Michael Luke of WWLTV, Eyewitness News, New Orleans reports:
LaBruzzo wants drug tests for welfare recipients
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the current employer of John F. LaBruzzo, Jr. and it has in the past been regaled by his knowledge of the welfare program and recipients' needs. The poverty rate in his parish is 10.8%.
Jefferson Parish is considered part of the Greater New Orleans area and is home to three state senators, four former state representatives, one former congressman and governor, the chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party, and Steven Seagal, Reserve Chief Deputy of Jefferson Parish (yes, the actor, and disciple of the Dalai Lama). Jefferson Parish is also home to the juvenile correctional facility for boys known as Bridge City Center for Youth. (This must be the only business in town because it is the only item listed under the Wiki "Government and Infrastructure" entry.)
Jefferson Parish was treated kindly by Hurricane Katrina, however there was controversy in its aftermath.
The forty-one-year old LaBruzzo has been the parish representative since 2003. He serves as member of four House committees; Civil Law and Procedure, Health and Welfare, Labor and Industrial Relations, and the Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. His official website presents a handsome fellow engaged in serious business. As with most politicians' websites, it offers lots of information packets as well as 'submit request/download form here' depots. According to the website, LaBruzzo's former profession was "Medical Equipment Representative". This must be a new description because other biographical references state "Salesman, Medical (Surgical) Devices".
Exactly who it was that employed LaBruzzo as a medical device salesman remains a mystery.
LaBruzzo's aim to drug test welfare recipients is set to line pockets, create profits, and fill government data banks with supplemental information. Working Americans are already under legislation to provide bodily fluids to their employers (in addition to personal, financial and medical histories). Adding the non-workers' drug test results to the database will complete the picture. The penalty for testing positive will result in children denied assistance because of the actions of their parents. This looks like a handy-dandy set-up to separate children from parents unable to provide for them. Should his proposal take wings, the other side of the aisle will insist on protecting welfare recipients' right to medical care. Policies will be installed to insure that drug test failures are given opportunity for treatment and rehabilitation. This will boost profits for medical and social services providers and enrich the temporary and foster care systems.
The timing couldn't be more curious. LaBruzzo wants publicity for this now, while unemployment is at critical highs with no relief in sight.
I have a better idea, one offered back when Nancy Pelosi was being tested for her Speaker skills: Drug test our elected and appointed state, national and international officials. The U.S. Department of Interior offers a presentation which could be easily tailored to fit taxpayers' demand to drug test public servants in Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, and all the other institutions of grandeur. (Let us not exclude employees at overseas embassies.) 'National Security' is our justification and priority. In addition we will address the need for professionalism, productivity and safety, while "capturing savings" on health care and compensations -- those benefits promised by drug-testing programs being foisted on the rest of us.
If John LaBruzzo wants drug testing, let him start with himself and his colleagues.
LaBruzzo wants drug tests for welfare recipients
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the current employer of John F. LaBruzzo, Jr. and it has in the past been regaled by his knowledge of the welfare program and recipients' needs. The poverty rate in his parish is 10.8%.
Jefferson Parish is considered part of the Greater New Orleans area and is home to three state senators, four former state representatives, one former congressman and governor, the chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party, and Steven Seagal, Reserve Chief Deputy of Jefferson Parish (yes, the actor, and disciple of the Dalai Lama). Jefferson Parish is also home to the juvenile correctional facility for boys known as Bridge City Center for Youth. (This must be the only business in town because it is the only item listed under the Wiki "Government and Infrastructure" entry.)
Jefferson Parish was treated kindly by Hurricane Katrina, however there was controversy in its aftermath.
The forty-one-year old LaBruzzo has been the parish representative since 2003. He serves as member of four House committees; Civil Law and Procedure, Health and Welfare, Labor and Industrial Relations, and the Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. His official website presents a handsome fellow engaged in serious business. As with most politicians' websites, it offers lots of information packets as well as 'submit request/download form here' depots. According to the website, LaBruzzo's former profession was "Medical Equipment Representative". This must be a new description because other biographical references state "Salesman, Medical (Surgical) Devices".
Exactly who it was that employed LaBruzzo as a medical device salesman remains a mystery.
LaBruzzo's aim to drug test welfare recipients is set to line pockets, create profits, and fill government data banks with supplemental information. Working Americans are already under legislation to provide bodily fluids to their employers (in addition to personal, financial and medical histories). Adding the non-workers' drug test results to the database will complete the picture. The penalty for testing positive will result in children denied assistance because of the actions of their parents. This looks like a handy-dandy set-up to separate children from parents unable to provide for them. Should his proposal take wings, the other side of the aisle will insist on protecting welfare recipients' right to medical care. Policies will be installed to insure that drug test failures are given opportunity for treatment and rehabilitation. This will boost profits for medical and social services providers and enrich the temporary and foster care systems.
The timing couldn't be more curious. LaBruzzo wants publicity for this now, while unemployment is at critical highs with no relief in sight.
I have a better idea, one offered back when Nancy Pelosi was being tested for her Speaker skills: Drug test our elected and appointed state, national and international officials. The U.S. Department of Interior offers a presentation which could be easily tailored to fit taxpayers' demand to drug test public servants in Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, and all the other institutions of grandeur. (Let us not exclude employees at overseas embassies.) 'National Security' is our justification and priority. In addition we will address the need for professionalism, productivity and safety, while "capturing savings" on health care and compensations -- those benefits promised by drug-testing programs being foisted on the rest of us.
If John LaBruzzo wants drug testing, let him start with himself and his colleagues.
