When it comes to government assistance, there are strong disagreements among the Left and the Right. At the core of conservatism is the idea that people should be self-sufficient and not rely on government handouts in perpetuity.
Whereas leftists seem content with able-bodied folks living on handouts without contributing to society at all, and are constantly fighting to make it easier to both receive and keep them. While the issue of food stamps hasn’t been in the headlines for a while, a policy proposal in Wisconsin is sure to reignite the debate over government handouts and what people should have to do to receive them.
As reported at the New York Post, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is looking to make Wisconsin the first state in the US that would require adults applying for food stamps to take a drug test.
The idea has long been tossed around in conservatives circles, but no one has actually gone through and implemented it, largely because of courts’ ruling against it and the Left’s hysterical reactions to the idea coupled with the fear of losing votes from those most inclined to need them.
Two years ago, the GOP-controlled Wisconsin state legislature approved the policy, but it was never implemented due to federal rules that forbid imposing extra eligibility requirements on those seeking food stamps.
In 2014, a federal appeals court struck down Florida’s attempt at implementing drug testing for food stamp recipients, saying it violated constitutional protections against unreasonable searches. That precedent has been a major deterrent against those inclined to pass a drug testing policy to acquire food stamps.
Despite the history of rulings against the policy, Walker’s spokesman Tom Evenson said the governor believes he has the authority to order the screening. The state legislature will now have 4 months to look over the proposal and decide if they want to implement it.
For those who apply but fail the drug test, they’ll be eligible for a state-funded rehabilitation program aimed at helping them kick their drug habits. This inclusion makes the proposal much more palatable, but liberals will no doubt find a way to oppose it. Even though recipients are seeking tax money working folks were forced to hand over to the government, they still want them to receive the benefits with no strings attached.
Regardless, Walker will be fighting this out in court, which is where liberals plan on taking this issue, as it gives them the best opportunity for victory.
Source: New York Post
