Missouri Makes Sense (I Was Shocked, Too)

Imagine my pleasant surprise when I checked out my local paper and saw this:

The Senate version of the bill would allow welfare recipients to continue receiving benefits if they complete a drug treatment program. Sen. Jolie Justus, a Kansas City Democrat, said Tuesday that the provision would help people overcome the problems that had made them ineligible.

The legislation would require that the state use a less sophisticated drug test to lower the cost from a projected $300,000 per year. It would also require that electronic benefit cards include a photo of the recipient and be renewed every three years.

The bill still needs a second Senate vote before returning to the House.

Normally, I am against drug testing, but this is an exception to my rule.  Drug testing to work at a hobby store or file papers?  Stupid.  Drug testing before allowing someone to sit on their privileged ass while I work for a living?  I dig it big time.  The thing that makes it fair and effective is it gives the people who are addicted a chance.  What they do with it is up to them, but the working poor are given the ability to decide which is more important to them.  It's this sort of tough love that will reach the people who put forth the effort while denying benefits to those who do not.  I realize addiction is a disease, but I also see the stupidity in our welfare system supplying the drug dealers that victimize the poor.  Something has gotta give, and in this case it has to start with the people funding the problem.  It's not ideal, but nothing about this situation is ideal. Meth is ravaging our country like a cancer, and this is a way to cut the abuse of financial aid and hit the manufacturers in the wallet where it hurts the most.