Obama To Scrap Bush Faith Based Offices

[Psychoblues]

I think he's only talking about the business based part of them. Read this article. It is really good!!!!!!!!!!

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) plans to slam President Bush’s faith-based program as “a photo op” and a failure on Tuesday, and says he would scrap the office and create a new Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships that would be a “critical” part of his administration.

Obama, unveiling a plan to overhaul and expand Bush’s faith-based program during remarks at a community ministry in Zanesville, Ohio, said the White House Office of Community and Faith-Based Initiatives — which Bush founded during his second week in office — “never fulfilled its promise.”

“Support for social services to the poor and the needy have been consistently underfunded,” Obama says in prepared remarks. “Rather than promoting the cause of all faith-based organizations, former officials in the Office have described how it was used to promote partisan interests. As a result, the smaller congregations and community groups that were supposed to be empowered ended up getting short-changed.”

Obama was referring to accusations by John J. DiIulio Jr., the office’s first director, and David Kuo, his former deputy, that White House support for the program was driven more by swing-state politics than by compassion for the needy.

The White House views the office as one of the cornerstone's of Bush's legacy, making Obama's vow a very personal one.

Reaching out to evangelicals who are nonplussed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Obama declared: “I still believe it’s a good idea to have a partnership between the White House and grass-roots groups, both faith-based and secular. But it has to be a real partnership — not a photo op. That’s what it will be when I’m president. I’ll establish a new Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.”

“The new name will reflect a new commitment,” he continued. “This Council will not just be another name on the White House organization chart — it will be a critical part of my administration.”

Anticipating criticism from the left, Obama said: “I believe deeply in the separation of church and state, but I don’t believe this partnership will endanger that idea — so long as we follow a few basic principles. First, if you get a federal grant, you can’t use that grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can’t discriminate against them — or against the people you hire — on the basis of their religion. Second, federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples and mosques can only be used on secular programs. And we’ll also ensure that taxpayer dollars only go to those programs that actually work.”
The Obama campaign released plans saying his new President's Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, working within the White House, “will work to engage faith-based organizations and help them abide by the principles that federal funds cannot be used to proselytize, that they should not discriminate in providing their services, and they should be held to the same standards of accountability as other federal grant recipients.”

The campaign listed four goals:

—Train the trainers to enable local faith-based organizations to learn best practices, grant-making procedures and service delivery so that they can better apply for and use federal dollars.

—Partner with state and local offices so that federal efforts build on successes made at the state and local level.

—Hold recipients responsible by conducting rigorous performance evaluation, researching what works well and disseminating best practices.

—Close the summer learning gap by focusing faith-based and community-based efforts on summer learning programs for 1 million children.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080701/pl_politico/11462_5




I don't think he's kidding. This is more what Americans are looking for in so-called faith based initiatives. Help the population without all the preaching and proselytising. Did you read it?

[stephanie]

What a nice little DICTATOR the boy king will be.

[Psychoblues]

You do mean "was" don't you?

[PostmodernProphet]

gotta love it......it's okay to have faith based initiatives now that a Democrat is overseeing it........lol.....

[Sitarro]

I wonder if Obama actually believes anything he ever says....... what a pandering punk....... oh sure, I'm sure money given to Mosques will be handled in the American way ....... sure.

This is the one thing he might be qualified for, community organizing....... what a clown, when does he take the big ears off?:laugh2:

[bullypulpit]

gotta love it......it's okay to have faith based initiatives now that a Democrat is overseeing it........lol.....

I don't believe taxpayer dollars should finance ANY religious organization. But unlike Bush's sugar teat for his religious right wing-nut base, which has no effective oversight...is allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices...And are permitted to proselytize on the government dime...Obama's plan will permit none of this. It will also be less objectionable if the monies go to religious community service organizations other than those operated by Christians.

[bullypulpit]

I wonder if Obama actually believes anything he ever says....... what a pandering punk....... oh sure, I'm sure money given to Mosques will be handled in the American way ....... sure.

This is the one thing he might be qualified for, community organizing....... what a clown, when does he take the big ears off?:laugh2:

I have a simple explanation for your animosity towards Barack Obama...

"In case you hadn't noticed...He's black..."

If your criticisms, and those made by the rest of the red-meat right wing-nut base, are the best that can be offered, Obama will win by a landslide in November.

[Sitarro]

I have a simple explanation for your animosity towards Barack Obama...

