Should our politicians go through mandatory surprise drug test?

You think drug use is the problem with politicians, rather than influence of money or other institutional/systemic issues?
I’d honestly support replacing all of congress with a random selection of 535 people found in cannabis dispensaries and opiod two-step programs.

@hat, Is the influence of money an issue. I bet. But it doesn’t have to come with crazy. However, I can see most of these people being high. Opioids have been the drug of choice for hundreds of years for many of the rich and leaders of the world. Maybe they also wouldn’t be so easily influenced by money if they didn’t need it to feed their addictions.
I’m not ruling out stupidity and greed but I would at least like to know if I’m looking at natural crazy and greedy or high as a kite crazy. One can be possibly fixed with some help. The other would just need to be put away forever.

I think your use of “crazy” is a little inappropriate here. There is nothing irrational about politicians’ behavior. It is what you’d expect from humans taking part in a bad system. Their behavior is rational and completely reasonable, considering the circumstances. Remember – this is the system we want. We don’t really want these people to be acting differently then they are. Really. This is exactly what we want.

Drugs are not a problem. Our economic and political systems are, however.

@hat No, they are irrational. And Ms. Greene is deep into conspiracy stuff. Republicans have also been clamoring about an opioid crisis for years now. What if they know about this personally. Shouldn’t voters have the right to know if someone is high when voting or is motivated to turn on our Nation because they can be blackmailed? You still didn’t answer the question. Should they have to do a surprise drug test? Our military has too. Especially if they work in anything dealing with security. Most of these guys have higher security clearances and I bet they never went through a drug test. Bad enough they can’t be forced to take an IQ test before running for office.

@Pandora: “You still didn’t answer the question.”

Fair enough. No, I don’t think politicians should be subject to drug tests. I don’t think anyone should.

@Pandora: “Our military has to”

Yet it’s still the imperialist, brutal wing of global capital. Drug tests didn’t fix that.

I’d be okay with it, as well as screening for alcohol use while on the job (a la Pelosi, Guiliani, etc..)

@KNOWITALL Do you have a source that says Pelosi was drinking on the job? Because in checking Politifact, Newsweek, USA Today, they all say she doesn’t even drink.

Maybe EVERY politician should have a mental health check!!!

If any member of society, in any situation/occupation is required to do so by government decree, then yes, they should.

Magarie Taylor Green, should be subjected to a psychiatric test.
She is the only person I ever heard that made Trump sound normal.

@Pandora Yes, but not because I agree with what you’ve said. I just think it would be good ‘politics’. ;)

I’d go for other types of tests and standards first. Drug tests would be low on my list of preferred tests.

Marjorie Taylor Greene (note correct spelling) however, is so blatantly preposterous and terrible, that she inspires in me the idea that some people should just have their statements recorded and played to voters. Voters who hear the more terrible things she’s said, and still would vote for her for Congress . . . should probably not be allowed to vote, or have weapons, etc.

@chyna She doesn’t drink that I’m aware of. Perhaps testing would stop all the rumors and manipulated video’s. Her husband is another story though.

@hat Yet it’s still the imperialist, brutal wing of global capital. Drug tests didn’t fix that. It wasn’t meant to fix that at all so I have to disagree with you.

I think any public employee and anyone on public support (not social security) should be subject to random, surprise drug tests. You are taking tax dollars and we should expect our public servants to not be on drugs, not breaking the law. If you are on public support you are saying you cannot make it on your own so you need the safety net. But then you have enough money to buy drugs.

I have worked many civilian jobs that require drug tests and do random testing. When I was in the Navy they started drug testing then. So the precedent is there. Government people or people wanting money (paycheck in the case I have been to) get drug tested. Why should it be different for Congress, the POTUS, the SCOTUS, or any of the millions of bureaucrats that muck up our country on a regular basis?

I’d be fine with it, but I’m not pushing the idea. My guess is very few politicians are alcoholics or drug addicts. If they are discovered to be addicts then there should be mandatory treatment and random testing after the discovery.

I think it’s likely politicians are more like pushers than users. I don’t mean they literally push drugs, I mean they sell ideas that they know are bullshit.