March 2012
66 posts
“Fate, up against your will. Through the thick and thin. He will wait until, you give yourself to him.”
—Ian McCulloch (Echo and the Bunnymen-The Killing Moon)
This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
Talking Heads
Few songs make me feel the way “This Must Be the Place” does. Talking Heads have never let me down, and if you’re new to their world of sound, I hope you will follow up with “Nothing But Flowers” after this, so that you can become part of a magical world:)
A reminder of why I don't argue politics on FB:
- AB:
- Ok, there's something that's been bugging me and I have to say..er.. type.. it. I know I seldom weigh in on anything that's not related to gay rights, but I have to get this out. It is not a racist comment. It is not a politically incorrect comment. Several others have said it before and I'm here to repeat it. If I have to take and pass a drug test to get a job to pay taxes that help pay for YOUR welfare and YOUR unemployment check, shouldn't YOU have to take a drug test, too, to get that check? If you're out actively seeking employment, that's one thing...but this is directed toward the people who sit at home all day doing NOTHING while I work my @$$ off barely making enough to pay the bills once those taxes are taken out to help pay for YOUR lifestyle. Someone please tell me how my justification on this is wrong. Please. I'm waiting.
- CD: Hell no! I have to work two jobs and shop on a budget, while they get to go to the grocery store n shop for steaks and other junk food, enough to fill their house AND mine...with OUR tax dollars!! Def something crooked and disgusting with the system!!!
- EF: I completely agree. At any time during my employment, I can be screened for drugs. Most employers have this requirement. If you can't pass a drug test, then your lazy ass has no intention of getting a job, because no one would hire you. So those people should not be allowed to mooch off the state. No welfare, disability, Medicaid, food stamps, etc. I shouldn't have to kill myself working for you to sit at home doing a bunch of drugs all day. Drug testing should be a mandatory requirement for any government aid (excluding Medicare and Social Security for retired people).
- GH: Agreed!
- Me: I only feel you're wrong in the sense that drug testing period is unconstitutional and violates so many personal/privacy rights it's unreal. I agree that it sucks that people like us work hard and will never see a dime of our social security and will continue to support people on welfare who abuse the system (and often times at least neglect if not abuse their children they use to get the welfare). However, the way to end abuse of a broken system is not to test for drug use, but to eliminate or at least refurbish the system completely. Our government needs to seriously investigate better ways to help our country. I'm not a socialist or any "ist" really, but I do find that countries like France and Canada, who have universal health care and other ways to take care of poor and/or the unemployed, also tend to not drug test citizens, because they realize what a fundamental violation of privacy it is, and how it doesn't give us any clue as to a person's work ethic or willingness to contribute to society.
- GH: Privacy is not a constitutional right, but rather loosely applied to cover certain privacies under the quartering act and the 1,10, and 4th Amendments. There is no constitutional right to privacy and in recent years it has been declared that drug testing to receive public benefits (as long as they apply to all groups) is constitutional.
- Me: Except for the whole 5th amendment.
- And then there's the ninth amendment to back that up. So, I guess you could say the original constitution doesn't specify rights based on privacy, but the Bill of Rights does.
- Me: I don't mean to come off too harsh, I simply wanted to point out that the bill of rights is incredibly important when discussing constitutional rights, considering that the constitution itself states it's an imperfect document which should be amended when it is deemed necessary. Our founders were incredibly intelligent for the most part, and realized that one document would never be able to be used forever, because they couldn't predict the future, but they did know that as society progressed, so would our government. At least, that's what they intended. Too bad it hasn't quite panned out that way...
- IJ: Playing devils advocate here Ash, but the fifth amendment is about UNLAWFUL search and seizure. You elect to get welfare, you are choosing to take this option. Therefore, you are submitting yourself. Part of the whole program of welfare is ...
- Me: Testing my bodily fluids is unlawful seizure of my physical person. But again, the 9th amendment more clearly demonstrates my point.
- Really, though, I'm not just against drug testing (which is more of a problem for jobs than for welfare) but against the current welfare system in its entirety.
- Here's a really great example of an essay that describes the core issues:
- http: //www.wcfia.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/423__0332-Alesina11.pdf
- Me: Also, you're right, most states have a history of taking care of high school/college dropout single moms, but not sick retired people who worked for most of their lives and can barely afford to eat much less take medicine they need to get through life, or college students who are working and going to school and can't afford to do one or the other without government and private loans. Not to go in circles, but it all goes back to the idea that welfare as it currently exists in this country just doesn't work.
- IJ: If its not unlawful for a job it should be to receive state money.
- Lol
- But, honestly I don't give a crap. I'm a productive member of society and I didn't quiafly for assistance in my time of need because I was getting an education. It's a state issue, our state says we will not help people who want to better them selves! If flordia wants to acctually help need who need and want it and are going to make good use of it, I say good on them. It will never affect me personally, mostly because I can pass a drug test.
- IJ: That first line was a ? Btw, stupid iPhone lol
- Me: No, I actually think it should be unlawful for both, but I can see how that wasn't made clear.
- It's not about whether or not I or another person can pass the test, that's actually pretty easy, it's the principle.
- How does drug testing improve the system? It doesn't, actually, it just pours more of my (and your) tax dollars into expensive testing which can a) be passed without actually being off drugs and b) which can falsely show positives thereby giving people who are abusing the system more money and those who are legitimately trying to get help to get out of a rut are booted into the streets again.
- Basically, the point that I never just came out and made is that drug testing people for welfare will never end abuse of the system, it only makes it closer to bankrupting our country.
- IJ: Thehehehe I love playing devils advocate.
- (said in a smug sarcastic tone) But miss, part of the FL program is that people applying have to pay for the drug test themselves up front. And if they pass and are approved that money is refunded in their welfare check and/or food stamps.
- So you see the government isn't loosing any money.
- Besides the government already tells you what you can and cannot do with your own body, IE prostitution!
- (you do know I'm cackling the whole time?) (Accept about the prostitution bit, LEAGALIZE IT! And fix the economy!)(bet so many people wouldn't need walfare if they could safely and legally sell the goods the got ;) ;) )
- Me: Wow, I can't even, ok, I stopped peeing/laughing...yes some states are requiring paying for the testing, but many are still footing that bill (including MO where I currently reside).
- Nevada knows what's up, and Colorado and Oregon have some good ideas too, unfortunately we still have that whole federal government thing going on, man this country is hilarious.
- The US to its people during election cycles: "We're all about state rights, except in the case of X, Y, Z and maybe the rest of the alphabet too. But you can pay for your own infrastructure and schooling, etc..." uh, what you say?
A New Music Blog to Follow →
pleasureforyourears.tumblr.com
It’s under construction, but I promise it will be worth a quick follow:)