Religious leaders stand up to Scott Walker on his drug testing proposal

[lutefisk]

Wisconsin religious leaders are asking the Republican-controlled Legislature to reject Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal for selective drug testing of residents seeking food stamps or aid programs like unemployment compensation. In a letter, leaders of nine organizations questioned Walker’s plan and urged that it be rejected.

‘’We do so in our shared commitment to respect, compassion and fairness for all persons. In our respective religious traditions, poverty and joblessness are not indications of bad character. Thus, we do not believe it is just to craft policies that punish those who face these trials while also suffering from the illness of addiction,” the religious leaders said.

“Nor is it fair to treat those who seek unemployment, health, and nutrition assistance differently than those who need financial help with educational costs, starting a business or obtaining child care,” the letter continued...

Signing the letter were the Rev. Scott Anderson of the Wisconsin Council of Churches; Michael Blumenfeld of the Wisconsin Jewish Conference; the Rev. Cindy Crane of the Lutheran Office for Public Policy; John Huebscher of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference; Tom Heinen of the Interfaith Council of Greater Milwaukee; Linda Ketcham of the Madison Urban Ministry; Elana Kahn-Oren of the Jewish Community Relations Council; Sandra Milligan of WISDOM; and Rabbi Bonnie Margulis of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice.

LINK to article

It's satisfying to see someone like Walker, who has long used religion to promote himself and shield himself against criticism of his character, called on his hypocrisy and phoniness by religious leaders who actually walk the walk.

Earlier, Walker defended his drug testing plan by saying “This is really about compassion”.

[Cal33]

1. Some of the religious leaders finally are wising up to him. He is possibly one of

the worst sociopaths to ever become governor. And he is now trying to run for
the presidency. If he should ever succeed, God help our nation!

[lutefisk]

2. Yep, he's a sociopath. Lies like a rug.

Notice the religious leaders are appealing to the men and women in the legislature, not Walker. There is no point in trying to engage him- not an ounce of compassion in that man's body.

And I wonder what they think of his refusal to issue, or even consider any arguments for, a pardon in his two terms as governor? Nothing for Walker to gain politically by issuing a pardon, but in his mind there is the possibility of a pardon hurting him politically in the future. No compassion there, either, just cruelty, imho.

[Myrina]

3. "Compassion" ... the same bullshit meme used by Pence when he tried it ...

.... "enabling the poor" to better themselves. By denying them food & stigmatizing them even further, just so one of the Koch crony companies can get the 'testing/analysis' contracts and embezzle more state money.

[okaawhatever]

4. Good for those religious leaders. They've done the same thing in North Carolina. nt