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FEDERAL FUNDING OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS: WORST OF THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT

    February 6, 2001

    MARINA DEL REY, CALIF.--Last week's proposal by President Bush to set aside billions of dollars in federal welfare spending for "faith-based" charities was an official declaration that conservatives have given up fighting against the welfare state, said Robert W. Tracinski, a fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute and a columnist for Creators Syndicate.

    "Instead of fighting against the welfare state, conservatives--from Bush to icons such as William F. Buckley--are arguing that welfare can be used to promote conservative values and organizations--a welfare state for conservatives," said Tracinski. "Bush's faith-based initiative preserves every dollar of welfare spending and just diverts some of it to bankroll religious organizations."

    Tracinski noted that, though the President has promised that there will be safeguards, federal funds will be used to employ thousands of people who are part of religious organizations, who are selected for their religious views, and who will do what they see as "God's work"--on the federal payroll.

    "The specific charitable activities that receive federal funding may not be religious--but the religious organization as a whole will be supported, enlarged, promoted in exactly the same way the Left has used the welfare state to support, enlarge, and promote its followers," said Tracinski. "President Bush has apparently decided that it's time for conservatives to break into this racket-even if that means bending the rules against government funding for religion. The resulting program gives us the worst of both worlds: the Left's desire to reach into our pocketbooks, combined with the Rights' desire to seek government support for religion.

    "And this is proof that Conservatism is dead. It is dead when its leaders endorse a total surrender to the welfare state--and announce that if we can't beat the Left, we should join them at the federal trough."

    Ayn Rand Institute fellow and Creators Syndicate columnist Robert W. Tracinski is available for interviews.

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