These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
53% Support Automatic Drug Testing For Welfare Applicants
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Florida and Missouri have already passed measures that require someform of drug testing during the welfare application process, with Florida now requiring all applicants to be tested. A majority of voters nationwide agree with automatically testing all welfare applicants for illegal drug use.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 53% believe all welfare applicants should be tested for illegal drug use before receiving benefits. Only 13% support randomly drug testing applicants, while 29% believe applicants should only be tested if there is a reasonable suspicion that they are using illegal drugs. (To see survey question wording, click here .)
Governor Rick Scott of Florida signed legislation, which took effect on July 1, 2011, requiring adults applying for welfare assistance to undergo drug screening. He defended the law saying that it is "unfair for Florida taxpayers to subsidize drug addiction".
But when it comes to those already receiving benefits, voters are more divided on the approach. A slight plurality (35%) believes recipients should only be tested when there is a reasonable suspicion of drug use. Thirty-one percent (31%) support random drug testing for welfare recipients, while 29% believe all recipients should be tested regularly.
A strong majority (70%) believes welfare recipients whoare found to be using illegal drugs should have their benefits cut off. Fifteen percent (15%) are opposed to taking away benefits in this case while another 15% are undecided.
Of those who agree with ending benefits for illegal druguse, 58% say recipients who test positive for illegal drugs should lose their benefits on the first offense. Forty percent (40%) believe there should be one or more warnings before the benefits are cut off.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 18-19, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points witha 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .
Most Republicans (61%) and voters not affiliated with either major political party (54%) support automatic drug testing for welfare applicants. A plurality of Democrats (43%) agrees with automatic drug testing, but nearly as many (39%) support testing only if there is a reasonable suspicion of illegal drug use.
Most GOP voters support drug testing recipients either regularly or randomly, while nearly half of Democrats (47%) believe recipients should only be tested if they are suspected of using illegal drugs.
Democrats are more likely than Republicans and unaffiliateds to believe recipients testing positive for illegal drugs should receive warnings before their benefits are cut off.
Mainstream voters are much more supportive of automatically drug testing welfare applicants than those in the Political Class are.
Voters who make less than $20,000 a year are more supportive than those who make higher incomes of only testing applicants who are under suspicion.
Just over half of voters (52%) have been following news stories about drug testing in welfare programs at least somewhat closely, with 21% who have been following Very Closely. A sizable number (45%) haven't been following as closely, if at all.
Despite the billions of dollars spent on government anti-poverty programs, a majority of Americans nationwide still believe there are more poor people in the country today than there were 10 years ago .
One-in-five working Americans continue to classify themselves as poor, while the number of those who consider themselves middle class has fallen to a two-year low .
A plurality (45%) of American Adults thinks current government anti-poverty programs actually increase poverty in America .
Past polling shows that 55% of Adults say the government should require those who receive food stamps to work .
Last December , 40% of Americans said it's too easy to get food stamps in this country.