Pat may be crazy, but he keeps getting paid

January 25, 2006

Clearly, TV preacher Pat Robertson, after a series of controversies stemming from imbalanced public remarks, is persona non grata in most sensible circles. More and more, the evangelical community isn’t returning his calls, and a political figure of any significance knows it would be foolish to be seen with Robertson right now.

And yet, when it comes to distributing our tax dollars, the Bush administration is still making sure Robertson is well paid.

When President Bush launched his “faith-based initiative” in 2001 to funnel federal money to religious groups, Pat Robertson was skeptical, calling the idea a “Pandora’s box” and a “narcotic” that would ensnare religious organizations in government red tape.

Those misgivings notwithstanding, the federal government has become a major source of money for Operation Blessing, Robertson’s international charity, under the Bush initiative. In two years, the group’s annual revenue from government grants has ballooned from $108,000 to $14.4 million.

There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about this funding. For one thing, the group has been investigated for making deceptive appeals. For another, Robertson’s charity discriminates in hiring — Operation Blessing does not hire non-Christians — even though it accepts public funds.

But even if we put those serious concerns aside, there’s a more basic political question the Bush administration should answer: why in the world is Bush giving $14.4 million to a crazed TV preacher’s charity?

That’s not really a rhetorical question; I’m kind of hoping someone asks Scott McClellan to explain.

I believe it’s called buying votes!

  • “Concerned” is putting it awfully lightly.

    Outraged is more like it.

    Pat Robertson is batshit insane, he should be nothing more than a raving streetpreacher, but instead he has successfully created a political machine that serves the GOP.

  • So let’s rewind a couple of months to the budget debate in Congress. Back then, Dems were called irresponsible and not serious about trimming the budget because they opposed taking food out of the mouths of poor families and school children. The GOP did it anyway, the motherfuckers. Anyway, where was this $14 million during that discussion? How many families would that money put BACK into the food stamp program? How many school lunches could it buy for how long? And most importantly, what on earth is Robertson doing with the money? Is HE feeding and providing healthcare to the poor? I doubt it.

    It’s so much worse than greed. It’s greed at the direct expense of others who cannot defend themselves.

  • why in the world is Bush giving $14.4 million to a crazed TV preacher’s charity?

    Especially one who has gone on national television to advocate the assassination of a democratically-elected foreign head of state!

  • Here’s a question I’d like to hear someone ask Scotty: Robertson got 14 mil, who else applied but was turned down?

  • Divide and conquer.

    Here’s what to ask Scotty. Since Bush gives $14 million of our money to a nutty, offensive guy like Pat Robertson, what are we are giving to the Roman Catholic Church — sorely in need of funds due to the sinfulness of, and criminal molestation by, some of its priests and the coverup by Catholic bishops? How much are we giving to the Latter Day Saints (ever see the wonderful movie “Latter Days” btw)? What about the “peaceniks” (literally following the “Prince of Peace”), like the Quakers or the Amish? Any money for the North Carolina back-country snake handlers? Do we give any money to “exotic” relgions (by American standards) … B’hai, Buddhism, Hinduism?

    Divide and conquer.

  • If you look around the USA, you will see thousands of church groups providing welfare assistance to the poor and disabled. They take them in, give them work, feed and care for them. In return, Vote Republican. That is why the Bushies and neo-cons pour money into their coffers.
    It is cheaper than providing decent social services, and the voter turnout is assured. Our system is as corrupt as any other 3rd world country, and it’s downward all the way..

  • Robertson has been a scam artist for years. He took donations from believers and spent it building up his so called Christian Broadcasting Network which was to offer a wholesome, value based television alternatives to the mainstream networks. Next he changed the name to the Family Channel and then he sold it for a multi-million dollar pricetag. Instead of returning the money to his ministry, as one might think he should have, he distrubuted the profits to himself and to his children. An interesting example of faithful stewardship of God’s money. I wonder how much oversight is involved in the 14 million.

  • Why is Bush giving Robertson money?

    Simple. A kickback. And a balm to sooth righteous fury at Republicans abandoning Christer initiatives for the time being.

    It’s funny really. I always wondered how much an unborn baby’s life was worth, or gay marriage–we at least know how much it costs to buy silence from the evangelicals.

  • If Pat Robertson is just one example brought into the light by his own crazy talk ….I wonder other critters are lurking under the rocks of faith based government supported charities. One more topic for investigation in 06.

  • ‘Cite your sources so we know your not making this stuff up”
    It was Hyperlinked in the second paragraph. Gaining faith in federal money? By BILL SIZEMORE, The Virginian-Pilot [Robertson’s Hometown paper] http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/print.cfm?story=98167&ran=246795

    “why in the world is Bush giving $14.4 million to a crazed TV preacher’s charity? Especially one who has gone on national television to advocate the assassination of a democratically-elected foreign head of state! ”
    Because 18 million people a week watch that crazy bastard and 99% of them vote just like he tells them to. “…in the world of publishing, Robertson has rarely been more conspicuous. An author of 16 books, Robertson remains coveted by Christian publishers, who printed 1.1 million copies of his three latest books in just the past two years” ….”given his visibility on “The 700 Club,” the daily CBN show seen by 18 million people a month.….” http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=84782&ran=78497&tref=po

    He also is what the finest talk show host in the country (Thom Hartmann – http://www.ThomHartmann.com ) a “SHINY OBJECT” – he says outrageous things to divert attention from the Bush Crime Family.

    Widow women like my mother send the SOB $25-$50 a month. He’s worth over a BILLION $$$.

    Or maybe just because evil bastards pay off evil bastards.

  • There isn’t an issue with using the money to help the poor and others in need. The problem is that he probably uses it to supplement his lifestyle.

  • Wasn’t Operation Blessing the organization that shipped plane loads of supplies and humanitarian aid to a blood-diamond company in Africa (that Robertson owns a piece of) instead of to the refugees the supplies were intended for? Or was that Robertson’s other charity organization? I can never keep them straight.

  • Wasn’t Operation Blessing the organization that shipped plane loads of supplies and humanitarian aid to a blood-diamond company in Africa (that Robertson owns a piece of) instead of to the refugees the supplies were intended for? Or was that Robertson’s other charity organization? I can never keep them straight.

    Comment by Navyswan — 1/27/2006 @ 2:04 pm

    It wasnt humanitarian aid being shipped to Nigeria, it was diamond mining suppplies, and operation blessing planes were used

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