This phrase seems strange to me. What do you think the government is supposed to do? Who is running the government if not people?
Alright, that is a fair question.
First, my apologies for the outburst but it seemed to me that anyone who was opposed to the favored view on this forum was demonized as someone who was hypocritical, uncaring, fearful and trying to segregate others so they can stay on top. This is not the way to dialogue nor is inflamed rhetoric or derision a good way to dicuss a complex topic as this.
Ok, what is governments job? Well, that is an issue that is debated and that is the reason we have various political and ideological parties (Republicans, Democrats, Marxists, Communists, etc...). So, to say what it is would be somewhat naive when great minds cannot even agree completely on the role of goverment.
But, I think everyone could come to a general consensus about some things. First, Government exist to insure the people can live free lives and pursue whatever they want without coercion or intimidation. That is, governments exist to ensure the fair and just application of laws in a non-biased way so that people can live their lives and have opportunity to succeed or do whatever it is they want to do. Secondly, the goverment exists to protect its citizens from all enimies, foriegn and domestic so that we aren't invaded every other month and our women and children carried off as slaves and temple prostitutes (as was done in history). From these two basic things, it is seen that the government exists to provide a safe environment for its citizens to live their lives.
Now, is it the governments job to provide welfare to its citizens? Some would say "yes", some would say "no" and some would say "somewhat". (remember, this is no LAW that stipulates what a government is or is not to do) but the basic function of a government is to provide a safe environment for its citizens so they do not have to worry about someone killing them just so they can take their house or the Mongrols invading and taking aways their wives).
Now, Do I believe in Welfare? Yes, I do. Everyone needs a helping hand now and them to get back on their feet.
Unfortunately, however, the Federal Government does not have the fiscal resources to help everyone - there just is not enough money to go around.
Right now, we have a $16 Trillion dollar debt - $16 Trillion! At the present trajectory and if we do not change anything, we could very well be a bankrupt nation in 20 - 30 years (all of our revenue, alone, would go to paying the interest on our debot ONLY). If this happens, America would have to default on its obligations and then we would plunge into a third-world type country. Do you think it is bad now? Try living in a bankrupt country that would be a former shell of itself. At that point, NO ONE would be helped.
So, why am I for drug testing (and I may be wrong and am willing to change my position - but I am not an evil, hypocritical shame of a Christian because of this position -I, maybe mistakenly, am trying to look at the long term and our perpetual survival so people can be helped for the next 100 - 200 years).
My assumption is this: There are limited funds to go around. I assume 90% of the people on welfare want to work and are not doing drugs and only need temporary help while they are getting back on their feet - I am all for this. The other assumption, maybe incorrectly, is that the other 10% (or 5%) may be chronically unemployed due to their drug addiction and the temporary help that welfare is meant to provide would be perpetual for them and other people who need it would not be able to get it and get the true help they need.
Welfre was never meant to be a life-long pension and was meant to help someone out in hard times (the 90 - 95%). It cannot sustain a life-time of supoorting someone because that would take food from the mouth of someone else who needs it and would benifit by it and get back on their feet (most welfare people WANT to work and only need temporary assistance).
Ok, does that explain my thoughts better? It is basically the fact that their are limited funds available and the desire to get them to the right people who will use the welfare to get back on their feet - not live off of it perpetually because their addication makes tham unemployable.
One last thing, to attack people who disagree and call them disparaging terms or to minimize what they have done in life ("military service is welfare") is wrong. To say people are hypocrites just because they see a problem from a different angle does not make them the devil incarnate - it just means they are looking at it from a different point of veiw - maybe incorrectly - but there are different ways to view things.