Tuesday, March 05, 2013

From Tennessee of course

Criminy, how many assholes can one state produce?

It's always about punishing "the poors".

To fight the specter of poor people spending taxpayer money on drugs, a Republican congressman has reintroduced legislation to make welfare applicants pee in cups to prove they're clean.

Rep. Stephen Fincher's (R-Tenn.) bill would require states to randomly test 20 percent of people receiving benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which spends roughly $16 billion per year supporting poverty-stricken parents with monthly checks averaging $392.

"Currently the federal government enables drug abusers a safety-net by allowing them to participate in the TANF program," Fincher said in a statement. "Instead of having to make the hard-choice between drugs and other essential needs, abusers are able to rely on their monthly check to help them pay their bills."

When Bank of America's Executives have to pee in a cup before they get TARP money maybe we can talk.

6 comments:

Montag said...

Ah, yes, the drug addicts are just swimming in free government cash. Why, that's $90 a week!, the equivalent of working for 31% of minimum wage.

While they're at it, why doesn't Tennessee bar the poor from public transit, make panhandling children get permits, deny low-income people driver's licenses, make Section 8 housing illegal, make it against the law for TANF recipients to buy anything at yard sales, and deny kids admission to public schools because their parents don't pay property taxes.

Make those unworthy, undeserving poor understand their place, once and for all. It's the Xtian thing to do.



Yastreblyansky said...

When Bank of America's Executives have to pee in a cup before they get TARP money maybe we can talk.

Are you talking cocaine-fueled risk takers with other people's money? Let's just say drug tests for derivatives traders. This is an idea that needs to get out of the realm of snark and move uptown. Serious People please work out the details and write up a petition.

Anonymous said...

And if they're going to demand it of everyone else, maybe start drug testing the Tennessee legislature. I'd put odds of Fincher testing positive at no worse than 50-50.

P J said...

I'm not sure about the drug takers in that beacon on a hill Tennessee, but $392 a month wouldn't satisfy even a part time junkie of any worth let alone one who was dedicated to his craft here in Georgia.

pansypoo said...

how can the poor pay for drugs? the sals tax is insanely regressive.

Anonymous said...

It would be a shame if thousands of cups full of urine were to get accidentally spilled all over the floors of the testing sites, let alone the offices or vehicles, etc., of Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.). I hope that doesn't happen.