Theocracy Alert

$2.15 Billion in Faith Funding in 2005

Religious groups received $2.15 billion in federal grants to administer social service programs for the needy in fiscal year 2005, or 11% of allocations, according to a March White House report. In 2004, $2 billion went to faith-based groups.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development gave the most, 24% of its discretionary funding, to religious groups.

Bush is seeking a 36% increase in the White House's "Compassion Capital Fund," from $236 million this year to $323 million, while cutting funding of many government agencies.

Bush recently signed into law a bill enabling private groups receiving tax money from the $17 billion Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program to discriminate in hiring through 2010. It extends "charitable choice" hiring under Bush's new Marriage and Fatherhood Program.

On March 9, Bush called for governments at all levels and private foundations to fund faith-based groups. Bush claims 32 governors (20 Republicans and 12 Democrats) and more than 115 mayors have established offices or liaisons for faith-based groups.

Partisan Funding Flows

Millions in taxpayer funds have flowed to groups supporting Pres. Bush's theo-ideological agenda on abortion and social issues, according to The Washington Post (March 22). At least $157 million in grants has been funneled to allies, according to federal grant documents and interviews.

A case in point is Heritage Community Services in Charleston, S.C. It had a $51,288 budget a decade ago. By 2004, its budget passed $3 billion, much of it from Health and Human Services to teach abstinence education.

Bush's Compassion Capital Fund, which spent $148.3 million from 2002-2005, has given more than $2 million each to five black and Hispanic leaders who endorsed Bush. Operation Blessing, TV evangelist Pat Robertson's charity, received $23.5 million, including $1.5 million from the Compassion Capital Fund and $22 million in surplus dry milk.

"Hundreds of struggling antiabortion and pregnancy crisis centers have received federal grants that often doubled or tripled their annual budgets," The Post reports.

Local antiabortion and crisis pregnancy centers have received well over $60 million in grants, according to The Post, including Life Choices Pregnancy Support Center, where staff believe "without reservation or qualification that the Scriptures teach that human life begins at conception."

Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) said of the faith-based initiative: "I believe ultimately this will be seen as one of the largest patronage programs in American history."

Bush supporter Pentecostal Bishop Sedgwick Daniels has seen his Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Milwaukee receive more than $1.4 million from the Compassion Capital Fund. Another black supporter, Bishop Harold Calvin Ray of Florida, received $1.75 million over three years from the fund. Education Department grants have promoted school vouchers.

Faith-based Security?

Pres. Bush ordered the Department of Homeland Security in March to create a center for "faith-based and community initiatives" within 45 days, and to eliminate regulatory, contracting and other barriers to providing federal funds to religious groups.

(In January, the 7th U.S. Circuit reinstated the Freedom From Religion Foundation's lawsuit against creation of the White House and other cabinet-level "faith-based offices.")

FEMA, part of the department, already announced it will "reimburse" religious groups for feeding and sheltering Katrina storm victims. FEMA is contracting with an arm of the United Methodist Church for $60 million to provide "case management."

Church Gets Federal Windfall

HUD announced in January that Light of the World Christian Church in Indianapolis has been given a $5 million taxpayer grant to develop an apartment building for low-income seniors. Eight years ago, the church received a $4 million HUD grant to develop a 50-unit senior living center at its backdoor, which it still oversees.

The Indianapolis Starreports "a majority of its first tenants were Light of the World members who regularly made the short walk next door to the church."

The building will be named for the church's pastor.

"Part of what you get as a congregation when you put a building like that next door are all the grandmas and grandpas who may not be able to get to church because it is too far," noted Rev. James Ellor of Baylor University.

N.C. GOP Seeks Church Directories

The North Carolina Republican Party asked members in mid-February to send it church directories.

The Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign had instructed GOP campaigners to round up church directories and use churches as a political base.

State party political director Chris Mears e-mailed a Feb. 15 memo, "the Pew and the Ballot Box," to "Registered Republicans in North Carolina."

Mears wrote that the "Republican National Committee has completed a study on grassroots activity that reveals that people who regularly attend church usually vote Republican when they vote. In light of this study's findings, it is imperative that we register, educate and get these potential voters from the pew to the ballot box."

Harris Doing "God's Work"

Disenchanted insiders of Katherine Harris' struggling Senate campaign in Florida describe the former Florida Secretary of State as leading a "Christian crusade." Harris headlined a "Reclaiming America for Christ" event.

State Christian College?

Evangelicals are proposing a plan to cater to evangelical students by bringing a "Christian college" to Penn State University.

Rev. Paul Grabill, pastor of State College Assembly of God, wants accredited faculty members to teach 50-200 students using a "faith-based approach."

Wisconsin Voucher Expansion

The Wisconsin Legislature expanded Milwaukee's school voucher program in early March to accept 22,500 students, up from 15,000. Families with higher incomes would qualify and would not have to be from the city. Tax-paid vouchers of up to $6,300 per student primarily fund religious schools to take public school students. Under the agreement, schools will be newly required to get accreditation and administer a standardized test.

Religious Bedfellows

Several "faith-based" nonprofits which sponsor Congressional travel are fighting proposals to ban members of Congress from privately-funded trips. According to The Hill, the groups include the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the American Jewish Committee, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities and Faith and Politics Institute.

Scandal-ridden Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff often routed payments for junkets through nonprofit charities and think-tanks.