Hot Summer Days...

From my full-sun garden at work, which has really started to pop!

My namesake: The BlackBrown Eyed Susan ;)

Aaakk, I'm pulling out my hair today. The news says Obama is taking on one of Bushco's worst ideas, and will try to expand it if he becomes President.

CHICAGO - Reaching out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans to expand President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — support some ability to hire and fire based on faith.
~snip~
"The challenges we face today ... are simply too big for government to solve alone," Obama was to say, according to a prepared text of his remarks obtained by The Associated Press. "We need all hands on deck." (my ems)

Funny, I thought he was the "YES WE CAN" guy. It's for a president to face the challenges of his presidency wielding the full power of the US government. If he needs more, he should be planning on inspiring us all to work together and make the sacrifices that will get the job done, rather than thinking about how he can get the throne by paying off the christianists with my tax dollars.

But Obama's support for letting religious charities that receive federal funding consider religion in employment decisions could invite a protest from those in his own party who view such faith requirements as discrimination.
~snip~
Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, criticized Obama's proposed expansion of a program he said has undermined civil rights and civil liberties.

"I am disappointed that any presidential candidate would want to continue a failed policy of the Bush administration," he said. "It ought to be shut down, not continued."

...and that's totally how I feel. We need a FEMA that works, and if Bill Clinton can staff and fund a competent and professionally run agency, then Barak can either do it too, or hire Clinton to set it up for him. As a taxpayer, I don't want to have to rely on some christianist organization to dole out to me, and likely guilt me, for emergency relief that I am entitled to as a US citizen (as in already paid for). Neither do I want to have to send my taxes to support any kind of religion.


The full story can be found here