We The people: Demand immediate Drug Testing of Congress

[DearAbby]

How do we know this isn't some tip of the iceberg problem. Was this individual voting while intoxicated? If so, who else? This may sound like a cutsy tit for tat, But i am fucking serious. How many are voting, important matters affecting lives, doing it BUZZED?

Booze made him do it? Mixing booze with illicit drugs? This may be more of a problem than we realize, could explain the insane behavior, no?

Is this too much to demand of our elected officials?

[hollysmom]

1. oh yeah, no pay until they pass the test and no voting on laws!!! n/t

[hardcover]

5. Works for me.

[onethatcares]

18. hoorah I totally

agree.

and they have to submit to random testing whenever a constituent of their district requests it.

Yes, I support this 100%

[Dustlawyer]

36. Senators and Congressmen from states that allow

medical marihuana or legalize pot altogether should be allowed to smoke pot. This would sure speed up a Federal bill to legalize it!

[questionseverything]

65. feds are raiding as i type

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014654381

[Phlem]

30. Other companies would just fire your ass.

wish we could do too for elected officials.

-p

[octoberlib]

2. I would also like to see breathalyzer tests

performed on each member of Congress before voting.

[ReRe]

52. +1

[PeteSelman]

3. This may be a tongue in cheek OP.

But I'm anti-drug testing unless you are exhibiting signs of intoxication on the job. Otherwise it's an invasion of privacy and no one's business.

[DearAbby]

4. I said I was serious.

I felt I made that point clear. I don't feel its too much to ask they be sober while they handle laws that could adversely affect my life, or the lives of my children. Why belittle my point?

[PeteSelman]

7. Because of my stated reasons.

Drug testing is facsist bullshit. It's no one's business what you do in your private leisure time.

As long as you're not drunk or high at work, it's irrelevant.

[hollysmom]

13. that is fine for congress, but these people are promoting laws for drug testing everyone else

why not apply the same laws to them so they can see what an invasion of privacy it is and maybe recant? I just want a level playing field.

[R. P. McMurphy]

31. I totally agree. n/t

[Johnny Ready]

59. + 1 absolutely

[spartan61]

45. And how would you always know

if someone is not intoxicated or high at work? Pilots and flight attendants are often randomly drug tested at the end of a flight as they walk off the aircraft. They even have to avoid eating lemon/poppy seed muffins because that could show up as a drug. I think random drug testing or a breathalyzer before a vote is an excellent idea. Why the double standard? Their votes can directly impact the American people and I don 't want a congress critter voting while under the influence. It's time for them to realize that what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

[NYC_SKP]

49. Except that it's not private leisure time. We're talking about while on the floor of congress.

At work. On the job.

[rock]

61. I agree with you almost completely

To those who make the law, I expect a higher degree of moral authority and expect that this testing would be voluntary. Each member of Congress should be glad to show how principled he is.

(Am I being tongue-in-cheek as well? Oh, that's right the OP is serious. Well, I guess I am too.)


PS. I'm betting our guys can whip their guys pretty badly.

[rudolph the red]

6. I think it is a great idea

they should be held to the same standards that they want ti imposr upon the rest of us.

[Fumesucker]

8. I would amend that slightly

Random surprise drug testing for any member of Congress who has voted for the drug war in any shape or form.

[Half-Century Man]

27. I saw your post and immediately thought

they should be subject to random surprise body cavity searches. I'm willing to call them off if they leave women's reproductive rights alone.

[erronis]

37. That's disgusting!

Can you imagine sticking a wand up Boner's cavities? He's probably got lots of undeclared lobbyist's "gifts" stashed away.

[ReRe]

53. n/t

[Comrade Grumpy]

9. That would be unconstitutional, as drug testing without cause by the government usually is.

The federal courts consider a drug test a search under the meaning of the Fourth Amendment. It needs to have a warrant or at least probable cause. Random, suspicionless drug testing by government is a no-no.

