Scott Orders State Workers Drug Testing

The Ledger via AP ^ | Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 9:23 p.m. | BILL KACZOR

[varyouga]

I can't believe so many people HERE find it acceptable to demand law-abiding professionals PISS IN A FRICKIN CUP on demand, and sometimes even while someone is watching. With no incident or evidence of anything.

Just THINK people.

This is disgusting and all the people here that support legitimizing this practice are an embarrassment to this once great nation.

[Little Pharma]

Exactly!!! I said nothing about Palin coming into the race and making it more likely that Obama wins!!! I said nothing of the sort!!! This is my entire post:

“Well known media personalities are fervently encouraging Palin to throw her hat in the ring, and the sooner the better.

Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey............”

My point is one that Rush and many others have posited!! All of these are lefty comedians who raked Palin over the coals and are licking their chops to get at her again!!!! Many others have stated this same thing. They have even told jokes about missing her for the material!!! Palin has joked about how much money and popularity she has gotten for these characters!!! I said nothing about Obama being helped or anything about the election or the electorate.

I will endeavour to be more polite in my posting, I’ll admit that I am “snarky”. But this charge you have raised against me is untrue and I think that if I was you, I would offer an apology.

[Walts Ice Pick]

How should we go about distinguishing between cases in which you feel there is a false match and cases in which there exists a match that has been fraudulently created by planting evidence?

[APatientMan]

and I think you are a troll

[Little Pharma]

Some people have character enough to admit when their wrong, other people well..........

Not interested in engaging those without character.

Goodnight.

[microgood]

How should we go about distinguishing between cases in which you feel there is a false match and cases in which there exists a match that has been fraudulently created by planting evidence?

Well, if the planted evidence is done right, they would probably get an exact match instead of a partial match in the DNA Database. In that case the plantee is in big trouble.

I was thinking more about the case (with all of us in there) that they got about 15 or 20 matches they had to go through. I guess they could start by weeding out those whose DNA they had because of drug test versus criminal activity but it could be a real headache for law enforcement. Currently the database is not huge so I have only heard of 20 or so cases of this, but some scientists have argued against putting everyone in there for this very reason.

[microgood]

This is disgusting and all the people here that support legitimizing this practice are an embarrassment to this once great nation.

It sometime makes me wonder if the current generation is worthy of the sacrifices made by our predecessors. I know if anyone would have demanded my grandfather from the WWII generation do such a thing, they would be laying on the ground licking their wounds.

[Tainan]

Well said.

[sarasmom]

You have made some interesting points.

Allow me to restate one, which I pointed out in posting this article.
It is a fact that the State of Florida demands that every business they purchase goods and services from, enact and enforce “drug free workplace” policies for private employees.

If the abject hypocrisy of this legal requirement, coupled with an exemption for government employees, eludes you... frankly, I don't know how to explain to you that what our Governor is directing, and why I support his efforts, is an important step in returning controll of the Government back to our citizens.

I am not interested in “debating” you on an off topic point regarding settled law, since nowhere do you point to any efforts to overturn any laws regarding workplace drug testing, in Florida, or elsewhere.

Gov. Scott is attempting to direct that all State of Florida government employees abide by the same law those employees inflict on the private citizens of Florida.

Unless or untill the law is changed, I do not understand why you think government employees should be able to exempt themselves from it.

[TheBattman]

The drug smoking was going on after they were “off the clock”. Apparently, instead of paying for a motel room or other accommodations, the contractor left the “workers” to their own vices... some “slept” in the gym, others drove to wherever “home” was after their nightly “pot parties”.

What really ticked me off - I reported what I stumbled on to both the school administration and the local law enforcement.. and as far as I know, nothing was done.

[MinuteGal]

Gimme us break. We don't buy that sophomoric old line any more.

Better luck next time.

Leni

[MinuteGal]

Above boo-boo. "Gimme" should be "Give".

Long day....getting late.

Leni

[AGreatPer]

Love your attitude.

[Publius6961]

but civil rights and labor lawyers questioned whether the directive was legal.
It appears government workers "Collective Bargained" themselves an exemption to maintaining a "drug free workplace", although all their vendors must comply....

I wonder what elected or appointed mental midget went along with that exemption?

We need names, really. Whoever that was, whether retired or simply "escaped," should be held accountable.

[jwalsh07]

I'm with you here, the government and private employers are becoming too damn intrusive.

How about if they start testing for beer intake or cigar smoke. Or even high levels of lipids on Monday morning from that Sunday barbecue.

[Publius6961]

I wonder what prompted this. Has their been an outbreak of stoned computer programmers, or something?

Perhaps not programmers, but, judging by their behavior I suspect that union leadership for sure, their bussed-about enforcers and intimidator goons, as well as teachers, and some police and firefighters in Madison and its environs.

[Publius6961]

Can you tell us who your dealer is?

[Publius6961]

You can thank our traitorous Supreme Court for granting exceptions to the 4th Amendment of the Constitution (which they have no authority to do).

I question the sanity of anyone who would make such an asinine assertion.

Congress, some of whose members claim that the law is what they say it is, are equally monuumentally delusional.

When you strip all the BS from this debate, by definition, right or wrong, what the Supreme Court says IS the law, that's it.
Even if a later court decides the opposite.

Only Congress can impeach a Supreme Court Justice. It's never successfully happened.

So dream on and put the drugs aside.

[Publius6961]

Drug testing is unconstitutional. It violates the 4th Amendment. Anyone who does not object to it is a traitor to this country.

You're right.
I always hated seatbelts.
I'll stop wearing it tomorrow!

I certainly wouldn't want you to think I am a traitor.

Hey!
Aren't you the union guy from the other night?

[microgood]

If the abject hypocrisy of this legal requirement, coupled with an exemption for government employees, eludes you... frankly, I don't know how to explain to you that what our Governor is directing, and why I support his efforts, is an important step in returning controll of the Government back to our citizens.

I am not sure how drug testing public employees returns control of the Government back to the citizens but I will concede that point.

I am not interested in “debating” you on an off topic point regarding settled law, since nowhere do you point to any efforts to overturn any laws regarding workplace drug testing, in Florida, or elsewhere.

The problem here is that the drug testing rules are pretty well defined by the "settled law" and most of the state workers will not be tested based on the Supreme Court ruling on the issue. So basically what the governor is doing will be struck down by a Federal Court very quickly.

Gov. Scott is attempting to direct that all State of Florida government employees abide by the same law those employees inflict on the private citizens of Florida.

While the Constitution forbids suspicionless searches by the government, it does not forbid private corporations from having conditions for employment that can include things like drug testing. But there are limits on what the government can do.

Ironically, if the governor just privatized all the state worker's jobs, he could drug test them all he wants.