For better or for worse, the government deals with a number of faith-based entities in the course of doing its business. Churches get tax exemption, religious groups lobby Congress, charities distribute government money.
Organizations that take federal money, though, have to play by federal rules. They have to comply with OSHA standards, and comply with labor law, including non-descrimination in employment.
Republicans are testing the waters with a new idea: wouldn't it be great if we could keep giving tons of money to fundamentalist charities, but could tell them they could fire their Jewish accountant for being . . .Jewish? Say hello to H.R. 27.
Here's the Thomas link to the bill's text. Section 127 is the incriminating one.
Here's the ACLU article on it
Under this new bill, which provides for job training of various sorts, religious organizations providing workplace training with our tax dollars are allowed to freely discriminate on the basis of religion. It's not even allowed by a loophole . . .they are specifically exempted.
It goes without saying that you should call you representatives about this NOW. It gets out of comittee Friday. Also, call Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia and tell him thanks for getting an amendment ready to rectify the problem.
It's obvious to me that this provision is a bone. A dangerous bone for the precedent it says, but a low-profile one that the Bush administration can throw to religious groups wondering why he hasn't done anything about abortion or gay marriage.
Bone or not, this provision is merely unacceptable. It is yet another example of how Republicans are willing to sacrifice ideals in order to win political capital.
Worse yet is the notion that this is their ideal. Diaries on Dominionists are coming to mind now . . .