[Georgia Gov.] Perdue's faith-based initiative clears first hurdle

[CaptAhab]

Tomorrow, the Georgia Senate will be voting on an amendment to the Georgia Constitution that greatly weakens the provision prohibiting the state from giving money to religious organizations. The amendment is expected to pass, and will be voted on in a referendum in November. The movement behind this amendment was mostly initiated by faith-based education and school-voucher groups:


Perdues faith-based initiative clears first hurdle
January 14 , 2004
The Associated Press - ATLANTA

http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=29026

Acting with extraordinary speed, a Senate committee on Monday approved the governors plan to give the state new legal power to contract with faith-based organizations to provide services to the needy and poor.

The unanimous but unrecorded vote in the Senate Rules Committee came on the first day of the new session and in spite of arguments from opponents that it would open the door to vouchers and put churches at the mercy of government bureaucrats.

...

But Merchuria Chase Williams, president of the Georgia Association of Educators, warned the legislation opens the flood gates to legalized vouchers in Georgia and argued that could have a devastating effect.




Here is some additional background information:

Georgia governor's proposal could enable school vouchers
October 16, 2003
http://www.abpnews.com/abpnews/story.cfm?newsId=3883


On Oct. 7, Gov. Sonny Perdue (R), a Baptist, proposed an amendment to the Georgia Constitution that would clear the way for state funding of pervasively religious groups -- whether directly or indirectly.

The U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that the federal Constitution allows indirect state funding of religious schools through voucher-type scholarship programs as long as secular alternatives are available. But Georgia and many other states have provisions in their state constitutions that specifically bar the state from funding churches and other religious groups -- even if such funding is done indirectly.

...

[bluestateguy]

1. Good!

I look forward to seeing how the state of Georgia will react when charities affiliated with Islam, Wicca, Scientology, Hare Krishna and Buddism apply for funding!

[CaptAhab]

3. Heh

I was actually thinking of starting a Jedi Knight school...

[Disandra]

5. Hee-hee

A group of us have already decided to do ask for funds if this gets passed.

I'm sure the politicians will start having heart attacks when a bunch of us Witches come to them with our hands out.

;-)

[newyawker99]

6. Hi sun6302!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Shadder]

2. I'm really embarrassed to live in GA

Between Newt, Bab Barr, Zell Miller, Saxby Chambliss and now Sonny this state seems to have way more than their fair share of political goofballs.

[Disandra]

4. I hear you!

Fellow Georgian and pissed off about it too. ;-)

[flaminbats]

7. the downward trend continues.

it started with George Busbee, the fiscal conservative and civil libertarian, who as Governor, was the biggest proponent of the current state Constitution. It protected state dollars from this kind of abuse, put a public service commission in charge of regulating state utility rates, and also created the Public Insurance Commissioner's office.

Now there is a new bo and Governor..Sonny who is a neo-con on social issues and a reckless spender with the taxpayers' limited dollars. The state of Georgia barely has enough for basic education needs, let alone helping with the horrific traffic and sewage needs in Atlanta. But is throwing away our tax-dollars in this manner really going to help? But we all know Sonny don't care bout that!!! :crazy:

If there are religious aid organizations out there, they need young volunteers and wealthy contributors...not more government debt, to reduce their work burden!

It took the state of Georgia centuries to get a barely decent constitution, why would the state now ruin this potential completely by doing unrepairable harm to its Constitution and the state budget.

<http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:F0iFxvg0f48J:www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/results/2003_constitution.pdf+open+primaries,+Georgia+Constitution&hl=en&start=40&ie=UTF-8>