Vitter earmarked federal money for creationist group

[funkybutt]

Source: Times Picayune, New Orleans

WASHINGTON -- Sen. David Vitter, R-La., earmarked $100,000 in a spending bill for a Louisiana Christian group that has challenged the teaching of Darwinian evolution in the public school system and to which he has political ties. The money is included in the labor, health and education financing bill for fiscal 2008 and specifies payment to the Louisiana Family Forum "to develop a plan to promote better science education."

The earmark appears to be the latest salvo in a decades-long battle over science education in Louisiana, in which some Christian groups have opposed the teaching of evolution and, more recently, have pushed to have it prominently labeled as a theory with other alternatives presented. Educators and others have decried the movement as a backdoor effort to inject religious teachings into the classroom.

-snip-

The group has been an advocate for the senator, who was elected as a strong supporter of conservative social issues. When Vitter's use of a Washington, D.C., call-girl service drew comparisons last month to the arrest of Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, in what an undercover officer said was a solicitation for sex in an airport men's room, Family Forum Executive Director Gene Mills came to Vitter's defense.

In a video clip the group posted on the Internet site YouTube, Mills said the two senators' situations are far different. "Craig is denying the allegations," he said. "Vitter has repented of the allegations. He sought forgiveness, reconciliation and counseling."

Read more: http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/09/vitter_earmarked_federal_money.html

[Bolo Boffin]

1. He has prayed the diaper away.

Praise the Creating Jesus!

[Baby Snooks]

2. Anyone have a list of these earmarks?

Is there a list put out that details these earmarks? How many of these organizations are 501-C-3 charitable organizations that are supposed to raise funds from the public sector or seek grants from foundations and governmental agencies rather than be funded, no questions asked, by the taxpayer on the whim of a senator? The question is particularly relevant with regard to religious groups.

I know one group in Dallas, whose earmark along with several others was made public, received the funding through an earmark by Kay Bailey Hutchison despite the fact that its funding request had been rejected by a governmental agency - Kay Bailey Hutchison just went ahead and bypassed the process and funded them anyway.

I think most people would be outraged if they knew how much was just given away through the process and equally outraged if they knew how the legitimate process of grant applications and funding requests are bypassed by Congress. Particularly, again, with regard to religious groups.

Obviously this organization is going to stand by Vitter. He is probably their sole source of funding.

[pingzing58]

3. I'd like to know more about Hutchison's earmark gifts do you know where I can find the info?

[Baby Snooks]

28. Here is one story...

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4389395

"Personal contact with the senator can smooth the way for some groups seeking funding.

This year, the chief of the Women's Museum in Dallas, Wanda Brice, was at a social function in Dallas with Hutchison and mentioned the need for funds for educational outreach, according to museum officials. The museum's application for a federal grant had been rejected last year by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Hutchison, however, is sponsoring a $200,000 earmark for the museum for next year.

"Senator Hutchison knows us because she has been involved from the beginning," said Fran Lobpries, director of development at the museum. "So it was easier to make the case."

Brice had contributed $1,000 to Hutchison's Senate campaign in 2005 and $1,000 to her campaign in 1997-1998."

Must be nice to be friends with Kay Bailey Hutchison.

[tblue37]

9. And, of course, they are probably also funding him--

or at least getting out the vote for him.

[freefall]

20. www.taxpayer.net - Taxpayers for Common Sense

They have developed a database of earmarks. An invaluable aid to those of us who want to know what is really happening with our money.

Peace,
freefall

[Baby Snooks]

29. Thank you....

I will be forwarding the link to quite a few who should find it as fascinating, and as infuriating, as I do.

[yardwork]

31. It's disgraceful that this is a tax-exempt organization - it's a PAC!

The group's tax-exempt status prohibits the Louisiana Family Forum from political activity, but Vitter has close ties to the group. Dan Richey, the group's grass-roots coordinator, was paid $17,250 as a consultant in Vitter's 2004 Senate race. Records also show that Vitter's campaign employed Beryl Amedee, the education resource council chairwoman for the Louisiana Family Forum.

