Saving America — one unconstitutional scheme at a time

Bush returned to an issue that’s near — if not entirely dear — to his heart yesterday, speaking at the annual Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Leadership Conference about his support for his beleaguered initiative. The president may have strayed from his original text, however, and accidentally told people the truth about his intentions.

“…If you’re the Methodist church and you sponsor an alcohol treatment center, they can’t say only Methodists, only Methodists who drink too much can come to our [publicly-funded] program. All drunks are welcome, is what the sign ought to say. Welcome to be saved, so they become sober.”

Welcome to be “saved“? This has the makings of a Michael Kinsley Moment — Bush committed a gaffe by telling the truth.

The White House faith-based initiative is allegedly predicated on secular goals (i.e., allowing charities to compete for grants to provide non-religious assistance to families in need). Bush has sworn for years that the policy is not about advancing religion, despite all evidence to the contrary.

And yet, there he was yesterday, touting his initiative for its ability to help churches that receive publicly-funded grants “save” people. It was a startling admission, which should make the policy’s goals quite clear for anyone who still worries about ministries converting people with our tax dollars.