Republicans want to drug test welfare recipients — they should test bankers as well

[bigheadfred]

http://www.businessinsider.com/republicans-want-to-drug-test-welfare-recipients-they-should-test-bankers-too-2017-4

Adam Chodorow, Slate

 Republicans may have faltered — again — this week in their effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but they soldier on elsewhere in their quest to strip Americans of government support.

Last week, President Trump signed a bill revoking an Obama-era rule limiting drug testing for Americans who receive unemployment benefits. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, meanwhile, is reportedly planning to ask the Trump administration for permission to drug-test residents of his state who need help paying for their medical coverage. Other Republican-led states are drug testing those who receive welfare.

Critics have argued that such laws demonize the poor, violate constitutional rights, and are a waste of government money.

But I think Republicans should get their wish — if, and only if, they’re willing to drug-test every American who receives government support.

“No big deal,” I hear you say. “I’m not on welfare or a farmer, and I don’t receive any government subsidies.” However, subsidies come in many forms. In fact, Congress has buried about $1 trillion of subsidies in the tax code, disguised as tax breaks.

Do you take the home mortgage deduction, receive tax-free employer-provided health insurance, or claim the child tax credit? If so, you’re receiving government support, and under the logic the Republicans have advanced you, too, should be subjected to drug testing.

[Cyber Liberty]

Slate.  Color me surprised. 

[bigheadfred]

Slate.  Color me surprised.

Do you have drug testing at work?

[Cyber Liberty]

Do you have drug testing at work?

For years.  Not safety or transportation related, just pure PR.

[bigheadfred]

For years.  Not safety or transportation related, just pure PR.

So do I. For the company insurance cost. FWIW, a lot of things wouldn't get built in this country if there was blanket drug testing.

[Cyber Liberty]

So do I. For the company insurance cost. FWIW, a lot of things wouldn't get built in this country if there was blanket drug testing.

Agreed.  I think it's stupid.  When I was suffering and had to drop out of work for a while on ST disability, I said "Eff it, I'm taking what I have to to get through this."  Took a chance.

But, if I have to pass a test to earn the money, then welfare recipients should pass the same test to have my money taxed away and given to them.

[Cripplecreek]

So do I. For the company insurance cost. FWIW, a lot of things wouldn't get built in this country if there was blanket drug testing.

Yep. I had a factory owner tell me that he couldn't care less what I do in my off hours but the drug testing was for cheaper insurance. He also wanted people who cared enough to get clean for a drug test. In fact he told me a month ahead of time that he wanted to hire me and just wanted me to know I would be drug tested. I did smoke pot then but it was no problem setting it aside for a month.

[Cyber Liberty]

Yep. I had a factory owner tell me that he couldn't care less what I do in my off hours but the drug testing was for cheaper insurance. He also wanted people who cared enough to get clean for a drug test. In fact he told me a month ahead of time that he wanted to hire me and just wanted me to know I would be drug tested. I did smoke pot then but it was no problem setting it aside for a month.

You did what you had to do to earn the money.  You still had to clock in, do your tasks, work for your pay.  You earned it.  Some of it is taxed away and given to people who didn't work for it, and it's not unreasonable they should not be doing the drugs forbidden to you.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

There are intelligent arguments about drug use, testing, and liberty that can, have, and will be made here, from more than one side of the issue.

This is not one of them.

If I was king of the US, I'd reply immediately.  "You've got yourself a deal.  Mandatory drug testing for anyone who takes anything that could be considered a government subsidy".

Not that I support that position, or his stupid argument, but just to laugh at how fast he starts backtracking.

[ABX]

Politicians should be tested first.

[bigheadfred]

I operate different high speed cutting equipment. It makes some sense to pay attention to what you are doing. We had a guy on the shaper one day who thought he had a better way. Broke three major rules and took all 4 fingers off his right hand down to about a half inch above the hand. I loaded him in another guy's pickup for delivery to the hospital. They called back to see if there were any parts big enough to reattach. So I scouted around. Found a finger joint with no meat on it, only bone, on the clamp rack. Looked like the little finger by the size. That six cutter head stack ground those fingers off in less than a second.

