Drug Testing Is Right for Wisconsin

Even liberals acknowledge that some individuals unfairly exploit welfare programs.

Pending federal approval, a recent proposal by Governor Scott Walker would require mandatory drug testing for all applicants to Wisconsin’s food stamp program. The proposed reform has sparked intense debate, with some critics accusing the plan of unjustly deserting the state’s most vulnerable. If successful, though, Walker’s proposal would be not only fairer to taxpayers, but also more beneficial to recipients of welfare.

Despite condemnation by its opponents, the proposal is neither punitive nor the product of an unrealistic “tough love” mentality. Under the plan, an individual testing positive would still have the option to retain benefits, provided that he or she undergoes treatment (covered by the government, if necessary). The plan does not, as some claim, punish poor addicts by depriving them of food; rather, it attempts to combat addiction and motivate upward movement of the poor into the workforce.

Drug addiction itself is a scourge: it preys on vulnerability and ruins the lives of its victims and their families. Any empathetic individual — especially one who has been personally affected — knows that addicts are seldom to blame for their addictions. The most sensible solution is a compassionate one; but in this case, the compassionate solution is not as clear as critics suggest.

For many beneficiaries of welfare, addiction is not just an isolated burden, but an oppressive force which keeps them trapped in cyclical poverty. While it may seem compassionate to provide the afflicted with any resources possible, doing so is a superficial solution. Governor Walker’s plan attacks the pernicious problem at its roots, seeking to disincentivize and treat it.