Welfare Drug Testing Persuasive Speech
a) Introduction
a.i) Government assistance, or welfare, is a very broad term. There are many different welfare programs available in the United States e.g., food stamps, cash assistance, and government housing. Currently there is mass debate, in courtrooms across the U.S., regarding the legality and morality of pre-assistance drug testing. This report is intended to familiarize the reader with the history of welfare reform; the histories of drug testing in regards to assistance eligibility; and persuade the audience to vote yes for mandatory pre-assistance drug testing.
b) Body
b.i) History of Welfare
(b.i.1) The first welfare programs originated with the Social Security Act of 1935.
(b.i.2) The Social Security Act was replaced by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
(b.i.3) Previous attempts at drug testing recipients of government assistance failed.
b.ii) Viewpoints claiming drug testing is unethical
(b.ii.1) Drug testing is wasteful.
(b.ii.2) Drug testing stereotypes the poor as drug abusers.
(b.ii.3) Drug testing assistance recipients is racist.
(b.ii.4) All claims of unethicality can be refuted with strong evidence.
b.iii) Viewpoints claiming drug testing is illegal
(b.iii.1) Drug testing is unconstitutional due to unreasonable search and seizure.
(b.iii.2) Applying for benefits is voluntary, therefore testing isn’t unreasonable.
b.iv) Viewpoints supporting mandatory drug testing
(b.iv.1) Applicants are no different than employees subject to testing.
(b.iv.2) People who abuse drugs shouldn’t get paid to break the law.
(b.iv.3) Reducing payments to drug users will help relieve growing government debt.
c) Conclusion
c.i) In closing, it’s important that we look past the false statements and weak arguments of the opposition to mandate drug testing for applicants. Long-term drug testing of government assistance applicants will save millions of dollars per year if properly enacted, and the money can
a.i) Government assistance, or welfare, is a very broad term. There are many different welfare programs available in the United States e.g., food stamps, cash assistance, and government housing. Currently there is mass debate, in courtrooms across the U.S., regarding the legality and morality of pre-assistance drug testing. This report is intended to familiarize the reader with the history of welfare reform; the histories of drug testing in regards to assistance eligibility; and persuade the audience to vote yes for mandatory pre-assistance drug testing.
b) Body
b.i) History of Welfare
(b.i.1) The first welfare programs originated with the Social Security Act of 1935.
(b.i.2) The Social Security Act was replaced by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
(b.i.3) Previous attempts at drug testing recipients of government assistance failed.
b.ii) Viewpoints claiming drug testing is unethical
(b.ii.1) Drug testing is wasteful.
(b.ii.2) Drug testing stereotypes the poor as drug abusers.
(b.ii.3) Drug testing assistance recipients is racist.
(b.ii.4) All claims of unethicality can be refuted with strong evidence.
b.iii) Viewpoints claiming drug testing is illegal
(b.iii.1) Drug testing is unconstitutional due to unreasonable search and seizure.
(b.iii.2) Applying for benefits is voluntary, therefore testing isn’t unreasonable.
b.iv) Viewpoints supporting mandatory drug testing
(b.iv.1) Applicants are no different than employees subject to testing.
(b.iv.2) People who abuse drugs shouldn’t get paid to break the law.
(b.iv.3) Reducing payments to drug users will help relieve growing government debt.
c) Conclusion
c.i) In closing, it’s important that we look past the false statements and weak arguments of the opposition to mandate drug testing for applicants. Long-term drug testing of government assistance applicants will save millions of dollars per year if properly enacted, and the money can