December 12, 2002
THE REGULATORY COUP:
Bush Plans Rule Changes To Aid Religious Charities (Dana Milbank, December 12, 2002, The Washington Post)President Bush will announce today a series of regulatory changes designed to reinvigorate his "faith-based initiative" to aid religious charities.Legislation on the subject failed in the last Congress because of disagreements over the cost of the measure and church-state issues. In an effort to achieve part of the initiative's aims without legislation, Bush will announce in Philadelphia today that religious social service organizations can compete for more grants from government entities such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Yet our friend Charles Murtaugh is still stumped as to why conservatives are so supportive of W. Posted by Orrin Judd at December 12, 2002 11:31 AM
Back in 1969, a colleague of mine dressed up like a
wino for a stunt story and spent a weekend on the streets, to see how he would be treated.
Like a sack of dog poo, it turned out.
At the end, he went to the Salvation Army, which gave
him some cheap food and a place to sleep. He was so
overwrought, he broke down crying.
So we know that at least one faith-based organization,
the Salvation Army, is capable of dishing out social
services without invidious superstitions attached.
Do any of us think that will be the standard under the
faith-based programs? Can pigs fly?
Unfortunately, I know most of the people in my county
who will likely be lining up for a free federal feed, and the
chance that any of them will keep religion out of it is
zilch.
Also, Orrin, I am somewhat -- hell, I'm extremely surprised that you would endorse this sort of extravagant public taxing and spending on the non-self-reliant.
So, yes, I do wonder why conservatives are for Bush II. Unless they have a hidden agenda.
My only worry about The Government getting involved with faith-based-anything is the Golden Rule:
He who distributes the gold, makes the rules.
Just ask state highway departments about 55 mph; next thing you know, President H. Clinton will be signing a mandate that organizations recieving government funding won't be allowed to, say, discriminate against homosexuals.
Harry - the goal is to support a thousand institutions formed by voluntary cooperation for one giant monopoly bureaucracy. Conservatives support this change because it promotes freedom by devolving power from the federal government to intermediate institutions.
Posted by: pj at December 12, 2002 3:00 PMSorry, meant to say "substitute," not "support".
Posted by: pj at December 12, 2002 3:00 PMHarry:
Obviously it would be best if we got rid of social spending altogether and then services would be provided almost exclusively by faith-based institutions, like the Salvation Army. Pigs will fly first.
mike:
That's why JohnDiIuilio quit in the first place. The administration (Karl Rove) went behind his back and cut a deal with the Salvation Army that the bill would expressly allow them to hire based on their faith.
Sounds like a good thing for government to stay out of.
Posted by: Harry at December 12, 2002 3:36 PMAmen. The Welfare State has been a disaster.
Posted by: oj at December 12, 2002 10:28 PM