Bush Drinking Played Role in Policy |
Posted by FoM on July 18, 2001 at 15:05:20 PT By Mark Benjamin Source: United Press International President Bush's personal commitment to pass his embattled "Faith-Based Initiative" was influenced, in part, by the role faith played in Bush's decision to quit drinking at age 40, Republican Conference Chairman J.C. Watts, R-Okla., said Tuesday. On an Air Force One return flight after a June meeting to rally the nation's mayors on the initiative, Watts said the president told him faith played a role in his decision to quite drinking 15 years ago, and that Bush was impressed with faith-based groups while governor of Texas. "I know the role that faith has played in his life," Watts said. "He has talked about the drinking problem that he had." "He has seen it up close and personal," Watts said. White House spokeswoman Anne Womack noted that "the president has often cited the role faith has played in his life, particularly in his decision to quit drinking." Watts related the anecdote on the eve of a key vote in the House on H.R. 7 set for Tuesday, the main tenets of Bush's plan to improve the link between government funds and faith-based groups performing community service. The bill also tinkers with the tax code to boost charitable giving. The president has faced stiff opposition from the right by religious conservatives who have said the initiative could dilute the religious mission of church organizations. Critics from the left say it erodes the barrier between church and state and could allow employment discrimination by letting religious charities use government funds to hire employees based on religious beliefs. White House officials have said Bush's personal commitment to the Faith-Based Initiative accounts for his dogged enthusiasm in the face of his detractors. Opponents rallied their troops Tuesday. "The legislation that is to be debated tomorrow on the House floor is nothing more than a faith-based prescription for discrimination," American Civil Liberties Union Washington Office Director Laura W. Murphy said. House Constitution Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., announced Tuesday he would meet with General Accounting Office investigators Friday to urge an investigation into meetings between the White House and the Salvation Army over the initiative. The Washington Post reported July 10 that the White House had tried to gain the Salvation Army's support for the initiative by offering to draft a federal regulation that would insulate discriminatory hiring practices by government-funded religious charities from city or state scrutiny. "Those of us opposed to this legislation have long wondered why this legislation was being pushed for by the White House, since religious charities are incredibly successful at providing services under current law," Nadler said. "The Salvation Army memo of last week provided the 'smoking gun.'" Watts admitted Tuesday that he had only three Democratic cosponsors for the bill and would not say how many Republicans would vote for it either. And so far, the initiative has shown little life in the Senate at all. Asked whether the initiative would move in that chamber, Watts said, "I'm not going to pull your leg. I don't know." Newshawk: Nicholas Thimmesch II Related Articles: It's Not About Church and State The Cover Up - George W. Bush's Real Scandal Bush Confirms '76 DUI Arrest: 'I'm Not Proud of That' Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
Comment #10 posted by CongressmanSuet on July 19, 2001 at 19:57:07 PT |
for the current state of affairs. You are voting your conscious, and thats the way it should be. Hell, if they were able to create a "Communist People Who all contribute loyally to each other and go against human nature and make Communism work Party" I would join.But, I wouldnt expect to make my vote really count.We need to be realistic and try and work from within. We are a 2 party guviment right now,face reality, and we need to make lesser than greater evil choices in our political choices, at least right now... [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #9 posted by Pontifex on July 19, 2001 at 11:27:55 PT:
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Fixjuxa, it took a lot of bravery to admit that. But I'm glad you did. You raise a critical point. Every four years, American voters face essentially this "Hm. I could vote for Hitler, but he's pretty evil. Or I "Guess I'll vote for Hitler," is the usual conclusion. But The names have been changed, but the story's just the This is why I implore everybody I know to vote for the A wasted vote? Hardly. A third party only needs to gain Like Kap and boppy, I vote Libertarian because I agree Maybe you don't like the Libertarians. Maybe you like to Your vote is wasted unless you cast it for someone who Kaptinemo, that was a fascinating account of the 1980 What was most disturbing was that I couldn't find Or they were bored to tears. I know I would be. Those The more people think for themselves, the more they Reject congressional gangsterism! Vote your [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #8 posted by greenfox on July 19, 2001 at 09:39:31 PT |
