| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"johac" |
| Date: |
02 Mar 2005 01:54:05 AM |
| Object: |
Bush Pushes Faith-Based Initiative Agenda |
Go ahead,George, take another chunk out of the Wall.
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Bush Pushes Faith-Based Initiative Agenda
Tue Mar 1, 6:52 PM ET
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) on Tuesday dismissed
criticism that his plan to steer public money to religious charities
might discriminate against people who did not share their beliefs,
saying those groups should have an "all drunks are welcome" policy.
Speaking to more than 250 religious leaders invited by the White House,
Bush vented his frustration that Congress has not approved the idea he
first offered soon after he took office to let religious charities spend
taxpayer money.
In a speech at a Washington hotel, Bush took on what he described as a
government culture "unfriendly" to religious groups.
"Charitable choice is something I've supported every year, and every
year it's got stuck," Bush said. "There's kind of a consistent pattern
there."
Bypassing Congress, Bush has used executive orders and regulations to
give religious organizations equal footing with nonsectarian groups in
competing for federal contracts.
"Since Congress isn't moving, I will," Bush told the religious leaders,
whom he addressed as "leaders in the armies of compassion." He raised
the possibility of further executive action, though it was unclear what
more Bush could order.
Some in the audience wore clerical collars, gold crosses or yarmulkes.
Almost all the leaders praised his commitment with applause or shouts of
"Amen!"
Bush's speech appeared to be designed partly to respond to critics who
say he has promoted his initiative for political gain. Last month, David
Kuo, former deputy director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives, charged that the plan is popular with religious
leaders who are influential in elections. But Kuo said the White House
has not been committed to ending the stalemate in Congress.
Bush reported that during his presidency 10 federal agencies have
created offices to deal with religious charities. He said the government
distributed about $2 billion in grants during the last budget year to
help religious programs for the needy.
He said religious groups got 10 percent of the federal grants that they
are eligible to apply for and indicated he wanted that level to rise.
"Ten percent isn't perfect," Bush said. "Ten percent is progress."
Jim Towey, who directs the initiative for Bush, said the president is
not setting a quota. "His goal is fairness, where the focus of the
grants process is on results, and not religion," Towey said.
Bush, who often talks about how his Methodist faith helped him stop
drinking, referred to his own experience when he sought to dismiss
critics who contend his plan could promote discrimination.
"If you're the Methodist church and you sponsor an alcohol treatment
center, they can't say only Methodists, only Methodists who drink too
much can come to our program," Bush said. "All drunks are welcome, is
what the sign ought to say."
Bush says the charities are effective because of the shared values and
religious identity of their volunteers and employees. Critics take issue
with his insistence that taxpayer-funded groups have the right to hire
and fire based on religion.
"We're not talking about, `Is God good?' We're talking about
discrimination," said Rep. Bobby Scott (news, bio, voting record), D-Va.
Scott said it is a matter of civil rights that employers not be able to
consider religion, just as they should not be able to take into account
someone's race or gender.
The House planned to consider a bill on Wednesday that would allow
religious groups to consider religion in employment. With House passage
is expected, the prospects are less certain in the Senate.
---
http://tinyurl.com/4h8ly
or:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20
050301/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_faith_based
--
John Hachmann aa #1782
Intelligent Design has as much to do with science as reality
television has to do with reality. - Barry Lynn on CNN 12/25/04
.
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