"In case you hadn't noticed...He's black..."

If your criticisms, and those made by the rest of the red-meat right wing-nut base, are the best that can be offered, Obama will win by a landslide in November.

Are you gonna call me a racist Bullybedpan? I don't give a shit what color that asshole's skin is. He denies and turns his back on his family that raised him and takes on the identity of the African sperm donor that didn't care for him in the least........ typical. Read his books, look at the shithole African centric "church" he has been involved with for 20 years, he hates white America and hates his own whiteness. He has favored felons in Illinois as a "Senator" of that state and his claim to fame is Community Organizer....... what the fuck is that? He hasn't served his state as a Federal Senator that he is paid very well for, he's too busy burning 1200 gallons of jet fuel an hour in someone's 757 flying to bowling alleys and shopping malls across the country repeating the same tired bullyshit....... who could give a shit what this clown has to say. He is a puppet of George Soros and the Mob, he will be knocked off if he varies from their orders like JFK was.\

That is what I dislike about this lying prick and I would feel the same way if he was from Mars , green and had a trunk growing out of his stomach. Oh, he's an arrogant punk with no ideas, no plans, no chance of getting through a single year before he is thrown out by his own party.

[Yurt]

Anticipating criticism from the left, Obama said: “I believe deeply in the separation of church and state, but I don’t believe this partnership will endanger that idea — so long as we follow a few basic principles. First, if you get a federal grant, you can’t use that grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can’t discriminate against them — or against the people you hire — on the basis of their religion. Second, federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples and mosques can only be used on secular programs. And we’ll also ensure that taxpayer dollars only go to those programs that actually work.”





I don't think he's kidding. This is more what Americans are looking for in so-called faith based initiatives. Help the population without all the preaching and proselytising. Did you read it?

what is proselytize? hi i am from such and such church...is that an example? you can't not hire someone on the basis of religion???? great, so now a satanist can sue if a church does not hire him/her.

someone said it yesterday, this guy (i think megalomaniac) thinks to regulate religion. sure, they do not have to accept federal dollars, but he wants to have more federal power over churches than Bush and people think bush is about controlling the masses?

[PostmodernProphet]

It will also be less objectionable if the monies go to religious community service organizations other than those operated by Christians.

ah, so you only object to Christian religious organizations.....

[stephanie]

Are you gonna call me a racist Bullybedpan? I don't give a shit what color that asshole's skin is. He denies and turns his back on his family that raised him and takes on the identity of the African sperm donor that didn't care for him in the least........ typical. Read his books, look at the shithole African centric "church" he has been involved with for 20 years, he hates white America and hates his own whiteness. He has favored felons in Illinois as a "Senator" of that state and his claim to fame is Community Organizer....... what the fuck is that? He hasn't served his state as a Federal Senator that he is paid very well for, he's too busy burning 1200 gallons of jet fuel an hour in someone's 757 flying to bowling alleys and shopping malls across the country repeating the same tired bullyshit....... who could give a shit what this clown has to say. He is a puppet of George Soros and the Mob, he will be knocked off if he varies from their orders like JFK was.\

That is what I dislike about this lying prick and I would feel the same way if he was from Mars , green and had a trunk growing out of his stomach. Oh, he's an arrogant punk with no ideas, no plans, no chance of getting through a single year before he is thrown out by his own party.

I agree with everything you said.
The Obambam is a puppet of the Chicago political (Mob) machine.

[avatar4321]

I don't believe taxpayer dollars should finance ANY religious organization. But unlike Bush's sugar teat for his religious right wing-nut base, which has no effective oversight...is allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices...And are permitted to proselytize on the government dime...Obama's plan will permit none of this. It will also be less objectionable if the monies go to religious community service organizations other than those operated by Christians.

Who the hell do you think you are to tell any American that the government should have "oversight" over his Church?

[avatar4321]

I have a simple explanation for your animosity towards Barack Obama...

"In case you hadn't noticed...He's black..."

If your criticisms, and those made by the rest of the red-meat right wing-nut base, are the best that can be offered, Obama will win by a landslide in November.

In case you hadn't noticed, everyone who opposes Obama is voting against the White half of him too.

[Yurt]

In case you hadn't noticed, everyone who opposes Obama is voting against the White half of him too.

:lol:

[bullypulpit]

ah, so you only object to Christian religious organizations.....

