Obama's stimulus pours millions into faith-based groups

[oberliner]

The stimulus bought Castleton United Methodist Church in Indianapolis a new heating and cooling system. In Laramie, Wyo., it bought the Church of St. Laurence O'Toole new windows for the Roman Catholic school it runs. And in Harrisburg, Pa., Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area spent its $120,000 in stimulus funding on food and shelter for local homeless people.

"It kind of fell from the sky, and it was unbelievable that we had this much extra money," said Jackie Rucker, executive director of the church-sponsored nonprofit in Pennsylvania’s capital.

For many conservatives, the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as the stimulus is formally known, has been Exhibit A in their case against the Obama administration, a symbol for an era they feel will be defined by out-of-control government spending.

But the stimulus is also the largest-scale embodiment of what was, not long ago, a conservative priority: directing tax dollars to "faith-based initiatives," as President George W. Bush called them.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/45897.html

[hedgehog]

1. Here's why Castleton UMC got a new heating system:

http://www.castletonumc.org/adc.html

[oberliner]

2. Good reason!

Thanks for the added info.

[hedgehog]

3. I can't tell from their web site why St. laurence O'Toole qualified,

but the goal was to spend the money, and the money was spent!

[struggle4progress]

34. Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG)

... The purpose of the program is to support energy efficiency projects that will have lasting benefits and lead to long‐term market transformation.   The program will accomplish this through efficiency retrofits of existing buildings that maximize energy savings and create sustainable reduction in energy usage.    

Examples of eligible retrofits include:  Attic/ceiling insulation, foundation insulation, lighting (internal or external), HVAC replacement, HVAC insulation, boiler/furnace replacement, and water heater replacement.  Funds cannot be used for new construction ...

APPLICANT:  St. Laurence O’Toole Catholic Church (Laramie) 
Total Project Cost Estimate:    $310,238.00
Match Amount: $62,250.00
Match %: 20.1%
Applicant Type: Requested Grant Amount: $247,988.00
Entitled and Other  (Min 20% Match)
Recommended Grant Award:   $247,988.00
FACILITY/FACILITIES REQUESTED RETROFITS BY FACILITY
St. Laurence O’Toole School window replacement, roof insulation, wall insulation above  ...

http://wyomingbusiness.org/pdf/energy/22_mar_10_EECBG%20Board%20Report%20March%202010%20FINAL%203-19-10.pdf


It seems to be part of a large block grant, that about 50 entities in Wyoming applied for, to reduce energy usage at facilities. Above is some of the paper trail from the Wyoming State Energy Office

[hedgehog]

36. In other words, while the bishop owns the buildings, we all

benefit if they use less energy.

[struggle4progress]

37. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

... Grants can be used for energy efficiency and conservation programs and projects communitywide, as well as renewable energy installations on government buildings ... http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wip/eecbg.html

[hedgehog]

38. I may be saying this wrong, but the way I see it, the grant wasn't to a faith based

group per se but rather designed to lower the energy use of the community by insulating one set of buildings.

[struggle4progress]

39. It's not a faith-based grant. Politico's stirring the pot, as usual

[hedgehog]

40. Yes!

[ChazII]

5. This is a church

that is showing what Christ taught - love one another.

[grilled onions]

4. About Time "Faith Based" Has More To Do With Humane Causes

We need more of this sort of help for those places that do reach out and help the poor,sick,elderly,homeless. Buildings of faith should be used for such and not just to have a fancy piece of real estate that is open ONLY for it's own flock once or twice a week.
Man has two arms and that should be used for HUGS,for caring and helping others. It only takes ONE arm to slap the face of humanity but TWO arms to comfort it.

[cornermouse]

6. Ri-i-i-i-ight.

People should have to beg for help when they need it instead of trying to retain a little dignity with government help. No matter how you try to pretty it up, its wrong.

[ProSense]

9. Wrong

Obama Halts Sermons during Soup Kitchen Meals

[cornermouse]

10. Have you ever been the victim of church charity, prosense?

Because I have. My experience was that we had to beg, it was given grudgingly, and the Christmas toys for the kids were last summer's broken garage sale rejects. Thanks but no thanks.

