UPDATED: As he continues his town hall tour, House Speaker Thom Tillis is becoming a political enigma.
He showed reserve in his statement about last week's incentives meltdown and even touted green energy Monday.
But at a Saturday event in Madison County, he told a GOP crowd that he supports drug testing North Carolinians who receive government assistance -- a favorite issues for far-right Republicans. "If we come back in 2013, I don't know if we'll go as far as Florida, but if you're receiving government assistance, and every once in a while we want to do random drug tests, done on a fair basis, I think we should do it," he told the crowd. (See his remarks on YouTube here.)
Asked later about expanding the drug testing to state employees, Tillis said, "I agree with that."
Tillis threw out more conservative red meat: suggesting that not everyone who receives government assistance deserves it, such as a "woman who has chosen to have three or four kids out of wedlock."
"What we have to do is find a way to divide and conquer the people who are on assistance," Tillis told the crowd.
"We have to show respect for that woman who has cerebral palsy and had no choice in her condition, that needs help, and we should help. And we need to get those folks to look down at these people who choose to get into a condition that makes them dependent on the government, and say, at some point, you’re on your own. We may end up taking care of those babies, but we’re not going to take care of you," he continued.
All these changes, Tillis said, won't happen next legislative session -- "wrong time because it's going to be politically charged," he said. But possibly in 2013 if Republicans retain control.
Tillis interesting foreshadows potential political fallout from his remarks, adding: "Some of these things may just get me railroaded out of town." What a way to go out, a crowd member told him. "Geronimo," Tillis replied.
Later, Democrats jumped on the proposal, suggesting it doesn't work and costs more than it saves. "As usual, Speaker Thom Tillis is focused on dividing North Carolinians instead of bringing them together. By trying to humiliate our most underprivileged and poverty-stricken citizens it's clear that Thom Tillis is nothing more than a school-yard bully—he should be ashamed of himself," said N.C. Democratic Party Chairman David Parker in a statement.
Comments
Less fortunate or more lazy?
October 12, 2011 - 12:16pm — NoContestThere will always be people that truly need help. They should receive help.
The lazy and able bodied should not get help without some kind of work. There are lots of public buildings and streets that need cleaning.
America is what it is today because of strong people. There used to be a time when public assistance was a shame and even the weak among us did what they could to contribute or help. Today the WEAK cheat the system and sit around doing nothing productive. That needs to change. Too many people are struggling to make ends meet while the leeches sit back and gloat.
If you are less fortunate then get some education to become a more productive person. Many already have. Suck it up and get busy!!
As my grandmammy always said..
October 12, 2011 - 12:12am — wafranklinTillis and this idiocy is enough to gag a maggot. Where does Tillis, and the rest of the rightwing, get all this bit about punishing the less fortunate - it is a vengeful vendetta against the poor that the Republicans are waging. They have no ideas for jobs and are doing everything possible to distract the gullible rightwing public. There are no jobs out there at present, and the job market will be long in recovering. There are those who simply say "tough", go and die. Problem is most proclaim their Christianity, although not a christianity which I would recognize. More like the American Taliban. Get rid of Tillis and his whole bunch in 2012.
Drug testing is expensive
October 11, 2011 - 10:11pm — Libertarian59How would the drug testing program be funded? With tax dollars of course which would be a waste of precious funds. The proposed drug testing program is another example of Big Government run amok.
How about Legislative members
October 11, 2011 - 9:59pm — roiI'm all for drug testing every member of the house and senate on both the local and federal level. They'll never do it, though.
Waste of money
October 12, 2011 - 12:29am — jjsmith2How much money would the state spend by testing its employees and how often would these tests be and to catch how many people?
It only seems like a matter of years ago that Speaker Tillis and the rest of the Republicans rose up in anger over the idea of testing State Emplloyees for tobacco use to get a better health care plan.
Waste of money.
Not just Welfare
October 11, 2011 - 9:29pm — NoContestThere are MANY ways the public assistance parasites drain the system. Many programs are there to insure that those that DO NOT deserve it will receive assistance. Have more kids and get more public assistance. Strain you back on the sofa and get more assistance. Stub your little toe and get more assistance.
What is so wrong with making able bodied people on public assistance of ANY kind do some type of work, public service or volunteer somewhere?
Are there people out there that think so many of your fellow citizens need a free ride? The free ride makes productive people lazy and bored.
