Libertarianism once stood for liberty, a distorted form of liberty in my opinion, but liberty nonetheless. Now that liberty gospel of old has transformed. In an article by Chris Friend, Opposing Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients? Are You High?, we see not only the demonization of those who are struggling to make it out of the social safety net (which shrinks little, by little through the PA Conservative trifecta in Harrisburg), but now all public sector workers.
One only has to read the first sentence in bold to see where Mr. Friend is going.
Randomly testing all public workers is simply common sense. (http://pawatercooler.com/...)
Of course, he leaves out testing our illustrious legislatures, because:
The only officials who should be exempted from mandated drug testing are elected officials, though that position is sure to generate hoots and hollars from the cheap seats. The rationale is simple: they are elected by the people. They are not collecting government assistance checks, nor are they hired as civil service workers. (http://pawatercooler.com/...)
He has a point that many of them aren't hired as civil service workers. Our legislatures are turning more and more into special interest workers, however common sense dictates the poor and the public sector worker are the problem.
I guess you could count me as one of the hoots and hollars from the cheap seats, but I'm responding to the cheap shots of a conservative movement that shows austerity in decency. I mean my cheap shots are usually calling for drug testing CEO's who take subsidies after turning record profits, but they are only high on greed.
Mr. Friend call for drug testing,
every single non-elected person receiving a paycheck courtesy of John Q. Taxpayer . (http://pawatercooler.com/...)
will not address the problems we face today. Creating the opportunity and environment where lower income Pennsylvanians can help rebuild our ever shrinking middle class. Governor. Rick Scott (R-FL), who holds the honor of being Americas least favorite Governor implemented a program of the sort (only welfare recipients were demonized in his drug testing effort, not the entire public sector) and what did it find?
Ninety-six percent proved to be drug free — leaving the state on the hook to reimburse the cost of their tests....Cost of the tests averages about $30. Assuming that 1,000 to 1,500 applicants take the test every month, the state will owe about $28,800-$43,200 monthly in reimbursements to those who test drug-free. (http://freethoughtblogs.com/...)
Wouldn't common sense be better served by addressing the underlying causes of poverty in America, not diverting vital commonwealth resources through ideological witch hunts.