Speaker of the House Thom Tillis — the pride of Cornelius, N.C. — spoke Saturday to a meeting of Madison County Republicans. The meeting organizers recorded the event, which hasn’t turned out too well for Thom. Some of his comments at the meeting were, frankly, offensive to anyone who even pretends to have a heart, and the press has started to notice. Thanks goes to Chris Fitzsimon at NC Policy Watch, who first reported that Tillis told meeting participants that he is in favor of drug testing anyone who gets assistance money from the state; and oh, what the hell, let’s go ahead and drug test anyone who is employed by the state, too.
Wags have already asked some obvious questions: Will drug tests for those who receive assistance money from N.C. include the CEOs of companies that get “corporate welfare” in the form of incentive payments and tax breaks? How about farmers who get money from N.C.’s Golden Leaf Foundation? Seriously, does Tillis’ idea of leadership include pushing for the further humiliation of some of the state’s neediest citizens?
Maybe Tillis doesn’t know, or doesn’t give a rip, that Florida just went through an expensive experiment with drug testing welfare recipients. The result, as anyone with a lick of sense (thanks, Grandma) could’ve told them, is that, apparently, people on welfare can’t afford drugs. DOH! And as far as drug testing state employees, I’m sure the state’s lawmakers, college presidents and kindergarten teachers won’t mind peeing in a little, state-sanctioned cup now and then. Right?
This article appears in Oct 11-17, 2011.
Heck, will our legislators be required to take the drug test too?
If you want to reduce the cost of social services, you need to first spend a little more money. You need to hire and train a department of investigators who’s job is to discover and prosecute the cheaters and verify the need of the new applicants.
Then we need to get away from the model of just writing checks and replace the hand out with a hand up. Benefits should be contingent on participation in a program that will help return you to the workforce unless you have a medical or mental condition that prevents it.
For some women, and even a few men, the answer might be as simple as providing day care or preschool so that the parent can work.
ALL military personnel are required to pee in a cup on a routine basis. Airline pilots, truck drivers, etc submit to both mandatory and random tests. Too many companies, both large and small, require pre-employment and random testing even in jobs with no security or safety issues. Parolees have to pee in a cup. Peeing in a cup has become a common requirement for getting a job these days. It seems that everyone but the leeches (and the politicians they vote for) are exempt.
My company requires new employees to take a drug test. I personally don’t see how requiring government employees and welfare recipients to take the same test is that outrageous.
Kirk, maybe you’re OK with a corporation or a government intruding into your private life, but not everyone agrees, I assure you. Frankly, if you do your job well, it’s not your employer’s business whether you smoke pot or whatever. Keep in mind that Steve Jobs credited LSD use as a big factor in his success. (Sorry if this makes the heads of any conservatives out there explode, but it’s gospel truth.)