Argumentative Essay: The Abuse Of Government Assistance

With the past leniency on government assistance, lack of control on benefits, abuse from recipients and waste of tax payer’s dollars’ people should be required to pass a drug test for prolonged benefits from the government. Government assistant is an amazing thing our country offers, but with the current fraud that these programs are experiencing the ropes should be tightened up. Benefits should be looked at as a stepping stone and not the means of living for years to come.
Government assistance was initially created during the great depression of the 1930s, the devastation on families during that time was life threatening. With the men out of work families needed help, with food, clothing, shelter, “these we desperate times.” The federal government stepped in to help these people, mostly women, children, and the elderly. Before this time Americans prided themselves on work ethic, self-reliance, and hard work to support their own families, many felt embarrassed to accept or ask for help to support their families. But,
Many high paying and even entry level jobs require drug testing, the same should apply for Government assistance including Medi-cal, WIC, Social Security, welfare and all other forms of free assistance. Working Americans pay for all of these and it shouldn’t be misused like it has been for so long. Looking at the statistics from 2009 to 2011 welfare is on the rise. The cost of drug testing is about a hundred and fifteen dollars individual testing, with 9% failing the testing in Oklahoma alone the cost of testing is almost irrelevant since it would be saving taxpayers money for that individual and receiving benefits. We should then offer counseling, drug rehabilitation, and a trade school to these persons to get back on the right