faith-based lack of compassion

"Bush has sought legislation to give religious groups access to federal funds as long as their services are available to anyone, but without requiring them to make fundamental changes in their approach. The proposal got a cold reception in Congress, and lawmakers put forward instead a package of tax incentives for charitable giving." (AP)

President Bush has no problem with giving money to religious (i.e. "faith-based") groups, yet he underfunds education, housing, Welfare and any other form of assistance to the downtrodden.

"Faith-based" groups were once the only option for the weak and destitute. Charles Dickens wrote books about those times. Those times were real, oh so real - and they were terrible; orphanages, debtor's prisons, disease (due to "voluntary" restrictions on pollution).

Bush's vision of the "future" would take us back to the past. Not to the Good Old Days, but to the Dark Ages. He'd take us back past the Industrial Revolution, past the Renaissance ... already the barbarians are pounding at our gates, and Nero is plucking his lyre in the White House in an irrational state.

His industrial cronies have no problem with polluting the environment - Texas proves that. When Dubya left Texas for the White House, he left his adopted state in a sewer-like condition (and with a crushing budget deficit, to boot). He is well on his way to doing the same with our entire Nation.

We don't have to accept that. Christine Todd Whitman wouldn't take it either; she left the EPA because she was shot down at every turn. Of course she denied it at the time, but eventually she'll come clean. Even the former Governor of New Jersey - reviled as the dumping ground of the United States - had a better environmental record than G.W. Bush.

Remember to vote in November 2004. And if you care about your country and the Earth, don't vote for Bush.