Thread: Thoughts from a hard working Aussie(Not Me!)

I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to earn that pay cheque, as I work on a mine site or a Kalgoorlie construction project, I am required to pass a random urine test, with which I have no problem.

What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare cheque because I have to pass one to earn it for them??

Please understand - I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do on the other hand have a problem with helping someone sit on their arse drinking piss & smoking dope.

Could you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance cheque?????

HEAR HEAR!!!

well said sir.

Meh, urine tests cost too much and a family can't even survive on welfare cheques in Ontario, so drug abuse isn't that much of a problem.
Now drug use in the workforce... A huge percentage of our workforce takes the occasional toke, but for some reason our society didn't slip into anarchy. Go figure....

Also, urine tests (at least a few years ago) were really unreliable.

Speaking of not slipping into anarchy, Björn's country is case and point.

I think the success or failure of a nation having legalized marijuana use goes more to the national psyche than most people think. Some countries (Netherlands) do fine....others (US?) may not.....moderation is not one of our strong points.

When I was a cop in Baltimore, I would watch on "check day" as those on the dole would go to ATMs and use their State benefits card (done in Maryland to save $$$ on printing checks) to get cash and then walk right past the grocery store to the local open air drug market. I knew families on their 3d or 4th generation of being on welfare. There was even a man who would pay straners to have sex with his daughters to get them pregnant so they could get more benefits.


I think in the US could legalize drugs do it if it were done by prescription...go to Walgreens and get your pot fix...or heroin, etc. It would be clean, safe, come with info for counseling, etc. It would cripple the drug trade, as the mark up over cost on cocaine and heroin is, we figured out one day, around the equivalent of paying $15 for a small cup of plain 7-11 drip coffee. Since it costs significantly less, one might see a drop in thefts to support the habit.

I like the urine test idea...along with having to prove that you are looking for work (that can be faked, but at least you have to expend some effort faking it), and those on the dole being made to earn the money by doing jobs for which the city/state doesn't have enough staff (within reason)...of course, the State Employee unions won't allow that.

Here you have to provide some proof. Ofcourse there are always people abusing the system but it worked with my mom and I when we came to Canada and ran out of our money without her finding work. We spent about 6 months on the dole before she lined up a string of temp jobs that led to her permanent employment. We would have been offended if she had to undergo drug testing.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Here you have to provide some proof. Ofcourse there are always people abusing the system but it worked with my mom and I when we came to Canada and ran out of our money without her finding work. We spent about 6 months on the dole before she lined up a string of temp jobs that led to her permanent employment. We would have been offended if she had to undergo drug testing.

Offended but fed right?

Being out of work right now and living in a state who's economy is doing a good impression of death throws I am currently embarrassed to be getting unemployment checks. I expect to have to pee in a cup to get a job I would not be any more offended or embarrassed to pee in a cup in between jobs.

Just because a person is down on his/her luck doesn't mean that their privacy should be invaded that way. Speaking of which, I'm appalled at the fact that you have to do that for non L.E. jobs.