The group has been an advocate for the senator, who was elected as a strong supporter of conservative social issues. When Vitter's use of a Washington, D.C., call-girl service drew comparisons last month to the arrest of Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, in what an undercover officer said was a solicitation for sex in an airport men's room, Family Forum Executive Director Gene Mills came to Vitter's defense.

In a video clip the group posted on the Internet site YouTube, Mills said the two senators' situations are far different. "Craig is denying the allegations," he said. "Vitter has repented of the allegations. He sought forgiveness, reconciliation and counseling."

[countmyvote4real]

4. “There’s nothin’ you can say that can ever take me away from my god.” (my god)

I don’t know where to begin. It’s all too overwhelming. The hypocrisy. The bigotry. The self-righteous-bullshit. The graft.

Excuses. Excuses. Excuses. I think their idea of god is pretty screwed up. I like the idea of the one that I don’t have better.

If I had a god, it would be the truth across the board. Not so cherry-picked.

[WCGreen]

5. Well, it;s a race to the eleventh century....

[bjobotts]

6. Screw up til you get caught then admit and repent and get saved by Jesus and it's alright

Taxpayer $ going for this stupid shit and then Vitter gets campaign contributions and a get out of jail free card. And here Siegleman gets chained and locked down for doing nothing wrong to even repent about? The logic of these hypocrites is just astounding. Tie Jesus to it and you can get away with anything if you're republican.

My big question is what's it like being with your wife again after being with all those whores senator?

[bjobotts]

7. Who needs science. Gravity is just a theory and the sun revolves round the earth

Getting rid of future doctors and global climate specialists...bright move.

Vitter is a hypocrite and a bigot but it's okay for $100,000 to dumb down America's kids. True family values to Republicans.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

18. FlatEarthers, UNTIE!

creationism? in the 21st century?

Damn, the evil side of religious power set back humanity's course by 1400 years. We still have not fully recovered. The evil that is organized religion is still ignored for he most part. Vitter's actions are an example of the corrosive impact brought forth by religion.

[freefall]

22. Wow, I can't imagine his wife ever letting him touch her again. At

least she should be demanding payment.

Peace,
freefall

edited to correct grammar.

[Solly Mack]

8. make America dumber earmark

[Roland99]

10. A creationism group "to develop a plan to promote better science education."

Yeah, because when i think science, I immediately think of narrow-minded, pseudo-Christians.

[ClintonTyree]

12. That would be THEIR version of Science......

where cavemen frolicked with dinosaurs and the devil was forever scurrying around hiding fossils to confuse god's followers. :eyes: You know, the REAL Science, not the namby-pamby Science where things are examined, measured, reproduced and recorded.

A religious group saying they're promoting better Science is like the Bush administration saying they're promoting peace and prosperity. :rofl:

[formercia]

14. Be careful

or they will give you the Evil Eye and make your kids ugly. :rofl:

[ClintonTyree]

16. I get the "evil eye" all the time....

not to mention the very unchristian-like curses and denouncements of my radical atheism. :) My daughter is beautiful and my life is pretty good, but I'm SURE I'll get my comeuppance when I reach the "pearly gates". ;)

[Zhade]

37. Of course, they don't even understand how science works.

Such fools.

[JerseygirlCT]

40. Isn't it astounding that at this time in history this could ever

in any way still be taken seriously?

I mean, supporting ideas like this ought to get you laughed right out of office and sent for a good long rest somewhere. Instead, government money, and plenty of it, is being sent to further the idea.

[tecelote]

11. When evolution is outlawed...

...only outlaws will evolve!

[angstlessk]

25. I like that...it should be a mantra. It worked for the NRA, why not

science?

[krj44]

13. it was probaly a group

that vitter was banging half the women.friend in n`awlings tells me vitter has a mini sex ring going,3-4 whores,he steers them clients and gets a kick-backs,plus all the pussy he handle.

[Vinca]

15. BS! How about we redirect the $100,000 to homeless children

for food and DIAPERS?:mad:

[tanyev]

17. So...if Craig had admitted what he'd done, repented and sought counseling,

then Gene Mills would have had no problem with his solicitation of gay sex in a men's room? Yeah, sure.