One more thing. If it was wrong when Bush started it, it was still wrong when Obama expanded it.

Almost forgot. A resounding unrec.

[ProSense]

13. No, I've never been a victim of a church charity.

Churches help a lot of people.

Now, do you oppose the new policy?

[cornermouse]

14. I have spent my whole life strongly believing in the

separation of church and state, prosense, for two reasons. I don't think churches should influence political policies and I disagree strongly with giving government the chance to dictate church policy. It, separation of church and state, is a protection that goes both ways. It protects both the church and the state and I consider it a core belief.

If it was wrong when Bush did it, it was still wrong when Obama did it.

[Bluerthanblue]

28. Your experience was unfortunate, and sad. You sought help

from a group of people who were clearly unable to help.

Have you ever applied for government assistance? I have. Many of the people I dealt with were very good people who sincerely wanted to make things as painless as possible, but there were a few who made me feel very ashamed, inadequate and worthless. It would be wrong of me to discount the entire health and human services dept based on those few.

There ar MANY faith based programs which provide essential services to those in need and who don't ask for anything in return.
People give freely of their time, energy and resources and who extend great respect and kindness to all.

Providing financial assistance to programs that are effective and already in place is a wise and responsible use of limited funds imo. I'm particularly pleased that Pres.Obama has seen fit to ensure that the programs which receive this much needed aid don't have to listen to sermons as Prosense linked info to above.

[Clio the Leo]

7. Amen nt

[cornermouse]

8. Another Bush/neocon policy openly embraced

with both arms and hugged tightly... Given that, why did we bother to object when Bush started it?

[Exilednight]

15. When Bush does it, it's neoconservative. When Obama does it, it's "progressive". n/t

[ProSense]

16. The President ended Bush's initiative

PDF

The Budget redirects funding from ACF’s abstinence-only education programs to evidenced based promising teen pregnancy prevention programs as described above. The Administration will not seek reauthorization for the mandatory State Abstinence Education formula grants when they expire in June of 2009. The Budget instead requests $50 million in mandatory funds for State, Tribal, and Territory teen pregnancy prevention efforts.

<...>

Strengthening Communities Fund: The Budget provides $50 million in FY 2010 for the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF), a new effort created through the Recovery Act and funded at $50 million in FY 2009. Funds will be used to build the capacity of faith-based and community-based non-profits to serve low-income and disadvantaged populations. Grant activities will help these organizations expand service delivery, increase community access to public benefits, and help low and moderate-income people secure and retain employment. The SCF replaces the Compassion Capital Fund.

[cornermouse]

17. Then why is the government still giving money to faith based programs? n/t.

[ProSense]

18. Because the practice didn't start with Bush

Bush perverted it, but that doesn't mean these initiatives cannot be carrried out responsibly for the common good.

[cornermouse]

20. Sure...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Office_of_Faith-Based_and_Neighborhood_Partnerships

OFBCI was established by President George W. Bush through executive order<2> on January 29, 2001, representing one of the key domestic policies of Bush's campaign promise of "compassionate conservatism." The initiative sought to strengthen faith-based and community organizations and expand their capacity to provide federally-funded social services, with the idea having been that these groups were well-situated to meet the needs of local individuals. As Texas governor, Bush had used the "Charitable Choice" provisions of the 1996 welfare reform (which allowed "faith-based" entities to compete for government contracts to deliver social services) to support the work of faith-based groups in Texas.

The office was briefly led by Don Willett, an aide from Bush's tenure as governor of Texas who was later appointed a justice on the Supreme Court of Texas. The first person named as director of the OFBCI was John DiIulio, a University of Pennsylvania political science professor. DiIulio later left the office and became a critic of the Bush administration.