Private employers are a different story. The Fourth Amendment doesn't protect you from your private boss. You need your union to negotiate drug testing policies for you. What, no union? So sorry.

[quakerboy]

56. you are telling me that you can't look at nearly any

congressman's voting record and public statements and find inexplicable, erratic behavior and apparent lapses of cognitive function that might reasonably cause one to suspect on the job substance abuse?

[Buns_of_Fire]

10. Has Congress' approval rating hit negative numbers yet? nt

[Sheepshank]

11. Using RW rational...every single person sucking off the Gov't teat should be tested

Senators, Congress persons, contractors, employees, anyone who gets a dime of tax payer money. Personal discomfort and privacy be damned!!! If it's one, it's everyone!

[Avalux]

12. It's not too much to ask. Breaking laws and lying...by the people who make our laws.

It's not so much about drug use (they can take prescription drugs and be buzzed), it's about willfully breaking the law, since illicit drugs are illegal..and lying goes along with that.

These people are elected to serve the people, do what's in our best interest, and make laws. And blaming alcohol for using drugs as if that makes it ok?

[hollysmom]

14. seems to be reasonable to the mayor of toronto

[Buns_of_Fire]

15. I'm going to take a somewhat different view, here.

Give the congresscritters all the drugs they want. Hell, put free pill dispensers on the House and Senate floors, for all I care. Install booze dispensers at their seats. It's not as if it's going to markedly reduce their productivity any.

Within a few days, C-SPAN's ratings will reach the level of Comedy Central's -- especially during the times they're broadcasting debates. If Congress can't manage to work for us, at least they could provide some entertainment.

[erronis]

40. Love it! Give them some automatic firearms also...

[Conium]

16. Make them blow through a tube.

Each time they cast a vote.

[TheKentuckian]

17. We, the people demand that no one he drug tested at all without clear, specific, and articulable

rationales.

Tit for tat is silly. If we are demanding anything it should be for some fucking privacy of our own from the robberbarons.

[Warren Stupidity]

24. well stated.

exactly.

[Cleita]

19. Many of them are definitely boozed up. It's well known that many elected representatives

have liquor cabinets in their offices. It's well known that the Speaker of the House, third in line for the Presidency, is an alcoholic of the non-recovering kind. I think when they are in session and actually working on the business of the people they should be tested for alcohol and drugs on a random basis if there is a suspicion of them being under the influence. When they are in their second offices raising funds for themselves they can drink and bong away for all I care, but when they are doing our business on our dime, they should have to follow the same rules the rest of us do on the job.

[azureblue]

20. booze and blood test

no Congressman or woman should be working drunk, stoned or pilled up. There should be a breathalizer test taken every time one of them walks on the floor.

[silvershadow]

21. Maybe our country is in an f'd up mess because of widespread drug abuse among congress-critters. nt

[erronis]

41. Why just drugs and alchohol?

Most of them are addicted to power, money, and sex (booze, drugs, and fine dining seem to be prevalent also.)

Let's make sure that all these critters are non-megalomaniacs. Oh, wait - that'll eliminate all politicians.

[silvershadow]

47. True dat. I was painting with the same broad brush the right-wing uses against the poor

and lower class folks when they are applying for benefits. I see no reason not to use this as a case-in-point for the argument that maybe we actually should drug-test congress as a condition of their holding office. I mean the job does pay well, and has great bennies- they are sucking the government teat harder than anyone collecting a few food stamps to feed their family ever did.

[Swede Atlanta]

22. I suggest that all members of Congress, the federal judiciary and the executive branch...

be subjected to drug and substance abuse (e.g. alcohol) testing at least annually. The expense of these tests must be borne by the employee.

If they test positive the results along with their photos must be broadcast on television, named on the radio and published in newspapers throughout their jurisdiction.

This might curtail the nonsense of them asking recipients of public assistance who have done nothing wrong to be tested.

