Sex, Drugs, and R&R

The sugggestion has been made that all Portland police oficers undergo random drug testing, a suggestion apparently made by someone who was up all night "cramming" for his own drug test.

If mandatory random drug tests are to be required of police officers, should not also firemen and EMTs be tested?  And why not ALL city employees?  It is blatantly obvious that both caffeine and meth is in short supply both at city hall and most city shops. 

On a grander scale, why is drug testing not mandatory for welfare, unemployment compensation, workers' comp claimants, and/or food stamp recipients?  It's your money that pays them, shouldn't you have a say in who gets a check, and who gets cut off?  If little Elvis is a stoner, should he be "entitled" to public payments?  If Miss Sunshine snorts or spikes meth, does she truly need food stamps or an Oregon Trail card to protect her kids? 

I find it mildly hypocritical that the OLCC punishes bartenders for "overserving," and yet will sell  via their monopolistic retail outlets a case of "Panther Sweat" on demand:  no chance of overserving there.  And now we are seeing "medical" marijuana cafes to service those poor sufferers for whom the only relief is a bong hit of some killer skunkweed.  Surely there's no hypocricy there.

Drug abuse by police officers surely exists, and a "sweep" might net one, or even two errant officers:  you know, those people who daily risk their lives just by showing up for work, unlike most politicians, who are more likely to risk YOUR live by showing up for work.  And the means of "masking" drug abuses are available over-the-counter to police as well as to welfare mothers, compensation fraudsters, and politicians as well.

Drug testing?  As a retired Teamster, we were drug-tested long before it became the vogue:  the guys who stayed "clean" have nothing to fear.   So, in all "fairness,"  let's see mandatory random testing for ALL government workers and for all "entitlement" recipients as well.  It is YOUR money, isn't it?.

Your Home State vs. Texas

The Governor of (Your state) is jogging with his dog along a nature trail. A coyote jumps out and attacks his dog.

#1. Governor starts to intervene, reflects upon the movie "Avatar" and then realizes he should stop; the coyote is only doing what is natural.
#2. He calls animal control. Animal control captures coyote and spends $200 testing it for diseases and $500 upon relocating it.
#3. He calls veterinarian. Vet collects dead dog and spends $200 testing it for diseases.
#4. Governor goes to hospital and spends $3,500 getting checked for diseases from the coyote and on getting bite wound bandaged.
#5. Running trail gets shut down for 6 months while wildlife services conduct a $100,000 survey to make sure the area is clear of dangerous animals.
#6. Governor spends $50,000 of state funds implementing a "coyote awareness" program for residents of the area.
#7. State legislature spends $2 million investigating how to better handle rabies and how to possibly eradicate the disease.
#8. Governor's security agent is fired for not stopping the attack and for letting the Governor intervene.
#9. Cost: $75,000 to train new security agent.
#10. PETA protests the coyote relocation and files suit against the state.



Texas:

The Governor of Texas is jogging with his dog along a nature trail. A coyote jumps out and attacks his dog.

#1. Governor shoots coyote and keeps jogging. Governor has spent $0.50 on a .45 ACP hollow point cartridge. Buzzards eat dead coyote.

Any wonder why (Your state) is broke????

Hat Tip: teafreak

Not the Swiftest Ship in the Harbor, or Never Ask a Democrat a "yes-or-no" Question

"Dear Senator Merkley:

What is your reaction to Mexico's President Felipe Calderon's speech to the United States' Congress criticizing Arizona's recent law allowing police to adhere to Federal Immigration Laws?"
NeonLeon

Dear NeonLeon,
"Thank you for contacting me to share your views about Arizona's recently passed immigration law, S.B. 1070. While we may disagree on this legislation, I value knowing your opinion and appreciate the opportunity to share my perspective.

"Like you, I believe that our current immigration system is broken, and we must take steps to restore the rule of law. However, I believe that Arizona's immigration law compromises the Constitutional principles of civil liberty and equality that shape our country. As you may know, S.B. 1070 grants Arizona state and local law enforcement officials the authority to investigate, detain, and arrest individuals who appear to be violating immigration regulations and do not have sufficient documentation to prove otherwise. I have serious concerns that this law will invite racial profiling, undermining our fundamental civil liberties. I believe it would be unworthy of our proud tradition as a free country to detain our citizens and legal residents simply because they cannot produce their papers when asked by a law enforcement officer who thinks they may look like an illegal immigrant."

All my best,
Jeff Merkley
United States Senator

Did you notice that Senator Merkley did not answer the only question asked of him, or is it just me?  I do thank him for the form-letter, party-platform response, however  obfuscatory it may be.  Perhaps it is Congress which remains broken, not our immigration system.