Bush hands ONE QUARTER of $15B tax-funded AIDS money to religious groups

[Bluebear]

President Bush's $15 billion effort to fight AIDS has handed out nearly one-quarter of its grants to religious groups, and officials are aggressively pursuing new church partners that often emphasize disease prevention through abstinence and fidelity over condom use.

Award recipients include a Christian relief organization famous for its televised appeals to feed hungry children, a well-known Catholic charity and a group run by the son of evangelist Billy Graham, according to the State Department.

The outreach to nontraditional AIDS players comes in the midst of a debate over how best to prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The debate has activated groups on both ends of the political spectrum and created a vast competition for money.

Conservative Christian allies of the president are pressing the U.S. foreign aid agency to give fewer dollars to groups that distribute condoms or work with prostitutes. The Bush administration provided more than 560 million condoms abroad last year, compared with some 350 million in 2001. Secular organizations in Africa are raising concerns that new money to groups without AIDS experience may dilute the impact of Bush's historic three-year-old program.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060130/ap_on_he_me/aids_prevention

[in_cog_ni_to]

1. I just read this a minute ago and couldn't believe it!

He's pushing his damn abstinence only, DUMB ASS, IGNORANT program. *sigh* I swear, if we survive this administration it will be nothing short of a miracle.:( Did you see the list of faith based organizations??? It's HUGE! ALL THAT MONEY? *sigh*

[Bluebear]

2. All OUR money!!

NOT for drugs, NOT for research, for his damn conservative church pals to 'promote' abstinence.

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. I know it! That LIST just BLEW-MY-MIND!

and made my blood BOIL. :grr:

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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[agincourt]

4. Corporate welfare,

Kook-right church welfare, Croney-capitalism welfare, Religious welfare. Welfare for all the friends of GW Bush. Where's the outrage? Must be saving it for important matters like the war on Xmas and movies like Brokeback mountain. Could Americans be any more passive about important issues or any more stirred up over RW nonsense points?

[lvx35]

5. What are they doing???

The church groups. I mean, I heard the current groups teach the ABC's, A)bstinence, B)e faithful, C)ondom. Are the church groups just going to teach the AB's?

[ClayZ]

7. Giving the money to the MEGA Churches

They are so big they are hard to heat!

[lvx35]

9. Ah, so that's it. That's where the C went.

C)ontribute money to Pat Robertson.

[sandnsea]

18. They only teach the A,

And the A can mean Abstinence, or up the Ass, take your pick. Because they're teaching that only vaginal intercourse is the actual premartial intercourse that will send you to hell. Even the non-religious programs are using the abstinence based condom information that they don't prevent all STD's, so even when parents think their kids are getting traditional sex ed, you still have to be careful about what they're being told. Between religion, science, failing education and the war; we're going to lose an entire generation because of this idiot.

[oasis]

6. "Bush Rewards Church Hucksters for Getting Him Elected" is what the

title should say. And to think, they call Jack Abramoff "Kid Quid Pro Quo". :wow:

[unblock]

8. the day i take office as president is the day those "churches" get taxed

this is g*ddamn ridiculous.

[Bluebear]

11. Like Billy Graham's son NEEDS more money for this shit.

OUTRAGEOUS.

[az chela]

16. you have my vote!!!!

[NMMNG]

10. Big surprise

(not)

Abstinence programs don't work, primarily because they aren't reality based, and don't promote knowledge of how to actually protect oneself. Once again Bush panders to agenda over results, and people are the losers.

[mikelewis]

12. The President has been buying Church loyalty since he came into office...

Bush gathered together a Preacher, a Rabbi and a Imam in a room and now the jokes on us.

[Bluebear]

13. And any argument will brand you as "persecuating religion"

:eyes:

[anitar1]

17. Yes, we are so bad because we protest our tax money

going to these lousy hypocrits. this is not the first time ChuckleNuts has given large amounts of money to churches. I read months ago that Robertson had garnered 25 million from Bush and he doesn't even HAVE a church. the monies that churches have already received was supposed to go for feeding and helping the homeless ect. Have you seen or heard of any big efforts to help people from these Godless folk? I haven't. They should be called Houses of Satan, imo.Religion = vomit.And Franklin Graham--ugh.

