Michigan Foodstamp Program Soon To Require Drug Tests

[Celliach]

hes in jeopardy apparently if he uses any illegal drugs...

 

sounds like hes forced by implication to stay on their plan... or move to the streets.

 

....and you don't think that's wrong?

[mibrains]

also..

 

to be honest i feel like they aren't picking on poor people because they are being vindictive against the poor so they can feel superior... although they could.. it is still the only classification not protected by the fair housing act ...  you can judge a person still legally in this country for their financial position. 

 

they pick on poor people because they are easier targets...

 

no money to defend themselves.. so they typically roll over and take it...

 

reality is sometimes very harsh...

 

this is not an easy world to live in...

[Celliach]

First they drug tested the FIP recipients, and I didn't care because I wasn't on FIP

 

Then they drug tested the Section 8 recipients, and I didn't care because I didn't use Section 8.

 

Then they drug tested all the Social Security recipients..............

[mibrains]

....and you don't think that's wrong?

 

of course i think that's wrong..

 

absolutely on some levels...

 

and on other levels i understand their argument..

 

if you have to live under their roof... then i suppose you have to follow their rules.

[mibrains]

it seems like most of this would be unneeded if cannabis were legalized.

[+Malamute]

What if that rule is to not be gay? or to not be black? or to not be jewish?

 

It is no ones business if you happen to use drugs.  Use doesn't mean abuse. 

 

 Plus, it is an invasion of privacy and unconstitutional.  Just as discrimination based on the color of your skin or race or religion.

 

 I believe the constitution protects peoples privacy and bodily fluids. The simple presence of THC in your system does not mean you spent money on the illegal drug.

 

 I don't get how and why people support the drug war and the weapons they use against us. Drug testing is one of the main weapons of choice used against the general populace.

[northerngal]

First they drug tested the FIP recipients, and I didn't care because I wasn't on FIP

 

Then they drug tested the Section 8 recipients, and I didn't care because I didn't use Section 8.

 

Then they drug tested all the Social Security recipients..............

 

Social Security is a fund that you paid into.  If you don't pay, you don't receive.  (except when drawing off a parent or spouse and in that case, they paid in)

 

Different type of program altogether in my eyes.

 

I do get your point otherwise.

[+Malamute]

Why only cannabis?

 

 What about psilocybin? Or any other drug?

 

Who are you or we to judge?

 

 Espescially to judge illegal drug users as we all are.

[mibrains]

because this is a medical cannabis site.

 

and i didn't judge anyone..

 

nor would i.. that my friend is up to God.

 

if it were up to me.. i would follow the steps the Portuguese people have taken in regards to illegal drugs. 

 

i am not a social worker... i would not be good at it.. no way.

 

but if someone came in and continually showed signs of illegal drug abuse.. and they were not following clearly established guidelines... i would want a tool to bring to bear so that the person in the program is following the established rules.

 

change those rules.. or live with them.. or get out of the program in question..

Edited May 7, 2013 by mibrains

[+Malamute]

....... and this shows exactly why we haven't ended the drug war yet. 

 

 And even if these people are users,... they have to be working.  I mean, there are people working at Walmart that get this aid for the program. Minimum wage workers all over who are unable to paythe bills and get minor assistance when they have kids and are dead broke and unable to keep up. (besides the "welfare" given as tax deductions to parents).

 

There ya go,...Maybe ANYONE who gets a tax deduction for having kids as dependants should take a drug test to see if they now deserve it.  You could be spending that money on drugs.

[mibrains]

interesting spin....

 

if they are working at walmart... or wherever...

 

and buying illegal drugs...

 

they need not be in the program.

 

if its illegal... its not ok.

 

sorry but right and wrong.. and all the other emotions don't play into this..

 

if in the program you need...it is clearly established... no illegal drugs.. then don't do illegal drugs.

 

stick to the legal ones.

 

or get out of the program...

 

doesn't seem so difficult... or even wrong.. 

