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| Alvin Holmes |
Republican legislators in Alabama are working on bills that would require drug testing for individuals receiving welfare payments. The bills will be patterned after those that became law in Florida earlier this summer.
At least one Alabama Democrat, showing that some Southern liberals actually have a pair, vows he will tack on an amendment to any Republican bill. Alvin Holmes, a state representative from Montgomery, says his amendment would require state legislators to take drug tests. In fact, Holmes would require all those who receive federal funds through Alabama to take drug tests.
Reports Sebastian Kitchen, of The Montgomery Advertiser:
Holmes said he would propose an amendment that would require state legislators to take a drug test and require others who receive federal funds through the state, including those who receive funding for not farming all of their agricultural land, to be tested.
"It wouldn't be fair to just pick out one group of welfare recipients because they are receiving federal funds and require them to take drug tests," Holmes said.
He has an interesting proposal for his colleagues.
"I'm going to volunteer to take one (a drug test) to set an example for the other members of the Legislature," Holmes said. "I guarantee you that I am going to pass it. If not, I will turn my resignation in to the secretary of state, which would make a lot of people in the state of Alabama happy."
I like the way Alvin Holmes is thinking. And I don't think we should stop there. Consider others who receive federal funds in our state:
* Federal judges--We already know of one federal judge in Georgia who got nailed for trying to buy drugs with his stripper friend. How many others are high as a kite when they don their robes?
* Lawyers--Attorneys practice in courts that are funded by taxpayers, both federal and state. Attorneys are "officers of the court," making mighty fine livings off facilities and systems that you and I fund. Don't you think they need to pee into a cup?
* CEOs--How many corporate types benefit from tax breaks and other forms of federal largesse? How many of them receive taxpayer-funded bailouts and the like? Shouldn't they be standing in line with welfare recipients, ready to take a pee and prove they are clean? I'm hearing persistent reports that one CEO, a fellow we have written about here recently, would have a real tough time passing a drug test. Let's have him drop his drawers--for the sake of our democracy.
* University administrators--State universities rake in millions of federal dollars, and one of the biggest cash cows is at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The fine folks on Birmingham's Southside are alleged to have committed some $600 million worth of Medicare and research fraud. They barely received a slap on the wrist from the Bush Justice Department, and one top administrator was rewarded with the presidency of the University of Kentucky. Don't folks like UAB President Carol Garrison and University of Alabama Trustee Paul Bryant Jr. need to be subjected to tox screens?
Let's break out the specimen jars! I think Alvin Holmes is onto something big.
I have a few additions for your list.
ReplyDelete1. Bankers who received TRILLIONS of dollars from the Fed while they actively launder Drug Cartel Money.
2. Hedge fund Traders and the entire upper management at Goldman Sachs, more recipients of Fed largesse.
3. Upper echelons of the CIA amd all military contractor firms like XE/Blackwater. The latter just signed a deal to participate in anti-drug operations in Afghanistan which, considering the new video report on US troops guarding poppy fields there at Boiling Frogs Post linke to my sig, is really like putting the Fox in charge of the henhouse.
We cant even get a bill passed to keep illegals which are criminals BECAUSE THEY ARE BREAKING THE LAW out of our state. Now do you think the courts are going to allow drug testing..NAW... But it would be nice.
ReplyDeletewhy stop at judges and state reps? Police, School teachers, prison guards, anybody that is on the tax payers bill should be drug tested and if failed should face the same penalties that we real americans have to face
ReplyDeleteI completely agree and think this is a positive step toward a better society and less spending
ReplyDeleteI would like to see all judges in Alabama added to that list, as well. Several judges in Alabama's circuit courts have been arrested for DUI only to be let go later by the good old boys. Too much is swept under the rug here in Alabama.
ReplyDeleteI think everybody should be drug tested including high ranked people and judges. It`s a step towards building a better world with no drugs.
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