Critics of the OFBCI, including Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union, assert that it violated the Establishment Clause by using tax money to fund religion.
--------------------------------------
Or if you prefer to hear it directly from the horse's rear end....

http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/fbci/

Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Final Report

On January 12, the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) released Innovations in Compassion -- The Faith-Based and Community Initiative: A Final Report to the Armies of Compassion. The report details the accomplishments of the President’s FBCI through new and creative partnerships with the “armies of compassion” to address needs from addiction and homelessness here at home to HIV/AIDS in Africa. Through these grassroots partnerships, the principles advanced by President’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative have impacted the lives of millions battling poverty, disease and other social ills. Read Full Report

[ProSense]

21. What does that mean? n/t

[Exilednight]

24. Thanks for the highly informative civics lesson. It just proves that Obama took the wrong path. n/t

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[David Zephyr]

30. +1

It's really sad, isn't it?

[Vinca]

11. I'm sorry, but this isn't right. Churches pay no taxes and shouldn't

be on the receiving end of public funds. That old churchy/statey thing. One of our local churches needed a new roof and sold a Tiffany window to pay for it. (I'm still annoyed none of the community fat cats came forward to save the window, but greed is rampant.)

[BrklynLiberal]

32. +1000

[LiberalEsto]

12. Are any Unitarian-Universalists getting funding?

I kind of doubt it.

UUs generally believe in strong separation of church and state anyway.

[polichick]

22. delete - wrong place

[hedgehog]

29. Did they apply for any funding?

[polichick]

23. If you want to read a good horror story...

Check out Jeff Sharlet's new book, C STREET: THE FUNDAMENTALIST THREAT TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. (His earlier book was THE FAMILY.)

This organization has been secretly (and lately, not so secretly) blurring the line between church and state for decades.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/C-Street/Jeff-Sharlet/e/9780316179737

[Exilednight]

25. Thanks for the recommendation. I just finished .........

"Blackwater: Rise of the worlds most powerful private army"

That book scared the hell out of me.

[polichick]

27. That really sounds scary...

All the books about gov't I've been reading are horror stories (The Great American Stickup; Dismantling the Empire; Death of the Liberal Class, etc.) - but it's important for people to know what's going on.

[bvar22]

26. No public money for "Faith Based" anything.

also, NO Public Money for:

*Armed Military Contractors

*Armed "private" police forces

*Private "Intelligence" gathering Companies

*Private Prisons

*Wall Street

*For Profit Insurance Corporations

but especially, NO Public Money for anything that is "Faith Based".
Anything "Faith Based" is discriminatory by definition.

-bvar22
I'm an Old Style FDR/LBJ Democrat who believe that Public Money
should be spent on things that benefit "The Public".

"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[struggle4progress]

35. Seems to be part of an energy efficiency block grant, not any "faith-based" anything

[bvar22]

41. ?

"The core of Obama's faith-based initiative looks pretty much identical to the deeply problematic one created by President George W. Bush," Lynn wrote. "One year after Obama announced his version of the faith-based office, civil rights and civil liberties groups such as mine are still fighting Bush-era battles over tax funding to religious groups that proselytize, job discrimination on religious grounds in public programs and lack of accountability. It's disheartening."

http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2010/02/obamas_faith-based_inertia.html

"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[PurityOfEssence]

31. I wonder what Donnie's doing today...

I also wonder what a REAL Constitutional Scholar would say about this.

This is the issue that first made me cringe about Obama, and it was in late '06. Playing religion for power is many things, but it's also dangerous. With each accepted encroachment, religion whets its appetite for more, and Christianity has a hardcore, built-in desire for complete dominance.

Conservatives are going to miss Barack Obama: he gives them a ready-made punching bag to vent hatred on the communist lefties and the evil Democratic Party, and he does the lord's work for them, enriching big corporations, continuing wars of conquest, gushing money and access to religion, containing workers' rights, sustaining the wealthy and keeping the environmentalists at bay. What a dream: he furthers their agenda, and he's still there to take the abuse and serve as a lightning rod to divert attention from the real perpetrators.

This is horrendous.

[struggle4progress]

33. Meh. It's Politico. Can anybody dig up a good document on the windows

at St. Laurence O'Toole?

I'll object if Federal money is simply being spent for private school windows, but I want something a lot more definitive than a pot-stirring sentence from Politico

[Steely_Dan]

42. If I Had An Atheist...

church, could I get some money too?