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Debra H.
Brewster, MN     10/06/2009 12:09 PM

Brian, I believe you are well intentioned, but your comments show a lack of knowledge of the facts. The HUGE majority of people on long term state benefits are elderly or disabled. People who are blind make up a significant number of the long term unemployed or underemployed. Drug testing would eliminate only a tiny percentage of people from benefits and will cost the state a large amount of money. What we need is (1) expanded job training and job support programs; especially programs targeted for people with phyiscal disabilities and those who are slow learners (not intellectually disabled, which is defined as measured intelligence lower than IQ 70, but people fall into the range that is often called boarder-line), (2) programs to stablize housing for low income families as new research shows that the stress of homelessness negatively affects the brain development of toddlers and young children, (3) health care reform to insure the prevention and treatment of potentially long term health problems, especially in children, (4) improved wages (most of the jobs SW Minnesota will not provide enough income to allow a family with both parents employed to earn enough to meet basic needs of housing, clothing, food, and health care). Without these things can we really consider ourselves a just society?