If you provide something for free then more and more will want the free stuff. When does it end? Someone at sometime MUST work to provide for those that can't work or refuse to work. What do you do when nobody wants to work? At what point do productive people just give up?
Let me get this straight;
October 11, 2011 - 9:03pm — Curtis132Let me get this straight; Start a new government agency to monitor drug use. How many people will be employed by this new agency? What will be the annual cost? I thought the GOP did not want big government. Oh I agree that the recipient of money should be limited and monitored but we have seen what the government does with newly created agencies. Look at the TSA. It was suppose to be temporary. The TSA will grow and be on the books for at least 200 years. Thanks GOP for the smaller government that you have promised. By the way I'm Independent. Both Parties have their heads up the of lobbyist A&&'s.
The speaker indicates
October 11, 2011 - 8:46pm — awbealThe speaker indicates shocking ignorance about public assistance. Nearly all of it is based on having dependent children for an adult who is under 65 to have eligibility. Drug testing will only hurt innocent children of drug addicts (who are already being victimized by their parents' actions) by taking away their food stamps and their health coverage. Secondly, drug testing of state employees would most likely be found unconstitutional and would entangle the state in an expensive lawsuit.
a favorite issue
October 11, 2011 - 7:18pm — nctorwart"a favorite issue for far right republicans" Not really. I know many people far from the right who are for it. Myself included.
lifers = 2 years
October 11, 2011 - 6:43pm — YasminahYou do know that a law passed under Pres. Clinton limits welfare to 2 years lifetime. This does not apply to benefits for children but it does apply to adult welfare benefits. There is no such thing as lifers on public assistance. Know the facts.
Great news!!! We should
October 11, 2011 - 5:33pm — NoContestGreat news!!! We should start drug testing and mandatory work for the public assistance crowd. I am soooo tired of my money funding the lifestyle of those on the government doll that can work or volunteer, but won't.
If you work a job wouldn't you want to keep more of YOUR MONEY?! Shouldn't I be able to afford nice things with MY hard earned money BEFORE some public assistance parasite has more than the basic necessities in life??!!
We need drug testing as a qualification to receiving public assistance. The people that truly deserve help and should receive the help, NOT the able bodied lifers on public assistance. The able bodied lifers are the ones that should be out there cleaning public buildings,. parks and streets for their checks.
drug testing
October 11, 2011 - 5:30pm — jrf1985Tillis in on the right track on this one; but would never get the support he needs to get it done. And yes I totally agree if ALL including politicians get tested also.
Wasting time and taxpayer money
October 11, 2011 - 5:23pm — YasminahWhat a maroon! In Florida where they have this stupid law 98% passed the drug test and its costing the state $178 million annually to block a couple hundred bucks a month to a few people -- and to debunk this racist Tea Party myth. Redonkulus! Could Tillis focus on anything that really matters or only what his Koch/Pope overlords command?!!
Tillis Gadzillis
October 11, 2011 - 5:23pm — MozarteanHe's just testing out some early themes for his US Senate run in 2014.
Tillis Sillis
October 11, 2011 - 5:20pm — MozarteanI'm guessing LabCorp is a big contributor to Thom Tillis.
Cronyism?
October 11, 2011 - 5:07pm — cato08Tillis must have contributors in the drug testing business or owns part interest in one.
Test the Politicians
October 11, 2011 - 5:06pm — omegapsiphi44Now is the time to test the politicians for alcohol and drugs. If they do not pass the test it would be automatic expulsion from office. Oh, I forgot they were elected. The politicians do not have to have any qualifications for the job just a bunch of airheads in the electorate to cast a ballot for them. Wake up North Carolina.
I got an idea....
October 11, 2011 - 4:49pm — englewoodlet's drug test the CEO's and employees of every company that receives state funding to move here are expand their business! After all, it's taxpayer money.
re; DRUG TETING OF STATE EMPLOYEES WITHOUT CAUSE
October 11, 2011 - 4:43pm — beachbum3If the repbulcian continute to impose their will upon decated career state employees with the issues of drug testing with any probably caues to do . i feel sure that mr tillis will be shown to the door right along with our wonderful governor that has become a repbulican at heart an has given these repbulcian bastards what eevr they want when it come to assualts on the public employee an state employee across this state. but fear not or maybe you should fear for the state employee in this state come 2012 election cycle. i feel sure that they will be showing you an your other republican coharts to the dooor first hand an you mr tillis can forget ever again their being another repbulcian governor elected in this state for another one hundred years thank you