[az chela]

15. bush is the joke

[az chela]

14. what do we expect from this murderer

Probably trying to buy his way out of hell before he dies.Too bad it doesnt work that way.That asshole will be stuck in an astral prison of his own making when he dies.
Oh yah people are homeless and hungry in louisiana why not give them the money if he is going to piss it away???The churches are filthy rich and they sure arent helping the poor.They are too busy riding around in their lear jets raising more money.

[wiley]

19. 87% of abstinence program participants don't succeed

This is just more payola for the RW whackos who think they are Christians, but who overlook the CORRUPTION and GREED of those they support. Hey, remeber that saw about * saying they just can't give out money to groups without knowing if their leaders were corrupt. The hypocrisy is stunning.

[mirandapriestly]

20. How Can he get away with this?

those evangelists are a bunch of shysters! Our tax payer money. I am boiling. Not one cent of this will relieve one bit of suffering or do one bit of good.

[Atmashine]

21. Can we start the revolution now?

If they can get rid of the 1st amendment, lets just start our own government.

[Faux pas]

22. You know that bushco hasn't come up with

all the ways to screw over 'we the people' in the last five years. This shit has to have been in the works for decades. I guess we could trace it back to raygun and bushone but, you would have thought that 8 yrs of clinton would have messed them up more and for longer. I am beyond comprehending any of this.....

[earth mom]

23. Argh! I am boiling mad about this! Just when you think it can't get

any worse, here comes yet another outrage! :argh:

We are being robbed blind-no on second thought, not blind-but with eyes wide open, but hands tied behind our backs! :grr:

[Peter Frank]

25. Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain... n/t

[leftchick]

26. I wonder what Bono thinks?

so much for schmoozing with the neofreaks.

[malaise]

27. Religious groups

or front offices for the RNC?

[Disturbed]

28. Has anyone read The Declaration of Independence,

lately? I feel that time is rapidly approaching for another Revolution in Amerika. Taxation without representation is what fired up the last one.

[Catfight]

29. EASY FIX: Stop giving your money to any charities. nt

[SalmonChantedEvening]

30. And all of it tax-free, no doubt.

I keep hearing Steely Dan's Royal Scam playing over and over in my head.

"See the glory, see the glory of..."

Hiyas Blue :pals:

[Bluebear]

35. How the heck you been!

And where? :)

[SalmonChantedEvening]

36. I have been great!

Re-adjusting to life as a working slob and posting as often as reading and absorbing events permits. What used to be a day long easy surf has been compacted into the few hours between quitting time and much needed sleep.

Always, and I mean ALWAYS a pleasure to read what you post my friend, and always proud to say that I am a memeber of DU.

Much love to you and all who read this.


Workin Salmon.


:loveya: all ta pieces :D

[Bluebear]

38. We are in a parallel universe.

I am working full time now out of the house and have to squeeze time in here myself. :(

[SalmonChantedEvening]

39. I just hope AAR gets back on the air in Philly soon

I neeeeeeed, I neeeeeeeeed....

You'll re-adjust Blue, I have no doubt. Keep fighting my friend!! :pals:

[DanCa]

31. Is Bush trying to buy his way into heaven?

Note if so Bush isn't gainning favors from Jesus by backing these bunch of whackos.
I guess where money lies honor dies eh?

[Lerkfish]

32. the antichrist has no interest in heaven.

however, fleecing the flock is right up there on a list of priorities.

[Rose Siding]

33. His daughters danced at a party where condoms were party favors

It's good to be king.

January 25
snip>
There were cigarette girls passing out smokes, chocolates and even condoms. There were bottles of vodka on the tables courtesy of sponsor Grey Goose. There were fishnet-clad dancers, sporting handcuffs and police hats, gyrating on a pole.

And there, somewhat incongruously, were the Bush twins, hanging among a preppier enclave in the far corner of the club.

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/UndertheDome/012506.html

[converted_democrat]

34. Organized crime at its finest......n/t

[SoCalDem]

37. A pretty sizeable amount of that money was 'donated' by our ole pal FICA

We send ole buddy FICA tons of money that he promised to "put aside for us", and Georgieboy is handing it off to his pals as fast as they get it all counted up..