DOWNLOADS: (164)

PLAYS: (1071)

Embed

Republicans in the North Carolina state Senate on Monday pushed through bill that would strip public benefits like food stamps and job training for people who fail a drug test.

In 35-15 vote largely along party lines, senators passed SB 594. A single Democrat voted for the bill, and no Republicans voted against it.

The bill requires those applying for benefits to pay for their own drug tests. Applicants who test negative would be eligible to have the costs of their tests reimbursed. The policy could cost the state more than $2.1 million.

At the same time, senators rejected an amendment offered by Democratic state Sen. Gladys Robinson that would have drug tested lawmakers, the governor and cabinet secretaries.

"We receive state funds, we represent the law, we institute policy," Robinson told senators on Monday night. "So, it should not be above any of us to submit to drug screening."

Republican State Sen. Jim Davis said that he did not mind being tested, but insisted that he would vote against the amendment because it had no mechanism to provide him with a reimbursement for the $100 test.

Instead of voting on Robinson's amendment, state Senator Tom Apodaca (R) used a substitute amendment as a parliamentary maneuver to kill the the proposal.

"The substitute amendment is offered to have the affect of killing the other amendment," Democratic state Sen. Martin Nesbitt explained in a floor speech. "You need to know that before you vote because you'll be killing the one that requires a drug test of the leaders of this state since we want to require it for the followers of this state."

"And we seem to be getting into a situation where where we're kind above the people," he added. "Kind of looking down on them, telling them what to do or telling them to be quiet while we talk, and I just sense that it keeps on going."

(h/t: Progressive Pulse)

DOWNLOADS: (157)

PLAYS: (2798)

Embed

A special education teacher from Sullivan, Indiana is joining a group of students, parents and other Christians in the community who are calling for a prom that bans LGBT people because she says they have no "purpose in life."

WTWO-TV reported that the group met at Sullivan First Christian Church on Sunday to discuss creating a prom that only allowed straight students as an alternative to the inclusive prom at Sullivan High School.

"We don't agree with [homosexuality]," special education teacher Diana Medley told the station. "It's offensive to us."

Sullivan High School student Kynon Johnson explained that the group want to "get more people to follow what they believe" by providing a "good prom."

"We believe what the Bible says, it says that it's wrong," student Bonnie McCammon insisted. "And we love the homosexuals, but we do not condone what they're doing."

But not everyone agrees. Jim Davis, a Christian who lives in Sullivan, said that Jesus did not condemn anyone, including LGBT people.

"He come here to save the world, not to condemn it," Davis observed. "Love them as a person, you don't have to love what they do because they may not, I mean, the gays may not like the bad things you make mistakes at."

Medley, however, disagreed because she believes homosexuality is a choice for LGBT people.

"I don't believe they were born that way," she opined. "I think life circumstances made them choose that. I think God made everybody equal... I have kids come to me because of their sexual preference. And they know I don't agree with it, but care about you. And the same thing for special needs. God puts those people in our life for special reasons."

Continue reading »