DRUG TESTING SHOULD BE STANDARD PROCEDURE TO RECEIVE GOVERNMENT BENEFITS

It was especially refreshing to read Thomas Sowell's column, "Various
and sundry thoughts" (Dec. 29). He was sharing his own and others'
thoughts, and one thought I feel really deserves a lot more serious
consideration is this: In order for many of us to get a job, we have
to submit to a drug urine test - or no job.

Pretty simple. I, and millions of others, pay taxes being donated
(unearned) to thousands of welfare recipients. These include food
stamps and benefits from the Women, Infants and Children program.

We all know the parent is the one who collects the plastic debit card,
so why not demand that the parent submit to a supervised drug urine
test before any tax monies are doled out?

You might just find the welfare-recipient list cut in half and, as a
result, our taxes could easily be diverted to another wasteful
government project.

Michael Carr

Stuart