Gov. Scott Walker wants to drug test recipients of public benefits. Credit: Associated Press

You have to wonder what the governor has been smoking.

With a razor-thin lead over his Democratic challenger, Gov. Scott Walker apparently decided to up the ante by proposing the "Pee in a Cup Challenge" for Wisconsin residents on public assistance.

In a campaign statement laying out his agenda if he is re-elected, Walker proposed a controversial plan to drug-test people receiving public aid, including those who receive food stamps and are seeking unemployment insurance.

It's a drastic policy statement to make during a time when some states are moving toward laws to decriminalize the use of marijuana — the "wacky weed" is legal in two states. Previous attempts to make public assistance recipients submit to drug tests have been stymied by the federal government and the court system. Although popular with conservatives, the fact is federal law doesn't allow states to require such rules.

But that didn't stop Walker and Republican legislators from trying to put a lid on all those out-of-work potheads.

Walker's explanation? He has "compassion" for public aid recipients struggling to find work, and drug testing will be a positive thing in their lives. The governor's Sunday School condescension is hard to take, even stone-cold sober.

Walker's decision to pick a fight in this emerging cultural war between recreational drug users and those who don't indulge comes during a particularly tight election fight with Democratic challenger Mary Burke.

With no compelling facts to suggest drug testing is a paramount issue for voters, Walker once again is following the lead of other extreme right-wing governors who back questionable policies straight from the conservative playbook written by wealthy corporate donors. Burke called Walker's drug-testing proposal a campaign stunt. You bet it is.

It's also a remnant from the "bash the 47% who don't contribute anything to society" strategy that lost the 2012 election for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Apparently, all the 47% do is sit around, get high and apply for jobs, according to Walker.

Perhaps we should be grateful that Walker decided to give some fair warning this time about a drastic policy change before election day. After all, he could have pulled another Act 10 — changing the rules with no heads-up.

When it comes to drug use, most adults understand the danger of crippling addictions that can destroy family life and impair the ability of hard-core addicts to meet the requirements of any daily work schedule.

But they also recognize that alcohol is probably the most harmful drug used by a majority of residents in Wisconsin with the most potential to affect worker productivity and safety. In that context, drug-testing laws for residents on public aid seem superfluous.

It's tempting to ridicule Walker's "Reefer Madness," which seems so out of touch with modern society. It's also tempting to accuse him of hypocrisy for not requiring drug tests for the various corporate businessmen and cronies who received tax breaks and benefits that helped contribute to a projected $1.8 billion state deficit in the coming two-year budget.

Unlike some critics, I don't believe the drug-testing proposal by itself is racist because most of the people who use illegal drugs in the nation are white (national crime stats bear that out). But it's undeniable that the overwhelming perception is that many Republican policies such as voter ID, restricting voting hours and drug testing for public aid recipients are aimed at punishing African-Americans, most of whom turned out for President Barack Obama.

Walker must know that drug-testing laws in Florida and Missouri were challenged in court, and studies have shown the often exorbitant cost of the programs isn't worth the small number of recipients nabbed by the tests.

Which means this is all about giving his supporters more of the political red meat they crave — just another way to build credibility with his right-wing base for a possible run for the presidency in 2016.

If Walker is really considering a run, I can't help but wonder if the right people are being asked to take drug tests.

Email Ekane2829@gmail.com Twitter: @eugene_kane