What's the Deal?

Today Governor Deal reportedly signed a bill from the legislature to drug test Georgians on federal assistance programs. Guess there's nothing quite so pleasurable to people in power as kicking other folks when they're down on their luck. So how much is this vile program going to cost Georgia to implement, assuming that it will even make it through the obvious legal challenges it will face? No word yet, but judging from Florida's attempt to push a similar measure - we're looking at hundreds of thousands of tax dollars going down the drain. And that's before the legal expenses involved in trying to defend the constitutionality of this absurd gesture in court. And what do we have to gain from this specious violation of freedom? Really, nothing. But a lot of self-aggrandizing legislators and the governor will get the opportunity to gloat and act holier than thou - "thou" being the vast majority of Georgia residents this crop of politicos have cheated and scammed with just about every state program they've used to line their own personal pockets. These are the guys who even refused a $100 per perk cap on the value of unlimited lobbyist gifts to legislators. There's no mystery to where these power-brokers' allegiances lie - and it is not with the people of this state, but with the corporations that grease their palms to make their violation of the public's trust go even more smoothly. Congratulations, gentleman (and a few ladies, too.) You've managed to put Georgia in the top tier of states most conducive to corruption. May the forces of fate be as good to you as you have been to us.