Thursday, June 10, 2004

Playing the religion card

Now that Bush’s poll numbers are starting to stink as much as the war and the policies and lies that people are finally getting sick of, his campaign is having to grasp at whatever straws are left.

It’s time to play the religion card.

The Boston Globe reports that when in Rome recently, the president asked Vatican officials (among them Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state) to promote socially conservative issues in the United States more aggressively. While White House officials have not confirmed the meeting, it could be part of a re-election strategy that hinges in part on winning support from highly religious voters.

Bush said “Not all the American bishops are with me” on cultural issues and asked the Vatican to push the bishops toward greater ‘activism’. The issues that Bush expressed concern about were stem cell research, gay marriage and abortion.

However, Bush may have tougher sledding with the Pope himself. While the American press dutifully reported the awarding of a medal by Bush to the Pontiff and little else, the European press reported that the Pope very publicly reamed Bush a new asshole over the Iraq war, it’s conduct, and the torture and disrespect for basic human rights. Hardly a word of this appeared in U.S. newspapers or TV. As usual.

Also, Bush is pushing for American bishops to deny Kerry communion in church, because of his pro-choice views, while at the same time raising the red herring of “would a Catholic follow the marching orders from Rome over his duty as president” that JFK was subjected to 44 years ago. Seems obvious to me that the fact that Kerry keeps his own views, not what the church tries to impose, settles that one.

So, on to Plan B - The Bush campaign has been trying to set up thousands of “Friendly Congregations” to aid its reelection efforts by identifying volunteers willing to distribute campaign materials, facilitate voter registration. They have something like 1600 in Pennsylvania alone. But churches can’t get involved in partisan politics. They can’t endorse candidates or call for the election or defeat of individual candidates or give money to campaigns without losing their tax-exempt status.

Until now.

Last week, an amendment was made to a “must-pass” jobs bill that both parties have signed off on and is ready to be voted on. This provision entitled “Safe Harbor for Churches” was inserted in the “American Jobs Creation Act of 2004” at the request of House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), who said “this is an election year and there are not many bills that will become law this year.”

What happened to “separation of church and state?” These people will do anything to get re-elected, and once again they show their utter contempt for the Constitution and democracy.

This stinks, just like Bush’s poll numbers, and the war and the policies and lies…

- Bob Woods