobs to support their families.