 

should there be illegal drugs? IMHO - no.

 

but there is.

 

so....

[+Malamute]

So we should cut you off of all your disability assistance then?

 

You are saying, you do not deserve disability? Because you use an illegal drug?

 

 And you feel that is right?

[+Malamute]

I am saying, drugs should have NOTHING to do with it.

[+Malamute]

Just because you use drugs, does not mean you bought them.

 

Wow.

 

 People are really weird. I can't believe how programmed peoples minds are on this.

[mibrains]

im not on disability...

 

it seems like a contract issue... some drugs are currently illegal.

 

they should have nothing to do with it.. i agree absolutely.

 

however.. at this time.. in this country.. they do.

[rockinlespaul]

That's a whole lotta drug testing...

[northerngal]

Just as reference:  Google searches on the FIP program and its guidelines do not provide an accurate picture on how the program is run. 

 

There are many exceptions to "the rules".  There are several young people on the program that DO NOT work.  (of course, due to the "exceptions")  The guideline of 48 months has been in place for many years and is only recently being implemented.  Personally, I worked with several young mothers that used FIP as a "crutch" and had for many years, by producing a child every few years.  (one of those "exceptions".)  

 

It is late, I will reserve the rest of my thoughts/opinions on this subject until sleep is achieved and more thought is given to the matter.

[solabeirtan]

There is no legal premise for any drug testing. These programs evolved out of the US Military programs. Think it was Reagun started some defunct govt organisation that seemed to only exist for those few short hours that allegedly condoned its use. Most of it is done 'Voluntarily' by employes of Major National Corps. Not really legal until you volunteer, course it will be detrimental to your future at said employer if you dont. For usually minimum wage jobs, slim chance of any benes, no retirement, no insurance and no union. 

[GregS]

Sorry,.... I just don't get how so many people can call themselves Christians and people think we live in a Christian nation while we punish people and would rather see them homeless to fulfill some inner superiority and moral righteousness.

Goldman Sachs’s Lloyd Blankfein famously said that what he does is “God’s work.”

 

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/255237/november-11-2009/goldman-sachs-does-god-s-work

 

This is one of the guys who blew out the housing market, gave the recession a hard kick start, and cost people their livelihoods and property.

Edited May 7, 2013 by GregS

[GregS]

When did it become a RIGHT for people to receive "welfare"?   

 

If only 1-2% of recipients are drug abusers, than this will not affect many, will it?   

 

To be elgible for the F.I.P program, you must have minor children at home.  If a parent has enough money to support a "habit" - they should not need the taxpayers money to care for their children.  Should they?  If a family is receiving money from this program, they are supposed to set goals to become independent, not receive it for life.

The rights in question are the Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments, which speak to privacy, to the Constitution ng. It is because this policy proposal runs afoul of those that it is bound to fail. There is no getting around them.

Edited May 7, 2013 by GregS

[solabeirtan]

Goldman Sachs’s Lloyd Blankfein famously said that what he does is “God’s work.”

 

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/255237/november-11-2009/goldman-sachs-does-god-s-work

Does God charge interest too? 

[GregS]

Does God charge interest too? 

Oddly enough, the Old Testament prohibits usury, which is the laying on of interest, and debts were required to be altogether forgiven every seven years:

 

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you.

 

Deuteronomy : 1-3

 

 

 

Exodus 22:25 - If thou lend money to [any of] my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

 

Ezekiel 18:13 - Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

 

Ezekiel 22:12 - In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.

 

Ezekiel 18:8 - He [that] hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, [that] hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

 

Deuteronomy 23:19 - Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:

 

Ezekiel 18:17 - [That] hath taken off his hand from the poor, [that] hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

 

Leviticus 25:37 - Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.

 

Jeremiah 15:10 - Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; [yet] every one of them doth curse me.

 

Proverbs 28:8 - He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

 

There are many more. Dunno which god Blankfein was talking about, but it sure isn't this one. If it is, He sure did not bless America.

