Inactive: Thomas C. Reeves
The Faith-Based Initiative
While Senate Democrats scuttled the Bush Administration’s efforts to pass sweeping faith-based legislation, the president, for seven years, has been reshaping the federal government’s approach to addressing human needs by permitting faith-based charities and grassroots nonprofits to receive federal dollars. In 2001, President Bush signed an Executive Order creating the White House office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and he established Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in 11 federal agencies. Thirty five governors and more than 100 mayors, both Democrats and Republicans, have taken similar steps. Such efforts have gone international, as faith based organizations have received grants to help the struggles against such problems as AIDS and malaria.
The principle behind this approach is clear: President Bush and those of like mind refuse to discriminate against religious organizations in the competition for federal, state, and local funds to alleviate human suffering. A White House press release of February 25 reports: “In 2006 alone, the federal government provided more than 18,000 direct, competitive awards to America’s nonprofit organizations to aid the homeless, at-risk youth, recovering addicts, returning offenders, AIDS victims, and others.” The grants totaled more than $14.7 billion, and faith-based organizations won 3,000 of them, amounting to nearly $2.2 billion. Here are four examples.
1. ACCESS to RECOVERY. This program is designed to serve recovering addicts through a range of clinical and supportive services. Nearly 200,000 people have been served to date, and thousands of faith-based organizations have been involved.
2. HEALTH in HIGH-NEED AREAS. President Bush’s Health Center Initiative has created or helped expand 1,200 community-based health center sites. Since 2001, the number of low-income people receiving medical services from local clinics has grown by 4.7 million. In 2008, funding for community-based health centers reached nearly $900 million, a 77% increase over 2001 levels.
3. PRISONER REENTRY INITIATIVE. Faith-based organizations help return non-violent offenders to an active and productive life. Released inmates who participated in these programs return to prison at less than half the national rate.
4. REDUCING HOMELESSNESS. The Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program to reduce homelessness has involved many faith-based grantees, and from 2005 to 2006 the number of chronically homeless Americans dropped by 12%. That means that more than 20,000 people left the streets and shelters to a new residence.
In addition, government officials have trained more than 1000,000 people to write grants and develop key skills that could keep their organizations in the running for funds. That may mean even additional aid to the nation’s needy during the foreseeable future, no matter which party is in power.
At least three issues loom large. For one thing, what about the separation of church and state? The answer is that Constitutional guidelines have been established for the use of public funds, and no one is talking about creating a state church (the worry of the Founding Fathers). Indeed, grants to faith-based organizations seem to pose a problem only for a few. Legislation passed the House in 2001 by a large margin and cleared the Senate Finance Committee a year later with only a single negative vote. Senate Democrats scuttled the legislation out of concern for homosexuals; under the legislation traditional faith-based organizations could have refrained from hiring them. Rather than confront the gay lobby directly (and thus much of the media and the Democratic Left), the White House backed off the battle and seemed content to rely on less dramatic efforts to reach its goals.
What about the GOP’s official identification with small government? Don’t these efforts clash directly with that concept? Yes, they do. This is part of what George W. Bush meant when he described “compassionate conservatism.” He believes, as did the Progressives and New Dealers, that the immense resources of government at all levels should be designed in part to help those in need. Some Republicans, especially those of a libertarian persuasion, strongly disagree. But they are clearly out of step with the wishes of the vast majority of Americans on all socio-economic levels. Compassionate conservatism is not socialism; quite the contrary. But neither is it the Social Darwinian indifference that some on the Far Right would prefer.
Thirdly, why do the media largely ignore faith-based activities? Because, of course, they are being carried out by a Republican administration, and the facts clash sharply with the Scrooge/Herbert Hoover image fashionable pundits love to attach to the GOP. “Vote For Us: We Care” Democrats chant. In fact, both major parties care.
During a tour of a faith-based program in Baltimore designed to help former prisons return to society, the President lauded local efforts and declared that “it makes sense for the federal government to give these programs a chance to access taxpayers’ money.” He continued, …it’s an honor to be here. I’m proud to be in the presence of Americans who care deeply about our country and are willing to do something about the future of the country, by helping lost souls find love and hope in their lives.” See www.fbci.gov.
- Empty Churches by Tim Matthewson (April 19, 2008 at 3:02 PM)
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