Bill to drug test welfare applicants withdrawn after amended to also test lawmakers

[thiz master]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...bill_n_1237333.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

A Republican member of the Indiana General Assembly withdrew his bill to create a pilot program for drug testing welfare applicants Friday after one of his Democratic colleagues amended the measure to require drug testing for lawmakers.

"There was an amendment offered today that required drug testing for legislators as well and it passed, which led me to have to then withdraw the bill," said Rep. Jud McMillin (R-Brookville), sponsor of the original welfare drug testing bill.

"I've only withdrawn it temporarily," he told HuffPost, stressing he carefully crafted his original bill so that it could survive a legal challenge. Last year a federal judge, citing the Constitution's ban on unreasonable search and seizure, struck down a Florida law that required blanket drug testing of everyone who applied for welfare.

I couldnt help but lol at this. Its ok to drup test the poor but elected officials can do what drugs they want.

 

[paranoid android]

This is very good news! How is drug testing the poor going to accomplish anything at all? People in public office as well as every other bureaucrat also get money from the public coffers so why should they not get tested if they are going to make lives even more miserable for people on welfare

 

[DexterMeth]

I think the better option would be to help those on welfare get educations and jobs and not put a larger burder on the tax system by making everyone else pay for drug tests on people that will do drugs anyways.

 

[slimvictor]

The article is pretty funny!
Lawmakers are too busy drinking (and doing coke?) to have time for drug tests.
And there was this:

McMillin's bill would overcome constitutional problems, he said, by setting up a tiered screening scheme in which people can opt-out of random testing. Those who decline random tests would only be screened if they arouse "reasonable suspicion," either by their demeanor, by being convicted of a crime, or by missing appointments required by the welfare office.

In the past year Republican lawmakers have pursued welfare drug testing in more than 30 states and in Congress, and some bills have even targeted people who claim unemployment insurance and food stamps, despite scanty evidence the poor and jobless are disproportionately on drugs. Democrats in several states have countered with bills to require drug testing elected officials. Indiana state Rep. Ryan Dvorak (D-South Bend) introduced just such an amendment on Friday.

Just amazing. The mind boggles.
How (and why) could people be spending time "running the country" by doing this?
And the underhandedness and scheming: "by missing appointments required by the welfare office"
Sickening.

Legalization of drugs avoids this problem completely.

Instead of making welfare recipients take drug tests, use the money to train them, then collect 10% of their salary once they get a new job in the area that you trained them (until the welfare is paid back). They get a career, if they are willing to work, at whatever level they can handle, and the gov has enough money for welfare for the next batch of welfare recipients, as well as a productive society.

 

[Hobble]

I forget what state it was in but the legislator who proposed the drug testing for welfare recipients, as well as for some public employees, was either invested in or had recieved campaign donations from the company that makes the drug tests. Sorry I remember so few details but my point is that it may not always be about reducing drug use, or even kicking people off public assistance. It may simply be about making money off the drug tests.

 

[zekethemusicman]

Thats a good point hobble. its hard to tell what these "do-gooders" are really up to, and who they really work for, because we all know that very few of them work for us.