Edited May 7, 2013 by GregS

[solabeirtan]

Greg you did it you figured it out. It's not our God we've been worshipping. It's there God, our Nations Bankers? It's an impostor. Appointed by WoodRow W., Dec 23, 1913 and they Christened it the FED. So we had National Soverenity for xx years 1776 - 1913. Sorta. It was the birth of a Nation. Then sadly its demise. As we grasped for freedom, we showed we had the power to touch the stars. [Ok it was our own moon, but hey we in the Book, Guiness that is.] Where we go from here. I think we have to put on the thinking caps again. MaYBE TURN TO A NEWER GENERATION. Something ....

Edited May 7, 2013 by solabeirtan

[Celliach]

I've been complaining about usury most of my adult life.  I like to use it as an example of how our society has twisted the word of Christ by changing the meaning of a word over time to make it mean something that it didn't mean in Christ's time.

 

Usury evolved from meaning "interest" to meaning "excessive interest."  It's a travesty.

[phaquetoo]

I remember reading that on the application form, you are asked if you use illegal drugs. If you mark yes , well... Otherwise, there has to be a reason for testing, it is not across the board. If you don't pass, you have to pay for the test, and enroll in a substance abuse program. I guess our lawmakers figure such a person will use the money once use for illegal drugs to pay for the test and treatments. Only those receiving FIA benefits, not food stamps or other services are affected.

If you get cash assistance while waiting on your social security, when you get ssi or ssdi they make you pay back the cash bennys, but not the food stamps or mi adult health (medicaid)

 

Now something ive not had to deal with thank your god for me, is section 8, it is my understanding when a welfare recipient recieves cash funds for rental ect, if the get sction 8 involved the land lord usualy has to spend a fortune to bring the home upto date, than section 8 pays your rent and welfare goes to you, um double dipping! I have a friend, he was renting a schitt hole, his land lord said he cant afford to bring the house up to code, (I dont know how that works) but he wound up selling the house instead of fixing it, my friends dad bought it, my friend and his friends brought it upto code, and section 8 paid the mortgage for that house,(like I said Im not sure of the inside details but that is what happend)

 

But Im sorry I realy dont think the bridge card should pay for coffee or pop or alot of .b.s that the pay for, come on they will let you buy a cart full of coffee but not let you buy cooked food from you groceri store, I think thats a little back arse wards, no I know that is back arse wards!

 

Now another thing me and other people are collecting some kind of help form the state as well as feds, I smoke tobaco! It is a fortune to buy cartons or packs of ciggerettes, Im pretty sure if I didnt roll our own we would not be able to do some of the things we do as a family that cost lots of money for a few days!  When I roll my own cigs it cost me 1 buck a pack, even from the very beginning, when you buy the rolling machine, 2lbs of tobaco and 1000 filter tubes, now that is gonna run ya around 100 bucks, and thats with a decent machine, I get 4 cartons out of 2.lbs of tobaco for under 50, and the machine is like 50, than after that you maybe getting your smokes for like under a buck a pack!

 

These frickin no brain teens and young 20 yr olds with no jobs, go and buy that pack of marlboro for over 5 bucks for 1 pack, they (my step kids)come here and always run out of there pre packaged cigs, they have no money, and want to smoke my cigs!!!

  I give them 1 cig and say you best go to town and get some, and maybe you should buy a lil pouch and roll your own you cant afford prepacked cigs!  my old lady will start giving them to them, I tell her (and I love her more than any one could beleive) your gonna be rolling your own cigs ( I roll them all)  she will smart back off to me, soo I will buy pre packed na na , Im like and i know how much you smoke, for every pack you buy, I get the same amount of cash for my pocket bawahahhahaha!  And Im still rolling all the smokes here, and it realy is not a prob, i watch the news and roll enough for the next day or more and done!

 

 

I think Ive had to much coffee, blah blah blah blah!

 

Peace

Jim