I worried for the welfare of my family knowing our unemployment checks would not be able to support us. Setting my pride aside, I applied for benefits from the state welfare and food stamps to only be denied because we still made too much in unemployment. My infuriation drove me even harder to search for a job.
It leads me here — that those of us living in the U.S. are taxed, especially the working middle class. When we need it the most, there’s no help for us.
You have to be either dirty poor, lazy, on drugs or charged for a crime to get all the freebies out there. OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration but it sure is frustrating when I see or hear about families on welfare and food stamps for years, making no attempt to get a job or education to better themselves, making more babies, getting free health care (Medicaid), collecting more and more from the government. I especially think it’s unfair that I pay taxes, get a very little tax refund or sometimes none at all while the family across the street who doesn’t work and has four kids gets a $5,000 refund when they didn’t contribute any of those dollars. I hate even more when these families are those who abuse alcohol or do illicit drugs.
Why should they be entitled to this money? Venting it may seem to be what I’m doing but who else is frustrated with me?
I urge our CNMI senators and House members to set a day aside and draft a bill that will mandate drug testing in the CNMI for those who are receiving benefits paid by the working taxpayers. Anyone being on the public trough should be drug tested. It should also apply to those on CNMI ETC and SHEFA scholarships. A food stamps or Medicaid or scholarship recipient who fails a first test loses benefits for a year. A second failed test removes benefits for three years. All CNMI government employees should be tested, before and during employment. I would really like these to apply to the PSS workforce and those that deal with children and families. What we are telling them is that you can’t go on food stamps, Medicaid, get scholarship money or work for our government and take drugs.
The CNMI should show the world we love families, we don’t tolerate alcohol abuse and illegal drug use. We¹re a great place for tourists to visit and for families to raise children. And for those who can’t live without their vices should be living somewhere else.
JEANIFFER CUBANGBANG
Kodiak, Alaska
Soon to be Saipan resident