[Warren Stupidity]

23. Not this person. I demand that drug testing be made illegal for all people.

It is a gross invasion of privacy. "Impairment testing" - non-invasive - should be allowed for appropriate occupations.

[thatgemguy]

25. I agree !!! N/T

[shraby]

33. This is an appropriate occupation. If congress that makes laws affecting all Americans,

other countries, all businesses isn't an appropriate occupation, I certainly don't know what is.

[ReRe]

26. K&R!

Well, hells bells, the Speaker of the House is a known alcoholic! Ha! I bet you if they did drug testing right now, as we speak, that the House Majority would also be the majority inebriated, be it alcohol or other mind-altering substances. Life is a beach, don't ya know, when you have an (R) behind your name and you're swimming in Corporate cash!

[countmyvote4real]

50. Right on. Everybody read post 26.

ReRe, this is as good as I can get to recommending your response.

"Life is a beach, don't ya know, when you have an (R) behind your name and you're swimming in Corporate cash!"

[Phlem]

29. F'ing AMEN!

long overdue in my opinion.

-p

[Iliyah]

32. When the GOPers voted for the shutdown they were drunk

[erronis]

43. Might have been hooch, might have been terminal dumb-sheets

I'm not sure what kool-aid these housers are sipping but I also suspect that the kochers are placing the nimwits in the chairs so they can more easily pull the strings.

There's nothing more irritating than spending a half-million on getting some half-brain to win a seat. And then discover that said half-wit still has a functional bit that tries to ask rational questions.

[Hawaiianlight]

35. I think we should start with a sanity test. nm

[wildbilln864]

38. k & r! great idea! n/t

[JEB]

39. Also look up their asses

to see if that is where their heads are.

[grahamhgreen]

44. Can't we just demand the same drugs they are taking, lol?

[Lifelong Protester]

46. If you drive a schoolbus, you are subject to

random drug tests as a condition of employment. As someone up thread said, these folks are voting (when they do) on legislation that affects our lives. Yes, bus drivers are entrusted with a precious cargo every day, the lives of children.

Well, aren't these folks entrusted with matters affecting lives?

Shouldn't they be told before they are sworn in that the job comes with a random drug testing clause?

[nilesobek]

48. Its just a game

Going in for a drug test tomorrow and knowing that I will fail because I smoke medical marijuana for various ailments, I purchased the "Quick Fix Plus." Synthetic urine. The job I am going to to apply for is very low paying with no benefits but its the only game in town. Drug test the top people in important jobs and leave us damaged and disabled people alone.

[In_The_Wind]

60. Hello ~ nilesobek

[img][/img]

Good luck on landing that job.

[gopiscrap]

62. welcome to DU

[Egnever]

51. Um No thanks

[ReRe]

54. DearAbby, DearAbby...

I read this whole thread and laughed my off.

But seriously, shouldn't we require them to make no law that they will not abide by themselves?

If employers all over America require a blood test as part of a job application, "you know who" gave them the permission to do that, don't you? I wonder about the Constitutionality of it. If we have a Constitutional person aboard DU, maybe they can jump in and explain if the law has ever been challenged.

Thanks for the timely OP!

[Warpy]

55. Yes, along with breathalyzer tests before they enter the chamber

I would imagine most of the wingnuts are half in the bag at all times, you can't be that loony without some chemical help. I'm sure the lobbyists are supplying whatever their shriveled little hearts desire.

[B Calm]

57. I would say most of them test drugs everyday!

sarcasm

[Johnny Ready]

58. Considering you can't work at Home Depot without a drug test

I am surprised congress is not tested. I assumed they were.

[Ganja Ninja]

63. And a Breathalyser on the floors of both houses.

Everyone is allowed to speak regardless of what they blow but the reading will be projected on the bottom of the C-span screen.

[uponit7771]

64. Do you mind if I use this?