OK... just pulled this one off of yahoo... Bush unveils plan to fund faith-based charities.

This goes back to the earlier discussion about church/state separation and all that. The synopsis is that Bush is introducing a plan that would allow federal funds to go to religious groups providing a range of social services, and would also create "a White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives - with counterpart offices in five Cabinet-level departments" to 'assist' faith based groups to get in on the bidding process.

Before handing the floor over to someone new, this makes me queasy... I don't see how there can be any way to provide for his statement "We will not fund the religious activities of any group, but when people of faith provide social services, we will not discriminate against them" without creating direct governmental oversite of religious activities. I'm really hoping to see the full text of these orders as well, for where is there a line drawn? Do "outreach services" aimed at addicts fall within governmental funding boundries? They ARE aimed at helping start rehabilitation, but they also are sermons espousing particular religous views...

*sigh*... another can of worms...

M