THE MORTAR IN THE WALL'S STILL MOIST :

Bill puts political spin on religion : Legislation would OK church endorsements (Matthew I. Pinzur, July 28, 2002, Jacksonville Times-Union)

Lyndon Johnson was facing his first re-election as a U.S. senator in 1954, and he wanted more than a victory; he wanted to thrash his opponent and beat back the party's McCarthyite right flank so thoroughly that it would never challenge him again.

He finagled a bit of parliamentary guerilla warfare that not only ensured a landslide, but quietly built a new firewall between church and state.

The anti-communist cause was supported by two powerful nonprofit groups, which dogged Johnson and other party liberals by producing Red-baiting radio shows, television programs and millions of pieces of literature.

Three weeks before the primary he fought back. With the Senate scrambling to leave for its summer break, Johnson sent up a floor amendment that would rescind the tax-exempt status of any church, charity or other nonprofit that campaigned for or against a candidate. The amendment passed, becoming part of the Revenue Act of 1954.

"He decided to do what often has been decided by people in power that did not like the things that had been said about them," said the Rev. James Kennedy, president of Fort Lauderdale's Coral Ridge Ministries. "He decided to silence them."

Now, a bill before Congress seeks to undo a large part of the Johnson amendment by freeing churches -- but not other charities or nonprofit groups--to participate in campaigns.

Ah yes, that ancient tradition of keeping religion out of politics... Posted by Orrin Judd at August 6, 2002 8:48 PM