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TO PONDER
State Sen. Shane Cultra, R-53rd District, said last week he plans to introduce a bill requiring drug-testing for Medicaid recipients in Illinois.
Cultra, who serves on the Senate’s Public Health Committee, said such a mandate would save the state money.
However, Cultra had no idea how much money. He also did not know how much testing would cost, or how many
Medicaid recipients there are in the state.
Cultra needs more facts and less emotion to make a persuasive argument.
The same could be said of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois which jumped all over Cultra’s proposal.
Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the Illinois ACLU said the organization opposes these kinds of measures.
“This has been attempted around the country. This kind of intrusive search by government is unconstitutional,” Yohnka said. “These types of measures are built on the faulty premise that the poor use illegal drugs at a higher percentage than their wealthier counterparts,” Yohnka said. “We could find just as many people using drugs if we tested lawmakers in order for them to get their salary.”
We can either debate this on facts or emotion.
Which do you say should rule?
TO PONDER
State Sen. Shane Cultra, R-53rd District, said last week he plans to introduce a bill requiring drug-testing for Medicaid recipients in Illinois.
Cultra, who serves on the Senate’s Public Health Committee, said such a mandate would save the state money.
However, Cultra had no idea how much money. He also did not know how much testing would cost, or how many
Medicaid recipients there are in the state.
Cultra needs more facts and less emotion to make a persuasive argument.
The same could be said of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois which jumped all over Cultra’s proposal.
Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the Illinois ACLU said the organization opposes these kinds of measures.
“This has been attempted around the country. This kind of intrusive search by government is unconstitutional,” Yohnka said. “These types of measures are built on the faulty premise that the poor use illegal drugs at a higher percentage than their wealthier counterparts,” Yohnka said. “We could find just as many people using drugs if we tested lawmakers in order for them to get their salary.”
We can either debate this on facts or emotion.
Which do you say should rule?