PS: He did test dirty for weed.

[bigheadfred]

Politicians should be tested first.

On so many levels.

[Hondo69]

There are intelligent arguments about drug use, testing, and liberty that can, have, and will be made here, from more than one side of the issue.

This is not one of them.

If I was king of the US, I'd reply immediately.  "You've got yourself a deal.  Mandatory drug testing for anyone who takes anything that could be considered a government subsidy".

Not that I support that position, or his stupid argument, but just to laugh at how fast he starts backtracking.

 

Of course we must define "government subsidy".  Politicians would fall under that umbrella for the obvious reasons.  And so would retired post office workers on a pension.  But what about those on Social Security or university employees doing research via a government grant?

That's one really, really big umbrella.

[Suppressed]

Of course we must define "government subsidy".  Politicians would fall under that umbrella for the obvious reasons.  And so would retired post office workers on a pension.  But what about those on Social Security or university employees doing research via a government grant?

That's one really, really big umbrella.

If I'm not mistaken, that's the author's point.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I operate different high speed cutting equipment. It makes some sense to pay attention to what you are doing. We had a guy on the shaper one day who thought he had a better way. Broke three major rules and took all 4 fingers off his right hand down to about a half inch above the hand. I loaded him in another guy's pickup for delivery to the hospital. They called back to see if there were any parts big enough to reattach. So I scouted around. Found a finger joint with no meat on it, only bone, on the clamp rack. Looked like the little finger by the size. That six cutter head stack ground those fingers off in less than a second.

PS: He did test dirty for weed.

Anyone else have a shop teacher with missing fingers?

[Smokin Joe]

Do you have drug testing at work?

Oil industry. Yep. You know it. Have had since the late '80s on most oil and gas drilling rigs up this way. Virtually any job associated with a drilling location is subject to pre-employment testing and random testing at any time. Fail the test, lose your job.

If you have to test clean to run an oil rig, you should have to test clean to run a country, too. So test the Congress.

[Smokin Joe]

Anyone else have a shop teacher with missing fingers?

Nope. But I knew a lot of rig hands back in the days of spinning chains who had lost a finger or two (or part of one).

[EC]

Anyone else have a shop teacher with missing fingers?

My shop teacher had all his fingers. Used to whack us one with a miniature cricket bat if we did something stupid - said he'd kept his so we had to keep ours.

My biology teacher was missing three fingers and an ear - but that was the Japanese, not machinery.

[Cripplecreek]

Gotta love the way liberals can equate totally unrelated issues.

I see they're comparing poison gas in Syria to lead in the water in Flint now.

[bigheadfred]

Anyone else have a shop teacher with missing fingers?

There is a little more to the story. This guy bought a Harley with some of the workman's comp money. He was riding it along a frontage road when a woman turned in front of him to access the freeway. He is dead now.

[bigheadfred]

Gotta love the way liberals can equate totally unrelated issues.

I see they're comparing poison gas in Syria to lead in the water in Flint now.

I can see the correlation. But from my vantage point here on the moon it looks really really tiny.

[Cripplecreek]

I can see the correlation. But from my vantage point here on the moon it looks really really tiny.

Yeah its kind of funny that the genocide against blacks in Flint was set in motion more than a century ago when Flint was a primarily white town.

Another fun one is the ad claiming that Tobacco manufacturers are targeting blacks for genocide because they're more likely to advertise near black schools. Never mind the fact that black schools tend to be in the inner city with party stores near by. 

[EC]

Never mind the fact that black schools tend to be in the inner city with party stores near by.

Party store? Not a term I know.

[bigheadfred]

Party store? Not a term I know.

The place you get your zoom zooms and wham whams.

[Smokin Joe]

Party store? Not a term I know.

Liquor stores, convenience stores, corner drug dealers, whatever turns your crank..