The Benefits of Clean Urine...In Florida

If you have not heard, the state of Florida has instituted a drug testing policy for welfare applicants. Many of the citizens (potential applicants) are calling this a violation of their "constitutional rights." Of course, this forced me to re-read the constitution just to be sure, that my opinion on the matter did not violate anyone's "constitutional right to "toke!"

 

 

Of course, there are people out there that really need the assistance they receive; I would never argue against taking that away. I just think about the times when I am in the grocery store, attempting to budget $75 for a week's worth of groceries. The shopper behind me has two overflowing carts filled with fruit roll-ups, tons of soda, chips and a various assortment of microwavable meals and sugary cereals. Of course, I am not one to critique a person’s diet, but when that EBT card gets whipped out, and my tax dollars go to purchasing over three hundred dollars of what I quickly equate to "munchies" (I know I stereotyped), I do get a little perturbed; not at the food choice, but the method of payment.

 

 

However, back to the point of the drug test; people that work for their money are subjected to drug tests. Those that "aren't working" but receiving assistance should also be held to a standard...especially since most of them have children/dependents that need to break the welfare cycle. Therefore, by testing the recipient/ steward of the assistance, you decrease the potential of the dependants in the situation being exposed to drugs. Those dependents rely on that assistance for food and shelter...not for the steward of the assistance to utilize drugs; whether it is habitual or recreational.

 

 

Without a doubt, there is always an underlining story of controversy-

 

 

Just a small snippet from http://www.eurthisnthat.com/:

"Florida welfare laws that require applicants to submit to drug testing has gone into effect and the heat of controversy is afoot. The residents are just a few days into the legislation signed off by the governor last month because there’s a shroud of sinister intention behind the law.

According to the CNN report, Florida’s welfare applicants are responsible for paying for the drug test as a part of the application process for aid. They will be reimbursed for the drug test if they pass. But, the problem that Democrats are having with this seemingly unconstitutional law, is that in the not so distant past, governor Rick Scott co-founded a company that runs walk-in urgent care clinics in Florida and drug screening is among the services they provide.

It’s a little more than suspicious that he would push for such legislation in the state. And to throw the scent off his trail, in April, he sorta kinda broke ties with the company by transferring his interest in Solantic Corp. to a trust in his wife’s name and stating that they would not contract state business."

I just hope that this new requirement is truly meant as a means of rectifying the seriousness of drug use and influence in impoverished neighborhoods and not a means of further enriching governor Rick Scott.

Of course, if there wasn't testing for jobs, I would not be in support of testing for benefits and I wouldn't push this agenda for every state...only those that have "testing" for jobs also-and I wouldn’t require welfare applicants to pay for their own tests...pass or fail. I say this because some of the people that receive welfare benefits seem to get caught in a web that can span generations...because drugs have a way of bringing complacency and a sense of normalcy to bad situations, regardless of your "hood" being a trailer park or the projects.

Debt Ceiling/ Deficit Reduction...Senator Recall

Why is America constantly faced with a self-inflicted crisis? Why in the middle of economic peril are the "haves" somehow having even more and the "have-nots" somehow have even less? With the debt ceiling/ deficit reduction talks going on now, it may get even worse. What will be cut will be taken from those that don't have anything left to give. The temporary fixes, if you can call them that, coming from Mitch McConnell and Eric Cantor are a slap in the face to the citizens of this country. More on what to do about them later...

With deficit reduction and the debt ceiling increase taking center stage on America's political landscape, Iceland and Greece immediately come to mind. Because Iceland went bankrupt and defaulted on $85 Billion in debt and Greece Gets World’s Lowest Credit Rating by Fitch on July 13, 201, cutting their rating three levels from B+ to CCC. Iceland definitely has a way to go to recover, but the Credit Raters Who Didn’t Predict Iceland Crisis Miss Rebound. Because Iceland defaulted, recovery is taht much harder, and expensive. How do you feel about the debt ceiling and deficit reduction talks? Is your Senator's vote inline with you or playing party politics with your future?

