LePage: Welfare recipients should take drug tests

[Maine-ah]

AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage wants welfare recipients to submit to random drug testing before they receive benefits, and he plans to submit legislation in January calling for that requirement.

Speaking at a chamber breakfast in the Franklin County town of Jay on Friday, the governor said he doesn’t think it’s unreasonable to ask welfare recipients to do what all truck drivers must do.

The idea could have trouble getting off the ground.

A measure to require MaineCare recipients to take a drug test failed during the last legislative session and the constitutionality of drug testing for welfare recipients is under scrutiny in other states, including Florida.
http://bangordailynews.com/2011/11/04/politics/lepage-proposes-drug-tests-for-welfare-recipients/

BONUS:

poll at the link.

[Maeve]

1. Politicians should submit to drug tests before getting paid

and those who get corporate welfare, too....see how far ya get with that, LePew!

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Maine_Nurse]

11. In LePage's case, I'd say a cholesterol test is more in order.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. Wall Street banker bailout recipients should have to enroll in gamblers anonymous

[hobbit709]

3. Legislators and governors should take them first.

After all, they have nothing to hide.

[nineteen50]

4. and under due protection of the law so should anyone that receives

taxpayers money including tax deductions and subsidies.

[booley]

5. Yes of course

Because that worked out so well in Florida and South Carolina where there was no wide spread abuse of drugs found among people on welfare and the governors just looked at best like prejudiced and uninformed creeps and at worst shucksters making a quick buck at the tax payer's expense.

You have to admit the GOP has persistence.

There is no idea that has been proven to be too stupid to not try again and again and again.

[Courtesy Flush]

6. Because it worked so well in Florida?

Only 2% tested positive. The program was abandoned.

[meow2u3]

7. meow2u3: Politicians should take a drug test prior to taking office

This includes breathalyzer tests. Punish the politicians for LUI (legislating under the influence)/LWI (legislating while intoxicated) :think:

Here's how the new law would work:
First offense if blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) >= .08 should result in the politician being suspended for one week without pay; second LUI/LWI offense should be penalized by a one-month suspension and docking of one month's pay; third offense, politician would be expelled or recalled. The penalties would double, plus carry mandatory incarceration, for legislating under the influence of corporate cash. NO EXCEPTIONS.

If those in charge want to play that three strikes and you're out game, two can play that game, too. Turnabout's fair play.

[Autumn]

8. So should these fucking politicians, and add

an IQ test for all politicians.

[Evasporque]

9. Republicans working for more jobs again! Alright GO GOP! Nt

[Skittles]

12. fuck you, LePage

why is it only the poor who have to be held accountable?

[saras]

13. Let's be honest about this: LePage thinks a single use of a drug should disqualify you for welfare

he can take all the drug tests he wants as long as no one does anything with the results...

what he wants is to stop giving people benefits, probably including any earned benefits he can get power over,

and

this is a way to do it that is divisive, hurtful, and flips the bird to the Constitution, whether the current SCOTUS agrees or not.


In all seriousness, it's not drug testing that he's proposing, it's kicking people off benefits for testing positive. I mean, I'm all for drug testing, in the sense of a free, anonymous service that will report accurately on the contents and purity of any drug.