PEACE ON EARTH

GOODWILL TOWARD ALL MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, BORN AND UNBORN

Thursday, September 24, 2009

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Conditioning Benefits on Behavior

What if there were some measure of good behavior built into the "system" such that public benefits were conditioned on a blend of not only need but good conduct.

What if drug testing were a mandatory requirement of receiving public benefits? It is against the law to use them and most major employers request them of non professional staff-so why does anyone getting a public assistance check not have to take one? What if you had to have a regular blood test (which could also be used to screen for HIV free at the same time)

Discrimination against drug addicts you say? Anyone who doesn't test well is given instead information on treatment centers and rehabs. Will this drive addicted people to an underground market and life of crime on the streets if they are not given public assistance checks? Aren't addicts doing that anyway? Why subsidize it? Who would pay for the testing? Does it come out of the check if received or is it a free public health service. Should there be public health offices next to every unemployment office?

One of my eccentric aunts calls this the "Urine or You're OUT" program.

What say you? Just stuff to chew on.

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