I am laughing deliciously at the comments in this thread.

Honestly, though, this will be the first shake up, but there will be another later on down the road, I think. McCain is such a disasterous candidate at the core. He's Crocker Jarmon without the pizzazz.

Posted at July 2, 2008 2:34 PM in response to Shake Up At Top Of McCain Campaign

If you think using churches as a pillar of support to assist where the government cannot effectively do so directly is inherently right wing, then, brother, you needed to be in Youngstown with me when I met with and spoke with many members of an historically black church--Mount Calvary. The church was running so many community organization programs untainted by prosyletizing that it was ridiculous. Homeless outreach, elder care, drug interdiction...

It's one thing to make kids pray to Jesus in a public school, leaving the Jewish kid with the Hobson's choice of mooning along or sitting silently by to the eternal judgment of his peers, and opening up your banquet hall for AA meetings and conducting Meals on Wheels.

There are not many bigger fans of the First Amendment than me, but I don't see the danger to the Establishment Clause from well-regulated church-based community initiative programs ("faith-based" is such a social conservative label) that are funded based on established criteria that meet the common sense application of the Lemon test and its progeny.

Posted at July 1, 2008 4:40 PM in response to Obama Speech: We Can Expand Faith-Based Charities And Separate Church From State

Um, did any of you actually read his books? He has been a proponent of the idea of faith-based initiatives since way back. I think he is coming from a perspective of a community organizer who recognizes the fact that churches form a central hub in much of society's community efforts, and stands as a primary focal point for progressive action. I think he wants to foster that.

personally, I have no problem with government support of faith-based initiatives. That kind of support, until recently, has been tolerated and even encouraged back to the days of our founding. Hell, it's how we got 501(c)(3) status.

What I despise is the model of faith-based initiatives where you funnel money to churches as a form of political favor. Oversight can be done on this to prevent abuse.

Posted at July 1, 2008 4:29 PM in response to Obama Speech: We Can Expand Faith-Based Charities And Separate Church From State

Bravo for the reference.

Posted at July 1, 2008 4:25 PM in response to Obama Speech: We Can Expand Faith-Based Charities And Separate Church From State

gotalife has been strangely absent....

Posted at July 1, 2008 3:43 PM in response to GOP Senator's Top Staffer Busted Posting Comments Under Fake Name On Liberal Blog

Or maybe Congress will manage to jellydick the whole thing and we will wind up with a health care bill that proposes what we now have, but with higher co-pays.

Love that Congressional Democratic Leadership!

Posted at June 27, 2008 10:44 AM in response to Obama Hires Top Hillary Policy Adviser

But will this help the stalwart Hillary Clinton Ellen Jamesians hop on board the Unity Pony?

Not until they get her a roll call at the convention, every delegate seated, and jet skis.

Posted at June 27, 2008 10:42 AM in response to Obama Hires Top Hillary Policy Adviser

What the...how the hell did I get to Huffington Post or The Superficial when I typed in the URL for TalkingPointsMemo?

Donna! Donna, get IT on the phone right now! My internets is broken!

Posted at June 27, 2008 10:39 AM in response to Today's Must Read

Do you mean BIG JOHN CORNYN! I saw on YouTube that man eats raw steel and craps iron!

Posted at June 24, 2008 5:10 PM in response to Poll: Obama And McCain Tied -- In Deep-Red Indiana!

But! But! But he's unelectable!

Posted at June 24, 2008 5:08 PM in response to Poll: Obama And McCain Tied -- In Deep-Red Indiana!