The Sober Homes Social Contract Theory

One of the long-standing quandaries that stems from John Locke’s “Social Contract Theory” is just how much power should individuals give up for the safety of the masses? Or, how much power should a government have over its citizens?

These questions have long been a basis for political philosophical differences, with some postulating the government should reduce its oversight of both individuals and companies, and others arguing the government needs to have more of a direct say in matters, especially those pertaining to the health, safety and welfare of a society.

This debate is pertinent as we head into 2017 when discussing the question of “sober homes,” which are a sort of halfway house for people fresh out of rehab. 

According to the Florida Association of Recovery Residences, sober homes are intended to be supportive transitional environments for individuals preparing to face the world during recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. These residences rely upon peer group recovery to help individuals gain strength and coping skills in a safe environment.

Last year, the Florida Legislature passed a law requiring recovery residences and their administrators to be certified. At the time, sober homes were unregulated, so the state was not even sure how many there were. The new rules were expected to provide the state with a list of where these homes are located, as well as restrict the number of people living in a given home.

But sometimes legislation doesn’t work out as effectively as envisioned. Since the new regulations passed in 2015, fraud has been rampant; there have been 10 arrests this year of individuals who have abused the system and the individuals they are entrusted to help transition.

State Attorney Dave Aronberg spearheaded a task force to investigate the problems, and the report - which includes 15 recommendations - will be sent to Tallahassee on Jan. 1. Among the recommendations: banning deceptive advertising from the treatment industry; requiring background checks to own a facility; and cracking down on patient brokering.

“This is an epidemic,” Aronberg said during a press conference earlier this week.“This is the number one public health and public safety crisis facing Palm Beach County and all of Florida.”

The flood out out-of-state patients, with insurance covering more lucrative out-of-network programs, has created a billion-dollar industry in Florida with very little oversight, Aronberg added.

I encourage the Florida Legislature to seriously review the task force’s recommendations, and make them part of the legal oversight of Florida’s drug recovery home operations. Our society is only as strong as the link most in need, and sober homes need sober backing to benefit the greater good.

The Truths We Cling To Depend On Our Point Of View

It was Thanksgiving weekend in the United States, but the announcement of Cuban dictator/strongman Fidel Castro’s death on Nov. 25 must have seemed either a surreal, difficult-to-believe, moment or a concrete, “it’s about time” announcement to Cubans around the world.

The 90-year-old Castro, who ruled Cuba for 49 long, torturous years (he took power in a 1959 revolution), creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War. For five decades, the bearded dictator defied U.S. efforts to topple him. Under his heavy-handed rule, Cubans lived in poverty, while he and his brother Raul lived in extreme luxury.

When the word “dictator” is uttered, we usually think of individuals like Adolf Hitler or Josef Stalin, of Idi Amin or Castro. All of these, and (sadly) plenty more through recent history, have used the same playbook when it comes to ruling with an iron fist.

Under Castro, Jehovah’s Witnesses, gays, and other “undesirables” were rounded up and sent to work camps - or UMAPs. Sound familiar, oh ye who have a basic understanding of how ethnic cleansing works? Castro was a tyrant who imposed communism on Cuba for more than 60 years, while torturing and killing tens of thousands more who disagreed with him. The total of the Castro regime death toll may never be known, but estimates approach 100,000.

Additionally, there was no religious liberty under Castro. Dissidents were tortured, imprisoned, or killed. So extreme was Castro’s control, he banned Christmas from being celebrated for 30 years. Yes, all the American right-wing media heads yapping about the “war on Christmas” might want to take a look at life 90 miles off the Florida coast for a refresher.

There are those who will say Castro was misunderstood, that he wasn’t all bad. They will say, “He built free schools and hospitals with much help from his Soviet sponsors.” They will say, “There's a high literacy rate.” These are true; however, as Obi-Wan Kenobi said so eloquently to Luke Skywalker on Dagobah, “Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” The facts of the truth: Castro ruled with repression and hypocrisy. Government-sponsored censorship prevented people from reading whatever they want. Castro executed thousands by firing squad and sentenced thousands to jail and hard labor. Committees for the Defense of the Revolution and block leaders kept people in fear of being spied upon, or called out for being anti-Castro. Citizens had poor access to health care and life-saving medicine.

Two years ago, President Barack Obama loosened the trade embargo between the United States and Cuba. Many criticized the move, questioning opening how the U.S. could work with such a regime. Others offered praise, opining the embargo had never worked, so maybe a new tactic was needed. After all, some argued the U.S. trade embargo is the reason life was so hard for Cubans. The true reason is not the trade embargo, but an oppressive government that decries capitalist enterprise and controls every aspect of financial betterment.

Fidel Castro is dead. But the damage will last a hundred generations longer than his rule.