Abacus

I disagree. Not mentioning God in a speech is NOT a promotion of atheism. Saying something like "There is no God" would be.

Shadowy Man

So, do you think his Faith Based Initiatives program is ok?

tdekeyser

Here is more sickening things he will be doing with our money:

BUSH PLAN TO SUBSIDIZE ‘FAITH-BASED’ DRUG TREATMENT THREATENS CHURCH-STATE SEPARATION, SAYS WATCHDOG GROUP

Administration Scheme Would Divert Tax Money To ‘Untested, Unproven Programs That Seek To Pray Away Addiction,’ Charges AU’s Lynn

President George W. Bush’s plan to divert up to $200 million in public funds to faith-based addiction programs violates the Constitution and common sense, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The Bush proposal, to be announced in the State of the Union message tonight, poses serious legal and policy problems, says the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. (Americans United has spearheaded a coalition of groups that oppose the administration’s “faith-based” initiative.)

“The president wants to fund untested, unproven programs that seek to pray away addiction,” said Lynn. “This violates the Constitution and common sense.

“People with addiction problems need medical help, not Sunday school,” Lynn observed. “The Bush plan would entangle government with religion and jeopardize the health care needs of Americans struggling with alcohol and drug problems.

“Bush seems to be on a religious crusade and that’s not the role of the president,” Lynn concluded. “Americans put a lot of money in the collection plate voluntarily, but they should not be forced to do so by the government.”

bltl6

Bush believes that the $ that the government taxes us on is still mine (and your) money. What he is doing is opening up choice for the people. If I can't, for example, pay for a private drug treatment program and have to go to a government suplumented one, then I now have more choice in the matter because I can go to a place that has beliefs that I want to rediscover. The way I see it is as long as the government taxes me as much as they do, then I want that money (my money) to go to things I believe in. Bottom line is that we should get taxed for public services like parks, streets, ect. and everything eles should be privitized.

But I don't believe that Bush oversteped his boundries in his speach because he didn't force it on anyone. He is alowed to bring forth is own values, the people voted for him based on his values. And let's be honest, while America may not be a Christian nation, the majority (the vast majority) believe in a higher power.

Chad

What difference does it make if a majority of American citizens believe in a higher power? After all, many do not believe in the same higher power. Furthermore, there are religionists that respect that religion is a private issue and that the President has no business stumping for his religion (or any other) while serving as President. It is a privilege to serve as President, not a right, and GW has no business speaking for any American with respect to such a divisive issue.

gravitybow

George Washington used to use that term when referring to the Higher Power. Since the Right has claimed and proclaimed the christian nature of all our past presidents, then G.W.'s reference to Providence is harking back to the "christian nation" foundation of the U.S. From one G.W. to another, as it were.

tdekeyser

I am a motorcycle enthusist. If I were in a government position, then it would be WRONG of me to make decisions based on who rides a motorcycle right?

If I nominated judges based on what they rode, if I gave tax money to bike groups and if I gave more to bikers than non-bikers, I would be WRONG.

Baboon in WRONG!

Selsaral

Furthermore, it would be annoying to hear you constantly talk about motorcycles, how they are superior to all other types of transportation, and constantly assert that America should be more closely associated with motorcycles. Personally, I think motorcycles are alright, but I drive a car cause it's easy and comfortable. I don't give a lot of thought to my method of transportation, I just want to get where I'm going. I think it would be outside the realm of the role of president of our country to constantly be lecturing me and talking about the superiority of motorcycles. Particularly for the people who find motorcyles dangerous, loud, and unpleasant.

bltl6

Actually, if you were voted into office based on the fact that you were a motorcyclist and that was your thing, then the people who voted for you would've put you in office in order to give special rights to bikers.

George Bush has an economic, political and spiritual philosophy that he made clear in the election and he is in office because the people (or actually the electoriol votes) got him there to put his bias into effect.

The bottom line is he didn't infringe on anyones rights, he only made his religious beliefs in God known. That's not a crime, unless you believe in cencership.

Melkor

Even if doing so was against the very principles on which the country was founded? Doesn't sound very "American" to me....Not necessarily. A lot of votes Dubya got had nothing to do with is religious affiliations and more to do with his stances on other issues that a lot of the voting public finds much more important. The fact that he is abusing his office in promoting one form of theism is an unfortunate side effect.Is that why he always uses words like "we" and "us" then when he talks about his god?

That makes me think that he's excluding the rest of us, in that case, and that he's only addressing those that share his beliefs. Given that he's the most powerful single man in the country (politically), that sounds in appropriate, at best... or like an abuse of power, as it's applied to most of his policies. What's "cencership"?