Does your Senator not vote the way you would like? Few states allow for a recall of a senator-only 18 and the District of Columbia. If you're not living in one of these states you have no constitutional rights to recall. The 18 states allowing for recall are as follows: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin. Learn how to recall your Senator here.

I know most of the MAJOR players in the budget/ debt ceiling debate are not Senators within these states. However, generating majority support can be achieved with the constitutional right to recall within these states. Force the Senators of your state to push the Senators that are major roadblocks to the deficit reduction/ debt ceiling increase negotiations to realize that they could possibly lose a majority or become even more of a minority. Eighteen states may only be thirty-six percent of the union, but thirty-six percent can swing the balance of power within the Senate in one fell swoop.

What if the President Wasn't Black

I have a lot of progressive friends/ associates that may not approve of what I am about to do...yes, I am about to play the "Race Card." President Obama has been in office for 904 days and the majority of his policies have been based on economic status more so than race...so of course more whites (being the majority) will benefit from his policies. But that isn't the point, the point is the blatant disrespect given the Commander and Chief by political leaders of Both Parties. The White Men or descendants thereof that have been running this country since the Revolutionary War. 

I see what you and your cohorts are doing Congressman Boehner...and I include you too Reid. Yes, I feel that Harry Reid and other democrats thought they were getting a "Charismatic Face" that would "shuck and jive" their policy to the masses, not thinking that the ideological Senator from Illinois would actually try to deliver on his campaign promises. Instead of pushing policies when Democrats had the majority and watching the country prosper, you Mr. Reid and Ms. Pelosi have embarked upon a course of action that lead to a loss of the majority during the mid-term elections. I continue to ask myself why, and the only answer I get is the one that Republicans haven't done a better job of shielding...IT'S BECAUSE HE'S BLACK. Don't get me wrong, I am not calling them RACISTS, I am merely saying that they have not given their full support because they find it hard to view a Black Man as their boss/leader, because it is in fact unprecedented.

Now, Mr. McConnell, Boehner, etc...you guys have outright REFUSED TO DO YOUR JOBS with the hope that the Black Man in the White House will get all the blame. Stop hijacking benefits and filibustering every possible solution to every problem. I know you find it hard to believe that your position is subordinate to a Black Man, but it is...and driving the country into the ground to ensure that another Black Man will not be trusted with the keys the country for another 232 years is downright dastardly, but brilliantly...who knew when McConnell stated the goal of having President Obama be a one-term president meant one-term for the entire Black Race.

And to you Black people out there (I aint forgot about you). Stop falling for the okie-doke. This goes for citizens and political leaders alike, criticize when criticism is needed, IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT HIM BEING BLACK ENOUGH, but about him being a good president...there is still time if we can get our elected officials to stop the shenanigans and RUN THE COUNTRY like they were elected to do. Our President catches it coming and going, for some he isn't black enough and for others, he wouldn't be there if he wasn't black. The double-talk is tiring and the country is suffering because of it.

Looking for a Job?...Don't Hold Your Breath

Historically, job loss/ high unemployment usually hits and hits hard with an immediate effect. The recovery however, moves at a snail’s pace. Per the diagram below, unemployment was at 10.8% in November of 1982 and did not hit the safe zone of 5% until February of 1989. In the early '90s, unemployment hit 8% and did not reach the safe zone until five years later. In the earlier part of the millennium, it took a little over two years to recover from an unemployment rate of a little over 6%. In March of 2010, the unemployment rate hit 9.7%; now by my calculations based on history, we will hit the safe zone in January of 2016.

Not what you were expecting to hear, huh? Yeah, me either...not sure if the unemployment benefits will continue to be extended indefinitely. In the meantime, we will have three one-term presidents switching control from Democrat to Republican/Tea Party back to Democratic with the 2016 election. While we attempt to stave off a depression, politicians will have us believe that job creation lies within the bill not supported by the other party; all in an attempt to gain control of the White House.

As much as I dislike the blame game, this crisis will always lie with George W. Bush. The lack of domestic oversight (big government)/ regulations has caused a meltdown of epic proportion. So much so that it took the TARP (band aid) and an $800 billion stimulus (tourniquet) that merely halted the crisis, but did nothing to make it better. Here is to that continued job search until 2016...