This is a case before SCOTUS wherein Arizona distributes taxpayer funds for student scholarships to religious schools. Right wing organizations spin this as a “donation” but it’s simply a distribution of tax dollars.
The Obama Administration joined with Arizona in arguing that Arizona residents who oppose this funding do not have standing to bring the lawsuit. Arizona taxpayers don’t have standing in a case involving Arizona tax distribution? That’s absurd. Once again Obama disappoints.
Tax monies are used to support religious education indoctrination. This is nothing but a taxpayer subsidy for religious schools. Last year 91.5% of the $52 million collected, went to religious schools.
The Establishment Clause prohibits government aid to religion. Last year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared that the Arizona scheme violates the separation of church and state. From the Justices’ questioning during oral arguments, it looks like Justice Anthony Kennedy will be the deciding vote.
This is part of the right’s war on education. From kicking evolution out of the classroom to abolishing the Department of Education, the right wants to turn the electorate into a band of easily swayed ignoramuses. Considering the results of this past election, they’re succeeding.
If any of these funds were going towards scholarships for students attending Madrasahs, the right would have a total freak-out.
H/T: SCOTUSblog, ACLU, Breaking Legal News, AU.
-David Drumm (Nal)
unless of course they wanted to guarantee him a second term.
It’s how they will prevent it from happening
Lottakatz, let me ask you, after two years of Obama in office did you think it would be like this. Never say never.
http://radio.woai.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=119078&article=7797170
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/unapologetic_birther_is_new_mo_house_of_representatives_majority_leader.php?ref=fpb Did you see this Lottakatz?
Bdaman: Impeachment
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Not even the crazy Republicans would overplay their hand to that extent, unless of course they wanted to guarantee him a second term. But you can keep hoping 🙂
I concede
Bush/Cheney
but only because Monica had a pretty smile 🙂
Addiction Analyst I think the money folks convinced him that the only way to stave off a depression was to go with them.
“Obama has so much in the closet that this will end like Clinton, a major embarrassment.”
Clinton. (/start maximum sarcasm) Unlike Bush/Cheney, who have been such stellar exemplars of Constitutional leadership. (/end maximum sarcasm) Clinton was a mild embarrassment at best – a guy who cheats on his wife with the help. After Obama’s pronouncements on citizen assassination in violation of the 4th Amendment, Bush/Cheney would have been the more appropriate comparison.
Obama disappoints again…? I will be shocked if our President stands up for anything related to his campaign and no one should be shocked when he doesn’t get elected to another term in office. Obama’s posture in his reconciling the elections was so weak that I really felt sorry for all of those people that will suffer because of the first Black President’s weak and manipulative posture.
I don’t think he has been given a level playing field, but he also hasn’t been very clever in how he has continually been weak in his responses to opposition.
Rather than swallowing the Republican line that the public has spoken and we now must follow the Republican agenda, how about touting how important the health bill is to the future of our country, how about the success of the “bail out” money and how many states have saved their butts because of his vision, etc.
I have to wonder, who is really pulling the strings here. It appears to me that domestic politics are not of great importance to our President. I would be interested in how much influence the Council on Foreign Relations and other power brokers have over him.
Something is too incongruous between the Obama campaigning and the reality of how easily he has caved to the money folks.
It is certainly confusing and mostly sad.
Impeachment
Bdaman What are you talking about? Clinton is the most popular politician in the country.
All of them are gonna get him. Just listen to McConnell and Boehner. While Obama is trying to fend those two off, Issa and Lamar Smith will be digging up all the dirt. Wait til they start all over with Resko and Blago. Obama has so much in the closet that this will end like Clinton, a major embarrassment.
ShireNomad:
I understand your position regarding Catholic education, especially when one considers the history and high intellectual output of Jesuits…however, that is the exception in religious schooling, not the rule. The Baptists and Mega-church-whatever-denomination evangelical schooling is nowhere near Jesuit training or educational integrity. They represent the No Nothing attitudes; seeing scientific inquiry as heretical and an impediment to their assumption that faith is superior to empirical fact.
I agree completely with Nal’s original assessments that the right is and has been waging a cultural war on the rest of us.
bdaman Do you think Darryl Issa will get Obama?
I saw Chris Mathews the morning after talking about Rand Paul.
His concern was that Rand Paul is known for hanging out with birthers, his words, and then said were the republicans willing to put in writing that they weren’t going to bog us down with investigations. Hummm, the investigations are coming and will be widespread. A good fighter knows we you got somebody on the ropes you don’t let up until the ref comes in and throws up the hands or the trainer throws in the towel. Obama is screwed
Bdamn It looks like Rove and Bush are trying to stop Palin, but I don’t know if they can, Those mama grizzlies are getting sassy as Tina Fay said. All the action is on your side of the fence. We just have boring Obama. You have all kinds of crazies although some of the favorites were too far out, and they lost. I saw where a birther won a House seat but I forgot his name. A lot of good people lost. Congratulations on the birther victory!
I take issue with the implication that religious schools by definition exist to indoctrinate and not to educate. The best high school in my area was a Catholic private school — it had AP courses and other advanced opportunities that were available nowhere else, and it was a plus for any college application. The process just to get accepted required a showing of excellent grades in middle school; they didn’t take just any goober who wanted their child to avoid the nasty heathen schools. (And yes, it taught evolution.)
Oh, and I was accepted but my parents couldn’t get the finances together to send me there. So that scholarship thing? Could have been very helpful.
GOP won’t allow her to run.
You doin ok SM ? Last week must have been a tough week.
Maybe next year 🙂
Bdaman wants us to vote for Palin or stay home or vote third party.
The Obama Administration joined with Arizona in arguing that Arizona residents who oppose this funding do not have standing to bring the lawsuit. Arizona taxpayers don’t have standing in a case involving Arizona tax distribution? That’s absurd. Once again Obama disappoints.
Once again Obama disappoints.
Once again Obama disappoints.
Once again Obama disappoints.
Keep saying it over and over until 2012.
Nal,
I had this story on my list of potential Turley posts. I’m so glad you wrote about it. You did a much better job than I ever would have.
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“This is part of the right’s war on education.”
RIGHT!!!
“If any of these funds were going towards scholarships for students attending Madrasahs, the right would have a total freak-out.”
DAMNED RIGHT!!!