Not so much. Your semantic skills are somewhat lacking, however. The point being that if government funds are to be distributed to religious community service organizations, it should go to Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, et al. The simpler solution would be to refrain from distributing taxpayer dollars to ANY religious organization.

[PostmodernProphet]

The point being that if government funds are to be distributed to religious community service organizations, it should go to Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, et al.

no change from the current situation, then.....

[Hagbard Celine]

Wow, a great article with some great quotes, great points and great ideas and all I see is an entire thread of monkeys slinging sh*t. No wonder conservatism is dead. :rolleyes:

[hjmick]

I have a simple explanation for your animosity towards Barack Obama...

"In case you hadn't noticed...He's black..."

I can not adequately express just how sick I am of this refrain. It seems that this is truly the only fact Obama supporters have to help them understand why someone wouldn't vote for their exalted savior. If you don't support him, you're a racists. Bullshit. If I don't support him it's because I do not agree with his platform. If I don't support him, it's because I believe he lacks the experience to do the job. If I don't support him it's because he has accomplished nothing during his tenure in the Senate, nothing except break his word to his constituents and gear up for his Presidential campaign. If I don't support him it's because I believe he will steer this country too far to the left for my taste. If I don't support him it's not because he's Black, I don't give two rhinoceros farts about the color of his skin, I don't support him because he is not the man I want sitting in The Oval Office.

Some of you on the left need to climb down of those high horses and realize that you are not the only ones with an opinion, you are not the only ones who read, you are not the only ones who are informed. You do not have a corner on the intelligence market. Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't make them wrong, and it doesn't make you better. Many on the left rail about the "self righteousness" of those on the right, they point fingers and yell "Hypocrite!" whenever a conservative proves he or she is only human. They believe that makes them somehow superior to their conservative counterparts. Well guess what? It doesn't. You are no better and no worse than those you disparage. Get over yourselves.

Oh, and before you start pointing fingers and calling people racists, stop down and take a look at how many people openly declare that they are voting for Obama simply because he is Black. Is that any way to cast a vote? How is that not racist?

[Sitarro]

In case you hadn't noticed, everyone who opposes Obama is voting against the White half of him too.

Short and sweet, outstanding Av, I owe you some rep for that one.

[Sitarro]

I can not adequately express just how sick I am of this refrain. It seems that this is truly the only fact Obama supporters have to help them understand why someone wouldn't vote for their exalted savior. If you don't support him, you're a racists. Bullshit. If I don't support him it's because I do not agree with his platform. If I don't support him, it's because I believe he lacks the experience to do the job. If I don't support him it's because he has accomplished nothing during his tenure in the Senate, nothing except break his word to his constituents and gear up for his Presidential campaign. If I don't support him it's because I believe he will steer this country too far to the left for my taste. If I don't support him it's not because he's Black, I don't give two rhinoceros farts about the color of his skin, I don't support him because he is not the man I want sitting in The Oval Office.

Some of you on the left need to climb down of those high horses and realize that you are not the only ones with an opinion, you are not the only ones who read, you are not the only ones who are informed. You do not have a corner on the intelligence market. Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't make them wrong, and it doesn't make you better. Many on the left rail about the "self righteousness" of those on the right, they point fingers and yell "Hypocrite!" whenever a conservative proves he or she is only human. They believe that makes them somehow superior to their conservative counterparts. Well guess what? It doesn't. You are no better and no worse than those you disparage. Get over yourselves.

Oh, and before you start pointing fingers and calling people racists, stop down and take a look at how many people openly declare that they are voting for Obama simply because he is Black. Is that any way to cast a vote? How is that not racist?

Exactly hjmick, you put it perfectly....... you didn't have to use the rude language I felt a need to...... Bully is one of a few here that brings that out in me. I owe you some rep too.:salute:

[gabosaurus]

Anything "faith based" should be run by private organizations and not the U.S. government.
Isn't that what the GOP is all about -- more privatization and less government?

[Psychoblues]

You enter a circular firing squad, bp.



Not so much. Your semantic skills are somewhat lacking, however. The point being that if government funds are to be distributed to religious community service organizations, it should go to Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, et al. The simpler solution would be to refrain from distributing taxpayer dollars to ANY religious organization.

Any mention here of including religions other the Christian one will beget similar idiotic statements and the impled order to commence firing. How can this be in this day and age? It doesn't matter how or why, just recognize that it is.

Peace, bp.