Sunday, June 10, 2007

Faith-based idiocy still fully funded

Pigs in a trough sprinkled with holy water:
Over the past six years George W. Bush's faith-based Administration and a conservative Republican Congress transformed the small-time abstinence-only business into a billion-dollar industry. These dangerously ineffective sexual health enterprises flourish not because they spread "family values" but because of generous helpings of the same pork-heavy gumbo Bush & Co. brought to war-blighted Iraq and Katrina-hammered New Orleans--a mix of back-scratching cronyism, hefty partisan campaign donations, high-dollar lobbyists, a revolving door for political appointees and a lack of concern for results.
[snip]
With Democrats now controlling Congress, this faith-based feeding trough may soon run dry. At press time, Democrats are poised to cut off one $50 million abstinence-only funding stream, through Title V, which requires renewal by June 30. Henry Waxman, the California Democrat who chairs the House government reform committee, is considering hearings on Bush's abstinence programs--hearings that could expose the conservative pork barrel they've become. Since February--perhaps to avoid those Waxman subpoenas--three ACF directors have resigned. First to leave was Jeffrey Trimbath, who jumped to a fundraising post with the Heritage Foundation. A month later Keroack vacated his post. Then on April 2 Wade Horn announced his resignation. But the revolving door of influence-peddling is still turning. Horn hired on with Deloitte Consulting, where according to a Deloitte statement he "will be a key advisor to health and human services clients of Deloitte Consulting's state government practice." Horn's former boss at HHS, Tommy Thompson, already heads Deloitte's Center for Health Solutions.
[snip]
Without oversight and defunding from Congress, the money will continue to flow for the next five years into Raymond Ruddy's extended family of antiabortion, anti-condom, anti-gay, abstinence-only Protestant evangelicals and Catholics--a radical consortium that threatens the health of millions.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You seem a bit leftist. I read your comments. Katrina was and has never been the fault of Mr. Bush. Rather the woman governor who panicked in that state, and called the military to shut everything down caused a sensational problem. The white house had protocol they had to meet. Mr. Bush went and did look into the problem, but martial law had been decalred and they had to work around the laws there. As I understand it, he did the best he could. The thing I most disagree with is that victims were never served as well as they could have by anyone in the government whether state or national. This left a great opportunity tthough for faith based and other groups, to fund people there help with money, food, supplies, and even building structures that were once there and then wiped out. You need to do more research I feel. Also before you knock what is faith based? Find out what it actually means...they may be the next people to help you out in a crisis.

ellroon said...

Thank you for you comment.

A bit leftist? I need to work harder!

And no, Bush did not create Katrina, but his administration caused the massive incompetence that followed. By allowing partisan political hacks to fill FEMA, we got people who could talk up a storm but had no clue how to do the work. Also the National Guard has been commandeered to fight a war instead of helping with the inevitable disasters that strike our country yearly.

You say 'woman governor' as if it is a bad thing. She may have blundered, but she made several proper requests to the proper channels at the proper time that were ignored. Get the timeline and check.

Bush did NOT do the best he could, unless it was getting photo ops. You want to see what he should have done? Check this link: http://rantsfromtherookery.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-al-gore-did-during-katrina.html
Al Gore flew in planes to take people to safety even though FEMA blocked him at every turn.

Why did the Bush administration refuse international aid? Why did they waste thousands of dollars of food and water that was thrown out rather than delivered? Why do they still have the FEMA trailers not delivered to the desperately poor in NOLA? Who cut the communication lines to the sheriff's office during Katrina's aftermath? Why on earth did they bring in Blackwater mercenaries to 'control' the people rather than responders to HELP the people? Why is NOLA still in ruins?

You want research? Read a woman who has gone down to NOLA repeatedly and cares passionately about the area: ScoutPrime of First Draft: http://first-draft-blog.typepad.com/first_draft/

I've done my research. Have you?

You presume I'm not religious because I'm 'a bit leftist'. That in itself exposes a great deal about you. Loving God does not have to make you be ignorant of facts. Faith is strengthened by truth, can stand up to falsehood, can embrace science. Knowing God should make you see through false prophets, be righteous in your anger over lies, craven bullies, those who fight on the dark side. Loving God should make you love your enemies and turn the other cheek rather than celebrate war and warmongers. And why, by the way, is a disaster a 'great opportunity' to shove religion into the faces of the desperate? How about letting the light shine just helping? Let those who want religion ask specifically for it.

Don't presume I don't know faith just because I'm a 'bit leftist'. I don't need you to tell me what God is about.

Steve Bates said...

For another blogger who actually spent time in NOLA attempting to help after Katrina, may I recommend Riggsveda of It's My Country, Too. Riggsveda isn't posting as often lately; indeed, her NOLA experience was so sobering that she has been rather quiet since then.

And of course there's always Oyster of Your Right Hand Thief. He lived there, lost his house to Katrina, and was lucky enough to be able to live in NOLA again... in a different house; the original was completely destroyed. Oyster is interested in politics, and is not partisan in the way I am, but he also isn't much interested in phony excuses of the kind this administration seems intent on giving instead of actual help.

anonymous troll, you really need to have a doctor look at that chip on your shoulder. Such things are frequently unhealthy.

ellroon said...

Thanks for the links, don't think I've been to those two yet....