After an unexpected layoff, I have just found myself on the job market for the first time in many years of gainful employment. I am receiving unemployment benefits for the very first time, actually, benefit, I have received one check. It is not a good feeling.
An article that caught my attention is a satire piece, “Friends Without Benefits”, written by Eileen Smith from her blog, In the Pink Texas about two pieces of legislature in Texas that will require drug screening in order to receive financial assistance, House Bill 126 by Rep. Ken Legler, R-Pasadena, and House Bill 139 by Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, R-Rockwall. Smith has won awards for her blog and was the first editor of texasmonthly.com. Her humor is shown when she describes her like of Twitter over Facebook because “followers” sounds more loyal than “friends” and in her spare time she enjoys telling people that she’s working on a book. Her blog is approved on the list of suggested sources for my Texas government class where she is listed under the “left-leaning (liberal) blogs column.
Smith knows her politics and backs up her stance against drug screening by recalling a constitutional challenge in Michigan in 2003 that dealt with the same issue; it was struck down as unconstitutional. According to the ACLU, it violated Fourth Amendment rights. Ms. Smith makes a key, although satiric, statement when she said that “balancing the budget by targeting the poor and downtrodden is a longstanding political tradition”. This has been shown through Jim Crow laws and has continued with the war on drugs. She mentions cavity searches as well. What hoops to jump through will be designed by the next Republican who wants “less government” but really wants to deter any financial assistance and to peek into everyone’s private life?
Smith also mentions that if a mother tests positive for drugs she will be ineligible for assistance for 12 months. What will happen to their children? Will the drug addicted mother turn to a life of crime? I for one know that financial assistance is just that, assistance and there is not enough extra money to feed a drug habit.
Smith ends her article with, “I'd be careful if I were Ken Legler or Jodie Laubenberg. Come next election season, either one could be out of a job and at the front of the pee-cup line.” With humor Eileen Smith shows that these politicians should be on their way out. Let’s hope so. I don’t envy anyone receiving financial assistance; I never thought I would be one of those people. Let's not make it more undignified by urinating on command.
