Alexandra de Anda

Michelle Mahoney
Persuasive Speech Outline
April 19, 2013
I. Introduction :
A. Attention Getter: What would you spend 5000 on? You just
spent your object or trip through taxation for welfare
programs.
B. Thesis Statement I am here to persuade you to change the stigma that follows
the welfare community. I am here to persuade you that making welfare harder
to obtain will not only positively affect those who apply, but our nation in a
wide-scale socio-economic aspect.
C. Preview of Main Points: I will explain where the government gets the money to
fund programs, specifically TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).
Personal and socio-economic benefit will be explained.
D. Benefit Instead of using money to fund drug use, money will be better spent in
other areas within the states. The incentives to stop abusing drugs in order to
provide for the family, whether it be by financial aid or not, will be significant
enough to improve the lifestyles of the recipients and their families. The stigma
that surrounds those who receive welfare will be lifted.

II. The Problem There is a stigma surrounding welfare recipients as being drug
addicts. A smaller percentage of the recipients actually are addicts; however,
even that small amount costs the taxpayers more money than they think.
A. Reason Why Do you know how much you give to support the welfare
programs? In an economy and government article, I found a table that
showed that in 2011, $.13 of every dollar of our income went towards
mandatory welfare taxation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and
Statistics the average American makes about $36,587 per year. This
means that every tax paying citizen is contributing $4,756.31 annually.
B. If you think drug testing recipients is a waste of money, take a look at
this.
In the Fairfax Underground, it used
FLORIDA for example.:
2.5% tested positive for drugs. 2.5% of 52,500 is 1312.
We would save ~$500/mo for those that fail=$6000.
$6000 multiplied by the 1312 recipients that fails is
$7,875,000 vs. $1.27 million in operational costs.
We just got our money back, even after we have
refunded those who did not fail the test.
1. TANF is given only if the heads of the household are working to obtain
training to leave the program. However, some recipients have
received TANF for 5 years, which is now becoming the cut off.
However, there are extensions that recipients can apply for. Im sure
Alexandra de Anda
Michelle Mahoney
Persuasive Speech Outline
April 19, 2013
you would agree, that five years is an ample amount of time to find
work.
C. Another Reason Why Many say that our 4
th
Amendment rights are being
violated because of the unnecessary search. This argument in itself is an
ad hominem fallacy. (O'Hair, pp. 487) Focusing on the person(s) instead
of the issue is what is being used to divert the audience from the issue.
Drug testing is not an infringement upon the individual receiving
financial aid, requiring mandatory drug testing for qualification of
financial aid is not to try and single out a specific group of people, those in
poverty, but to make our best efforts to ensure that financial aid is being
used to its fullest potential for the isolated individual, as well as wide-
scale socio-economic benefit.
D. Let me ask you, if the workforce has required drug testing, why should
those who would like to receive free government aid not be required to
submit to a drug test?
1. The Constitution clearly states in its preamble, that it is to promote
general welfare. Wouldnt you say that bettering personal lifestyle,
thus positively effecting socio-economics, is for general welfare?
Officer Kukla explained to me that in order for it to violate our 4
th

Amendment rights, drug testing would need to be mandatory. Because
receiving financial aid isnt mandatory, you dont have to take a drug
test. However, if you would like to receive financial aid, you must
qualify.
2. YOU WORK 40 HOURS A WEEK. Officer Smith informed me that 7 OUT
OF 10 AMERICANS ARE DRUG TESTED IN ORDER TO EITHER GET A
JOB, OR PERIODICALLY THROUGH OUT THE TIME THEY ARE IN THE
WORKFORCE.

III. Transition I say equality for all. A smaller group cannot claim that they are
being targeted when the general population already is tested more than
those receiving aid. Why not get the general public involved with these tests,
as to integrate the welfare population into the general society?

