Obama's challenge: getting Democratic secularists on board.
It was a remarkable, moving speech by a presumptive Democratic nominee for president on promoting faith-based solutions to urgent human needs.
"The men and women who work in faith-and-values-based organizations," he explained, "are driven by their spiritual commitment; to serve their God, they have sustained the drug-addicted, the mentally ill, the homeless; they have trained them, educated them, cared for them, healed them. Most of all, they have done what government can never do; what it takes [is] God's help, sometimes, for all of us to manage; they have loved them—loved their neighbors, no matter how beaten down, how hopeless, how despairing." And he went on to make some revolutionary political implications: "I believe government should play a greater role in sustaining this quiet transformation—not by dictating solutions from above, but by supporting the effective new policies that are rising up from below."
That was Vice President Al Gore, speaking at the Salvation Army in Atlanta in 1999, before George W. Bush's "faith-based initiative" became a culture war divide. This week, Barack Obama echoed these themes in a speech delivered in Zanesville, Ohio. "The challenges we face today—from saving our planet to ending poverty—are simply too big for government to solve alone," Obama explained. He proposed a new effort to "empower faith-based organizations."
Reading both speeches, Gore's is (against all expectations) more emotional and compelling. But Obama's remarks, in some ways, are more impressive. He showed the political maturity to embrace an idea now closely associated with President Bush—a wisdom he has also demonstrated in supporting Bush's massive and successful AIDS initiative.
There is nothing exclusively Republican about the faith-based agenda. The main beneficiaries, contrary to some accusations, are established groups such as Catholic Charities or Lutheran Social Services, along with community ministries in distressed areas. The men and women who run these organizations are heroic and principled. They also tend to embrace political liberalism. The faith-based initiative could never properly be called a payoff to the religious right.
Supporting it does, however, require a rejection of orthodox secularism—a belief that government funds should never benefit religious groups, even in the provision of secular social services. The challenge for a Democratic presidential candidate is that secularists have become a significant portion of the Democratic electorate. Political scientists describe a new kind of voter—the anti-fundamentalist—who is motivated by a resentment of religious conservatives. In 2006 Democratic congressional candidates won 74 percent of the secular vote. According to some estimates, secularists now constitute a larger portion of the Democratic coalition than organized labor.
Yeah judgment like voting NO for the NEW GI BILL, Hey Mr. McCain who are we suposed to be killing in Iraq, sunni or shia? What's a Kurd? And even though the US weapons inspectors said there were NO weapons, expolsives, or ammunition from Iran, and the latest NIE said Iran had backed away from uranium enrichment...why are you deterimined to take this country into another, a third war? Is it because of your "experience" and "Judgment"?
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The race for the White House is tied. The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows Barack Obama and John McCain each attract 43% of the vote. When "leaners" are included, Obama holds a statistically insignificant 47% to 46% advantage. Today is the first time that McCain???s support has moved above 45% since Obama clinched the nomination on June 3. It???s also the first time the candidates have been tied since Obama clinched the Democratic nomination
NOBAMA!!!
OMG Look at what CornHolyO posted...it's amazing...
Posted By: HolyRoller @ 07/11/2008 21:56:41
Comment: 4+ a gallon. If Israel bombs Iran US gets involved, McBushes wet dream, except we have NO military to support a third war, more of our children die, which if fine with McCain as he does not support them anyway oh yeah, soon 7-8/gallon.
McCain-Killing and Drilling now
"Handsome"-kNOws it will have no immediate effect on prices and infact would take years and caot billions to even get to, cost passed on to the US in dollars on the gallon, and if there ever was oil found, NO promise from any of the US oil folks to NEVER RAISE PRICES AGAIN ABOVE 1$ a gal.
McCain-Nucular Energy Plants Now but also thinks that NE plants have root and grow in the ground
"Handsome"- tells George Bush the word is NUCLEAR...
McCain-Clean Coal Energy Now, thinks this means polishing all the little pieces of coal, insists this would be a great job for illegals.
"Handsom"-NO problem with it at all, unless you ask Sean Hannity.
McCain-Shale Oil Now, thinks that Shale is another faction of epople from Iraq, sunni Shia, Shale, and "What the hell is a Kurd."
"Handsome"-NO problem here either, wow he's on the ball.
McCain-Independent from Middle East Oil or stay in Iraq for 100 yrs? What ever comes first
Hussein-kNOws, they are out of oil in Saudi in 2015, let them dry up and blow away. along with the oil a$$es here.
McCain-American Hero, crashed 5 fighters before being shot down, cried "my daddy is an admiral" when he was caught, willingly did 32 propagnada films for the VC, earning the nickname ":Song Bird" (google it)because as soon as he was caught he started singing for the enemy, lied to America's POWs when he said he wouild never politicize his status as a "pow", and then never stopped doing it. Turned his back on our troops on the recent GI Bill Vote, where he no showed and no voted because he was to afraid to face the music and just vote against it...my hero.
Hussein-Not only out of power but DEAD and even though that was our "mission" we are still in Iraq and our children are still sying,
NOTHINGLIKEOBAMA!!!
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WOW! What a statement, good for you ConrHolyO, way to go...glad to see you come around
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