A CLEAN HOUSE

TO PROVE how serious he is about the war on drugs, House Speaker Newt
Gingrich told Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, that he is ready to
start testing his staff for drugs. In so doing, Gingrich would become the
third member to drug-test his staff, joining Representatives Joe Barton,
R-Texas, and Dan Burton, R-Indiana.

As it turns out, Gingrich already tests himself for drugs. He told an
Associated Press photographer in Minnesota, ``It's part of my annual
physical.'' And: ``By the way, I know the answer when they check.''

The details of the Gingrich staff drug checks are ``under discussion,''
according to Gingrich spokeswoman Christina Martin. A bill before the
House, however, would require random drug testing of all members and House
staff, as well as testing for reasonable suspicion.

While we cannot help but applaud Gingrich for doing unto himself that which
he would do unto his staff, his decision to require drug tests nonetheless
rankles. There is no reason to believe that the tests would be an effective
use of taxpayer money. Thus, the Gingrich plan appears to be the very thing
he used to oppose -- a Big Government program that won't deliver.

)1998 San Francisco Chronicle

Checked-by: jwjohnson@netmagic.net (Joel W. Johnson)