IV. The Solution There are ways to shape the law so that those recipients do not
feel attacked.
A. How to Fix Problem By making it a norm for people to be drug tested to
receive financial aid, just how most of you are expected to submit to drug
tests for your jobs, the fallacy will discontinue.
1. Welfareinfo.org states that welfare programs already offer
vocational rehab services that give training and skills to find
Alexandra de Anda
Michelle Mahoney
Persuasive Speech Outline
April 19, 2013
employment. If a recipient fails the drug test, effective rehabilitation
will be issued. (Same mindset as vocational rehab: promote self-
control from addictive substances, thus being eligible for aid, therein
leaving the welfare program to become productive people in the society.)Aid
will be stopped for the drug user, but the childrens benefits will not be
affected. A social worker will be available to assist with the childs funds. In
fact, Ladonna Paveti states that Some families who spend long periods of
time on the welfare rolls are likely to need more assistance than is provided
by traditional welfare-to-work programs to make a successful transition
from welfare to work. Providing this additional assistance will require
flexibility, a broad range of "allowable" welfare-to-work activities and
additional or redirected staff resources.
B. Another Way to Fix Problem Alternative measures can be taken in order to
perform the tests. College students, for example, can administer the tests
as part of their training. Its free and funds would be used to subsidize
education.

V. Transition Personally, I am for the legalization of most drugs, as long as they
are controlled. I do agree, like most of you, that it is the publics responsibility
as American citizens, to promote general welfare. Why not improve a familys
lifestyle if it is possible?

VI. Conclusion
A. Summary of Main Points: 1, 2 & 3 We know where the money comes from
to fund these programs; the personal and socio-economic benefit that would come from a
law like this will be exponential; we now know that enacting a law like this will not infringe
on others rights, but rather help those who really are in need.
B. Re-statement of Thesis Together, we can break the stigma that surrounds
the welfare communities. Lets make welfare the last resort, not free money.
C. Re-statement of Benefit The benefits of enacting this law are staring us in
the face, asking why we are not helping every citizen. The personal growth is what we
should strive for. By making it more of a challenge to get welfare, people will not be able to
rely on free checks. Not only will the recipients see a great benefit, but we as a nation will
be able to notice the socio-economic benefits. With less people in the system due to those
who just wont bother, or are weeded out, more money will be able to be pumped into
schools, for example.
D. Closer, Clincher & Bring Full Circle As Americans, we know what we need to
do in order to build a brighter future for America. We know how much we are involved,
how much can be saved, and how big the potential leap for personal and socio-economic
growth can be. Why wouldnt you go for the brighter option?
Alexandra de Anda
Michelle Mahoney
Persuasive Speech Outline
April 19, 2013
References
Arvidson, E. (n.d.). The Average Salary of American Workers | eHow.com. Retrieved April 18,
2013, from http://www.ehow.com/facts_7262051_average-salary-american-workers.html
Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2013,
April 10). Retrieved April 17, 2013, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
Pavetti, L. (1996, May 23). Time on Welfare and Welfare Dependency: Testimony before the
House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Human Resources.
Retrieved April 18, 2013, from http://www.urban.org/publications/900288.html
Proof: Drug testing welfare recipients, waste of time and money. (2011, September 29).
Retrieved April 17, 2013, from
http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/40/685164.html
S. Doc. 111-39 - The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation -
2010 Supplement. (2010, June 29). Retrieved April 17, 2013, from
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/pagedetails.action?granuleId=&packageId=GPO-
CONAN-2010&fromBrowse=true
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2013,
from http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/tanf/tanf-overview.html
US Welfare System - Help for US Citizens. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2013, from
http://www.welfareinfo.org/
Alexandra de Anda
Michelle Mahoney
Persuasive Speech Outline
April 19, 2013
What Percentage of Your Tax Dollar Really Goes to Help the Free-Loading, Indigent, Ought-to-
Get-a-Job American's? [56]. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2013, from
http://myesoteric.hubpages.com/hub/How-Much-of-Your-Tax-Dollar-Really-Does-Go-to-
Help-the-Free-Loading-Indigent-Ought-to-Get-a-Job-Americans