Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) died early this morning, and with his death, the last of a generation has passed from the U.S. Senate. At 89, he had been the oldest member of the upper chamber and the last to have served in the Second World War. Read more
There is some sad news to report today: On Friday, David Kuo died. He was only 44 and had been battling an aggressive brain tumor. Read more
The end of the year is a time for lists. You’re probably seeing a lot of them – “25 Best Books of 2012,” “10 Overlooked Movies,” “What’s Hot and What’s Not” or whatever.
Along those lines, here’s a list of the Top Ten Church-State Stories from 2012 (listed in no particular order): Read more
With all of the talk about the U.S. debt ceiling, it’s sometimes easy to forget that other issues are out there. Even as he attempts to strike a deal to keep America solvent, President Barack Obama continues to address other topics. Read more
Since Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s first day in office, he has made it clear that he no problems blurring the church-state line.
In January, he all but turned his swearing-in ceremony into a religious revival, and he noted his intention to use religion as a way to help the state face its economic and social problems. It now seems those plans are well on their way. Read more
Americans United got some good news yesterday in a “faith-based” funding case that began back in 2000.
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Alicia Pedreira and other Kentucky taxpayers against the Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children. Using millions in public funds, the sectarian childcare agency has been indoctrinating children in religious beliefs and discriminating on religious grounds in employment, firing Pedreira for being a lesbian. Read more
Did you send a contribution to the Castleton United Methodist Church in Indianapolis so it could buy a new heating and cooling system?
You may think you didn’t – but you did. More accurately, your leaders in Washington, D.C., did it for you.
Politico reports today that at least $140 million of the $787 billion stimulus package passed in 2009 ended up in the coffers of “faith-based” groups – and that this was the result of deliberate effort by the administration of President Barack Obama. Read more
Just when the hubbub over the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” seemed to be dying down, some new information has come to light. Read more
James Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under President George W. Bush, had an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal recently carping because President Barack Obama has used his administration’s “faith-based” offices to let Americans know about the new health-care law.
Towey says if he had politicized his office that way, Bush would have fired him.
Oh, now that is rich. Read more
