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Commentary by Michael Tivana Bush Administration to Delay
Faith Initiative - commented on in living color One would like to hope that this postponement
is because people are outraged that such an ominous coupling between church and
state is unfolding right before our eyes. Instead it is the right wing
religious anti-Christians that are complaining; read on. "We're
postponing," the Post quoted Don Eberly, deputy director of the White
House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, as saying. "We're
not ready to send our own bill up." Don Eberly, former Reagan aide, is probably the most
sane of the right wing opinion shapers. You can read an opinion by him by
going to - http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/9ta/9ta052.html -
The
Post said Eberly acknowledged that President George W. Bush's proposal to
boost the role of religious groups in social work "may need to be
corrected in some areas," particularly the interplay between religious
programs and government funding. * The White House expected church-state separation groups to
object to the program, but it also raised concerns among conservatives
such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, who fear churches would be corrupted
by government regulations or that objectionable sects would be rewarded. The paper said Bush expressed confidence in the program, a
cornerstone of his "compassionate conservatism," in an
interview on Friday. "There
are some who worry about, once government gets involved, government will
force religion on people. And I am mindful of those concerns, and our policy
will understand that," the Post quoted him as saying. "We'll fashion a policy ... that will, I believe,
answer those critics." The
head of Bush's faith-based initiative, John Dilulio Jr., last week defended
the proposal and said the White House would stay within constitutional bounds
by carefully segregating secular services provided by the groups from efforts
to spread their faiths. The
Post said some facets of Bush's program would likely be implemented quickly
and quietly, including a proposal to expand the charitable tax deduction to
those who do not itemize their federal tax deductions, which has generated
little opposition. The
administration's budget blueprint also contains a provision to let states use
surplus welfare funds to promote a new tax credit for charitable donations --
also without controversy. The proposal facing the most opposition regards an expansion of a
law passed in 1996 as part of welfare reform and signed by the then
President Clinton, which lets religious charities compete for government
welfare dollars. Instead of limiting charitable choice to a few programs in
the Department of Health and Human Services, Bush would expand the provision
to allow religious charities to compete for more than 100 government
programs. Comments in
blue_ religious charities compete for government welfare dollars ..... this is where it is to be decided who gets our tax money and who
does not .... the fact that the religious right are concerned about who gets
the money (who controls the money controls the people and their welfare)
tells us where the money will go.... to the Anti-Christian right wing the program .... also raised concerns among conservatives such
as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, who fear churches would be corrupted by
government regulations or that objectionable
sects would be rewarded. The religious right also does not want government dictating what
is done with the money... they favor no gov't intervention and regulation.... as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell .... fear that churches would be
corrupted by government regulations ..... to which Bush replies - "We'll fashion a policy ... that
will, I believe, answer those critics." Who would expect the
religious right to critiscize this financial boom of potentailly $11b
annually? Except to propose that only
they receive the money and without gov't regulations. I find this alraming and eligible for the "The Right Wing Agenda Fire Alarm
Award" - The Right Wing, "Turning America into Amerika for the
Motherland, the Master Race, and future generations". |