Tennessee is the latest state to admit that their efforts to shame welfare recipients with drug tests has been an abject failure. The Republican campaign to humiliate and demonize America’s working poor as “lazy moochers” led red-state governors to seize on the idea of drug testing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients. But in every state so far, the results show that only a tiny percentage of welfare recipients test positive, throwing the right-wing’s classist narrative out the window…. Tennessee implemented their testing program in 2014, adding questions related to narcotic use to their application form. A year later, “just 1.6 percent of the 28,559 people who applied for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits in the first year of testing answered one of the three screening questions positively. Out of the 468 people who peed in a state-funded cup, 11.7 percent flunked the test…55 people tested positive, and 32 applicants were ultimately denied benefits.”
For reasons known only to themselves, Republicans have decided the way to cure poverty is to shame poor Americans out of it. Since the poor tend to be lazy, shiftless ne’er-do-wells who would rather suck at the public teat than do for themselves (so the theory goes), a little “tough love” will go a long way toward curing poverty. Treat them like the lazy, unmotivated sloths they are (it’s what Jesus would do), and of course they’ll recognize it’s imperative to change their ways and find gainful employment instead of relying on handouts.
Except that there’s nothing about this idea that’s based even remotely in fact or reality (never mind compassion). The Great Recession, starting in 2008, threw millions out of work. That these millions were the victims of corporate greed and normal economic cycles meant nothing to those on the Far Right, who KNEW that if they could only force the poor and unemployed to do what needed to be done, they’d find work and get off the dole. That works well when there are jobs to be had, but for the longest time there were four and five unemployed Americans for every open job. How does one fight those odds? How does that reflect poorly on those who, likely through no fault of their own, found themselves out of work?
Tennessee’s experience with drug testing public assistance recipients is proof that “tough love” doesn’t work. Conservatives may be of the opinion that the poor and unemployment are unmotivated and in need of a swift kick in the pants. It’s easy to feel that way when you have a secure Congressional seat and a six-figure salary and benefits to show for it. When compassion and understanding aren’t necessary components of the equation, judgement and condemnation come easily.
If only they just looked a little harder. If only they would accept working for minimum wage with no benefits. If only they weren’t so concerned with things like food, mortgage payments, and medical care. If only they weren’t so lazy and entitled.
If you want to fix poverty, there’s a compassionate way to go about it that I suspect would stand a far greater chance of success as opposed to demonizing and shaming the poor and unemployed. How about job training? Perhaps some public works programs? Government is uniquely suited to assist those down on their luck…yet so many Conservatives believe that ANY sort of compassionate action will only create weakness and dependence (SOCIALISM!!!). They’re blind to the truth that Americans WANT to work. They WANT to support themselves and their families. No one really wants to be on public assistance (Have you ever tried to LIVE on unemployment insurance? There’s no way to make ends meet on such a miserable pittance.)…because it sucks.
Too often, Conservatives equate a hand up with a handout. They’re blind to the truth that compassion isn’t a sign of weakness on the road to socialism and that shaming and demonizing the poor and unemployed doesn’t work. Kindness- offering a hand up to someone in need- doesn’t create dependency; it makes the world a better, more humane, and more benevolent place. You can’t eat a lecture, nor can you pay the mortgage with a drug test. America created this problem; Americans deserve better than to be held responsible and regarded and treated like pariahs.
