Bush (*) Pushes Faith-Based Aid Initiative

[Snazzy]

Bush Pushes Faith-Based Aid Initiative

Jun 1, 11:27 PM (ET)

By KATA KERTESZ

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush, trying to revive a stalled initiative, said Tuesday the doctrine of separation of church and state should not prevent religious groups from competing for government money to help the needy.

"I'm telling America, we need to not discriminate against faith-based programs," Bush told a White House conference of community leaders. "We need to welcome them so our society is more wholesome, more welcoming and more hopeful for every single citizen."

Opponents of Bush's initiative, launched in the early days of his administration, worry that government could wind up paying for religion. They also object to allowing taxpayer-funded groups to hire and fire based on religious persuasion. But the proposal is popular with religious groups, a key political constituency, and Bush is pushing it as an election-year initiative.

"I fully understand it's important to maintain the separation of church and state," Bush said. "We don't want the state to become the church nor do we want the church to become the state. We're in common agreement there."

....

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040602/D82UKIA00.html

[FleshCartoon]

1. Since when?

"I fully understand it's important to maintain the separation of church and state," Bush said.

[Rationality]

3. With his support of the FMA, Bush actually supports State OVER Church (nt)

[shraby]

2. Actually the churches should be

wary of this kind of arrangement. It won't be long after they start taking money from the government that the government starts putting religious restrictions in place, i.e. dictating what they can teach and what they can't.

[struggle4progress]

4. Dear George:

My beloved country is being jerked around by a reckless clown. I want to start a church program to explain to people that voting for that clown in November would be a serious sin. My church would also drive people to the polls. How do I get that faith-based initiative money to help with this worthy program?

[yardwork]

5. Bush has spent hundreds of millions on abstinence-only programs.

The money is being distibuted in grants from HHS to religious groups. The program is exempt from all oversight (which makes sense, since there are no standards to determine "best practice" abstinence-only programs, as they have all proven to be total failures).

This money has been diverted from other HHS initiatives, including programs that provide access to health care for the uninsured.

[Moderator]

6. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=594388