Are More Regulations Needed for Government Assistance?

There are a variety of benefits offered by the government for the needy.  You have Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, CHIP, Women’s Health and even housing assistance.  Millions of people in Texas receive benefits. In 2015, Texas has spent 8.9 billion dollars on welfare.  I know I’m not the only one that thinks there should be more regulations for the people receiving these benefits. 

Why doesn’t the State of Texas implement a law that requires residents of the state to submit a drug screening prior to receiving any funding for SNAP, TANF, medical assistance or low income housing, in addition to the financial requirements?   If a resident is requesting assistance but fails a drug test they should not receive assistance point blank.  If you have money for drugs you should have money to provide yourself and/or your family with food.  My understanding is that these benefits are for the welfare of the residents.  These benefits are not made to support residents and their families for their life span or to use the funding as they wish for whatever they wish.  I acknowledge that there are families that will require assistance for their entire life, but these residents as well as all the others should be able to prove that they are not using the money they do earn, if any, inappropriately.  This will benefit the people by ensuring they are drug free, making a better life for them emotionally, physically and logically.  Or why not monitor what they purchase with the funds they receive for food?  Make them accountable for their spending. Obesity is a huge problem all over the world with numerous added health risks.  If we can prevent people from purchasing unhealthy foods it could make a difference in numerous ways. 

Sadly there are recipients that take advantage of the system. Unfortunately there are people who sell their benefits for cash money or trade them for drugs or purchase nothing but crappy unhealthy food for their families.  There are people whose use of illegal drugs, cause many of their health issues.  Of course there are people that use their assistance correctly.  The people that just need help for a little while as they recover from life altering events. The people that have no choice but to work low paying jobs just to get by but aren’t making enough to even do that. This may be a hassle for them but the hassle is well worth guaranteeing your family has a roof over their head, food on their table and/or medical coverage.  It is expected that implementing changes of this sort will cost the state quite a bit of money but it could save them a lot more.  

Speaking as a person who has personally received assistance from all of the mentioned forms of assistance I don’t see why someone one would refuse to submit a drug screening or eating healthier foods.

Opinion on Fred's Blog...Tragic Events

 In this post, Mass Murder vs. Islamic Terrorism  , Fred is comparing two mass murderers, Dylan Roof and Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez.   Roof is responsible for the murder of nine innocent people at a Charleston, South Carolina church.  Abdulazeez is responsible for the murder of five United States Marines at military sites in Chattanooga, Tennessee.   The point Fred is trying to make is that our government is not treating the murders of the four United States Marines at military sites as seriously as he should.  He feels as though Abdulazeez is a domestic terrorist.  I also think that he feels as though the President is not labeling him so because he is Muslim.

 Regardless, both of these are tragedies that affected many people.   They are horrible things done by horrible people.  Did one of these murderers cause division in our country over a flag? Yes.  Did the other of these tragedies bring citizens of our country together? Yes.  Should Abdulazeez be labeled as a domestic terrorist?  I think there is more to learn before that title can be placed or seen as an act of WAR.  Yes he did attack our military sites and kill members of our military, as a resident of our country, but that does not make it an act of terrorism.  Just because he was a devout Muslim does not mean he acted in the name of Islam or for them.  If it is proved that it was an act of domestic terrorism in the name of Islam then by all means it is and should be treated as an act of WAR. 

In researching some of the things Fred wrote, specifically the questions he asks in the last paragraph, I find that there is a big issue.  Our government is not treating the families of our countries defenders the same as they treated the victims of the Charleston, South Carolina, nor is it treating other victims of the atrocious crimes the same.  Here is a link to an article worth reading, Newsmax.

GED Access in Texas

On Friday, July 17^th, the Editorial Board for the Austin American Statesman posted this article Texas needs to offer an accessible GED, regarding GED access in Texas.   The Texas Education Agency has increased the fee to take the GED test, required it to be electronic and made it more challenging.  So much more challenging that only a little more than 12,000 people passed it in 2014 but over 43,000 passed it in 2012.  I agree wholeheartedly with their Editorial Board on this subject.  
Most of the people trying to get a GED can’t afford to pay $135.00 each time they have to take the test.  Hell I can’t afford to pay $135 to take any test and I do have a high school diploma and some secondary education and a full time job.  I understand that nothing is free but it should be accessible.  The suggestion the board offers in this article is great, “The state should offer waivers to those who successfully complete a state-certified adult education prep program.”  Making sure that the test is a true test of skills is definitely important.  I'm by no means saying it should be easy, but it should be doable.  As for requiring it to be electronic, not everyone knows how to use a computer, I know that’s quite unbelievable in this day and age, but it’s true. Maybe they can offer free classes to show them how to use the computer in the state-certified adult education prep program. These people are trying obtain a GED for a reason. They are trying to better themselves. If you want the citizens of your state to be educated at least give them the tools they need.  Unfortunately not all people are made to sit in a classroom all day every day and others just choose another path or some are forced on another path but if they make the decision to further their education they should have reasonable options.

A Sin is A Sin is A Sin

The article posted on the Texas Observer regarding the new coalition to fight the same sex marriage ruling states that they are targeting business and politicians that didn’t stand up against the LGBT while they speak awful things about homosexuality.  Ultimately these people just want to be hateful in voicing their opinions of homosexuality.  The United States of America is “free country.”  Texas, my Texas, is a great state.  Some of the people in my state are absolutely ridiculous. In reading this article there is only one comment that I partly agree with, and that is that the white house should have been lit up in red, white and blue, not rainbow when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of same sex marriage. I do not feel as though it was a disgrace it just would have been a better representation to light up in red, white and blue to reinforce that the US is a “free country.”  Back to the matter at hand, a sin is a sin is a sin.  This new coalition just needs to get over it already.  Adultery, drinking, divorce, sex before marriage and all of the other “sins” are just as bad as being homosexual.  Everyone is entitled to their opinion but carrying this hate on and on and on is doing nothing for anyone except fueling the fire in war that shouldn’t even be fought.  I understand that people do not agree with it and that's fine, they are entitled to their opinion just like everyone else. But continuing to rally and have hundreds of thousands of people sign petitions isn't going to make homosexuality go away. Honestly, what are they fighting? Love is love whether it’s between in a man and a woman, a man and a man or a woman and a woman.  I’m sure these new coalition people wouldn’t want people carrying on publicly about their preferred sexual activities behind closed doors.  Just because we allow same sex marriage does not mean we are forcing anal sex on anyone.  Get over it people homosexual people are people just like straight people.