Phew!!!
salon.com: On the faith-based initiative, Obama’s way isn’t Bush’s way
I was working at Americans United for Separation of Church and State when Bush was pushing this, and I worked specifically on this project. So when I saw this Associated Press feed this morning, I nearly fell out of my chair.
Reaching out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans that would expand President Bush’s program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — support their ability to hire and fire based on faith.
Thankfully, this AP feed was wrong, it’s being corrected, and Barack Obama has not completely lost his mind. I obtained a copy of the speech Obama is going to deliver today, and he specifically outlines a faith-based agenda that in no way resembles Bush’s approach. In fact, it’s largely the opposite.
Thanks to News From Underground
Randi Rhodes makes an excellent point, what happens when another Bush is elected? All it takes is an executive order to violate the constitution? I doubt Obama is unaware of this, and hopefully he will address it when elected.
Personally, I find it ridiculous that we exempt religion from paying taxes and also pay them to spread the word - I know, technically they are being paid to help society, but come on, we all know they use the opportunity to sell their business.
On the idea that Obama’s plan is the opposite of Bush’s, I leave you with the words of H.L. Mencken:
The world always makes the assumption that the exposure of an error is identical with the discovery of truth–that the error and truth are simply opposite. They are nothing of the sort. What the world turns to, when it is cured of one error, is usually simply another error, and maybe one worse than the first one.
Thanks Danielle