Forum Replies Created
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Sharon Laffs, 10 years ago
Yes, it should definitely be addressed. The results of any prosecutions under that rule should also be mandatory to remain in sight on any future political endeavors, as that would be more punitive than a cheap fine that goes along with a mere Class A Misdemeanor. If someone is making money from their undisclosed connections, there is nothing to prevent that person using but a small portion of the ill-gotten gain to pay the fines.
Sharon Laffs, 10 years ago
I agree the focus needs to be sharpened in order to surgically remove the systems which are weak and ineffective. My concern, however, is that care must be taken not to entrench, too many areas under a too large system that has too many tentacles to have the oversight needed to keep it in check. For one example, DHHS has so many fingers in such a wide variety of areas, that when you try to research or ask questions, it is too easy to keep getting passed off to another source. Eventually, even if your concern was valid, a person gives up without obtaining the answers to valid questions. One claims there is no policy regarding electronic cigarettes, for example, then the next says this is not their policy either. However, clearly it is someone’s policy, as a ban is in place, yet no legal basis for the ban has yet been found nor claimed. So how then does a private citizen demand answers from TX DADs, if the local State Supported Living Center refuses to discuss it? This is confusing and difficult for the average citizen to navigate!
Sharon Laffs, 10 years ago
I want to agree with drug testing for both assistance, as it done already to those who work at some locations. However, I personally have seen this get out of hand and be used to threaten people for using legal substances on their own time. Therefore, I would want to see specifics on which drugs were being tested for and in which specific circumstances. I believe that a county in FL did do this last year, but the costs were more expensive than the number who were caught. I think we need to see specifics to know whether this is more about punitive control of a subset of the population or about cost effectiveness of our assistance programs. I have noted that the government does not give up power once obtained, nor approach the use of the power with the common sense the average citizen does to survive. Until there is more concrete information, I cannot condone yet another “feel good” plan that is costly, ineffective, inefficient, and over steps the original purpose it may have been intended to help mitigate.