[yardwork]

32. Anyway, Vitter certainly did NOT admit to most of the allegations.

Vitter stood up during a televised press conference and denied most of the allegations. So let's see what happens when more proof emerges, as it will...

[SalmonChantedEvening]

19. More anti-welfare folk feeding at the trough n/t

[madmom]

21. well as long as he "preyed" and repented....no harm no foul!!!

[Courtesy Flush]

23. Thanks for this. I just sent Vitter an email n/t

[rodeodance]

24. money in the earmark will pay for a report suggesting "improvements" in science education in Louisia

....Vitter's office said it is not surprising that people he employed would also do work for Louisiana Family Forum, which shares his philosophical outlook. He said the education earmark was meant to offer a broad array of views in the public schools.

"This program helps supplement and support educators and school systems that would like to offer all of the explanations in the study of controversial science topics such as global warming and the life sciences," Vitter said in a written statement.

The money in the earmark will pay for a report suggesting "improvements" in science education in Louisiana, the development and distribution of educational materials and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Ouachita Parish School Board's 2006 policy that opened the door to biblically inspired teachings in science classes.

"I believe it is an important program," Vitter said.

[rodeodance]

26. Former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., a Christian conservative defeated for re-election in 2004, attempt

Group has history

Former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., a Christian conservative defeated for re-election in 2004, attempted to open the door for such money when he inserted language into a report accompanying the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act enabling teachers to offer "the full range of scientific views" when "topics that may generate controversy (such as biological evolution)" are taught.

In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out a Louisiana law that would have required schools to teach creationist theories, which hold that God created the universe, whenever evolution was taught. In 2002, the Louisiana Family Forum unsuccessfully sought to persuade the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to insert a five-paragraph disclaimer in all of its science texts challenging the natural science view that life came about by accident and has evolved through the process of natural selection.

The group notched a victory last year when the Ouachita School Board adopted a policy that, without mentioning the Bible or creationism, gave teachers leeway to introduce other views besides those contained in traditional science texts.

"Many of our educators feel inadequate to address the controversies," said Mills, executive director of the Louisiana Family Forum.

[rodeodance]

27. "The appropriations bill is awaiting Senate action"

Vitter's appropriation was contained in a database compiled by Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonprofit group seeking to reduce the number of earmarks in federal legislation. Earlier this year, Congress agreed for the first time to begin linking specially requested earmarks to the names of their sponsors. Taxpayers for Common Sense has compiled thousands of them into searchable databases.

Vitter said the financing request was submitted earlier this year and "was evaluated on its merit." But Steve Ellis, of the taxpayers' group, said most earmarks are not vetted by anyone except the member requesting it.

"Using an earmark to dictate that the Louisiana Family Forum receive the funding to develop a science education program ironically ignores a hallmark of scientific research, making decisions on the basis of competitive, empirical research," Ellis said.

The appropriations bill is awaiting Senate action.

[Lasher]

30. Can my Senator give a million taxpayer dollars to the AFL-CIO?

The could use it to develop a plan to improve working conditions. What would be the difference?

:shrug:

[yardwork]

33. Your plan would actually do some good. That's the difference.

[aquart]

34. Does it hurt him to pass the Pampers by in the supermarket?

[HuffleClaw]

35. "to develop a plan to promote better science education"

oooooookay. 'better' as in 'better than that heathen satanic EVILution stuff' ?


i can't see this being legal

[FormerRepub]

36. Religion and our Government

This story is one major reason why all libertarians (regardless of their religion or lack thereof) must vote Democratic in the next election. The Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment has been trampled by the Bush Administration. In our area, teachers feel absolutely free to hector kids in their classes about going to Sunday School, etc. I believe in freedom of religion........not government-enforced religion. And no one should be fooled, the Christian Right does not believe in freedom of religion.

[AlinPA]

38. Stupid people voted for that jerk. So he is paying them back with stupidity. nt

[BreweryYardRat]

39. Unfortunately, he's also paying back the people in his state who didn't vote for him.

Not a good thing by any stretch of the imagination.

[Supersedeas]

41. where are the fiscal conservatives to condemn this?