The CLog
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?