He never stopped at age 40. That's a bunch of bullshit. Don't believe me? www.thesmokinggun.com -gf [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #7 posted by boppy on July 19, 2001 at 07:00:13 PT |
I've been voting Libertarian since the late 70's. President Carter was the last major 2 party candidate that I had voted for because of his compassion shown to cannabis users. The Libertarians are the only party who are working to end the WOD. This would end your guilty feelings after leaving the voting booth when you might be thinking, "Did I vote for the right guy?" No one can blame me for the current administration since I voted Libertarian. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on July 19, 2001 at 06:21:30 PT:
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We all make mistakes. In my naive youth, I voted Republican in 1976. (Interesting story about that; I'd registered as an Independant as even then I'd had my doubts about things. But the person who took my registration listed me as a Rep. Curious, no?) But in 1980 I had the opportunity to attend a Republican 'town meeting' in my county seat - which turned out to be an obviously scripted humbug from the git-go. The questions were so pat that I looked at the faces of other people to discern whether they had either astonishment at the proceedings, or cynical smiles at the crassness of it all. What was most disturbing was that I couldn't find any indictaions that they were aware that they were being spoonfed bilge. Either they were master poker players, or the audience genuinely believed the drivel that was being purveyed as Gospel. The final telling part was when an elderly gentleman stood up and asked what the Reps' position ws on the fact that Social Security was bankrupt, and that both Dems and Reps had raided the mistakenly named 'trust fund' to the point it was non-existant. And since the fund was full of nearly worthless government IOU's to be paid in equally worthless, inflation ravaged Federal Resreve Notes (remember, this was 1980, the dollar was circling around the toilet boil, ready to be flushed, and people were knocking fillings out of their teeth to get the $900 dollars an ounce gold was fetching.) what did the Reps plan to do about it? Serious questions. Important questions. Questions which, if the Reps had been truly concerned for the welfare of the Nation, they'd have honestly answered. Instead they ignored both the question and the questioner. "Moving right along", although not spoken, was clearly the intent of the activity following the last question; they just didn't want to deal with something outside their neat, predigested little agenda. On that day, I became a libertarian in philosophy and a few months later, a Libertarian in political affiliation. Been one ever since, despite the State of Maryland's attempt to disenfranchise me in the 1996 elections with legal 'ballot access' chicanery. So don't feel badly. By experiencing the true nature of American politics, you've joined the ranks of the cognoscenti. To paraphrase the words of an old Who song, "you won't be fooled again!" One awakened mind is worth a million sheeple. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #5 posted by fixjuxa on July 19, 2001 at 00:20:09 PT:
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....but I voted for George Bush. And ever day since I've been waiting for somebody to kick me in the nuts when I tell them I voted for him. The only reason I voted for Bush is because I think Gore is a total f**khead. Which I now know is not a good reason to vote for somebody. I make a pledge to never vote Republican or Democrat again. If for some reason there is no third party on the ballot I won't vote. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #4 posted by Rev. Happy on July 18, 2001 at 21:47:54 PT:
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Church where pot smokers, athiests, nazi's and prostitutes can all feel welcome [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #3 posted by dddd on July 18, 2001 at 21:31:32 PT |
I am a member of The Church of The Astoundment....it was started by my uncle,,,,Ellis D
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Comment #2 posted by Sudaca on July 18, 2001 at 16:45:14 PT |
should include the church of the tree of life, maybe a good rastafari organization as well? here's a list of candidates for some cash: CHURCH OF THE UNIVERSE can u make the list grow? [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #1 posted by dddd on July 18, 2001 at 15:57:21 PT |
..how low can it go?,,,,,well..this is pretty low and absurd,,,,,another ghastly mandate being demagogued on the American people,,,,,even more unbelieveable,.when you look at it in the light of what the government "job" is. All this is,,is a way to funnel massive amounts of our tax money, unreal freakout material,,,,another astonishing shocker from the shrub regime
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