Drug Testing for Welfare? - A Libertarian Stance.

On July 1st, 2011, A new law took effect in Florida that required welfare recipients to submit to a drug test to be able to receive money. Kentucky and Arizona have already done this, and Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama and other states are considering it. Many on the left have called it unconstitutional, referring to the 14th amendment concerning equal protection. I feel that a lawsuit will soon be forthcoming. Leftists will target the state they feel is most vulnerable.

Here is a Liberal, Conservative and Nose Pin Zone (Libertarian) view:

Liberal: Why test just welfare recipients, why not test all who receive government assistance (farmers, pell and other grant recipients, etc.)?

Conservative: Those others are helping the economy grow, the welfare recipients are just leeches.

The Nose Pin Zone: Why is the government in the business of giving farmers assistance and granting money to students and others? Is this a proper function of government? All redistribution of money from one person to another should be eliminated.   

L: What about "Corporate Welfare" (Tax breaks for big businesses, Oil company subsidies, etc.)?

C: Corporations are creating jobs, and the oil companies are helping us to wean ourselves from the dependence of foreign oil.

NPZ: Tax breaks for businesses should be eliminated, as a matter of fact, business taxes should be eliminated. Businesses do not pay taxes, they only collect money from their investors and customers and turn it over to the government. All wealth is in the hands of the individual. Instead implement the Fair Tax to replace the income tax.

L: The 14th amendment protects us from "Unreasonable searches"

C: It's not unreasonable to require welfare recipients to prove they're not on drugs.

NPZ: It doesn't matter, if they're on drugs or not, the governments should not be in the forced charity business. People should be free to choose where their money goes.

In the end, as long as we have this country ruled by Democrats and Republicans (at least the "old school" ones) we will never truly be economically free. The TEA Party is a promising movement, but it's getting more and more co-opted by the mainstream Republicans.