Stealth Changes In Church-State Fight

u

Washington, D.C.
nder cover of a foreign war,
the Bush administration
has quietly escalated the
battle for its faith-based
agenda at home.
Even more ominously for Jewish
guardians of church-state separation,
the White House has altered the bat-
tlefield — outflanking a balky
Congress and opening up multiple
fronts that could overwhelm opposing
forces.
For liberal Jewish activists, the shift
threatens to neutralize their strongest
political asset: Congress.
Even during periods of Republican
control, the big Democratic minority
has been able to erect enough road-
blocks to prevent a church-state rout.
But Orthodox groups say the flank-
ing maneuver could result in a more
level playing field that will allow reli-
gious groups, including Jewish groups,
to compete for funds.
The strategy is "a way to circumvent
the legislative process, and to be able
to put into effect the president's plan,

James D. Besser is a Washington

correspondent. His e-mail address is

jbesser@attnet

which has become the domestic
bedrock of his administration," said
Abba Cohen, Washington director for
Agudath Israel of America, which sup-
ports expanded government funding
for religious groups.
The reasons for the change aren't
hard to fathom. Despite the return to
full GOP control, a host of faith-based
bills have languished in Congress.
Last week, the Senate passed the

The administration
is moving forward to
implement elements
of its faith-based
agenda without
legislation.

Charity Aid, Recovery and
Empowerment Act of 2003 (CARE),
once the gleaming centerpiece of the
Bush administration's faith-based agenda.
But the bill that cleared the Senate
was only a ghost of the original. Last

In recent weeks the Anti-
year, facing stiff Democratic
Defamation League has filed
opposition, GOP leaders
critical comments on at least
stripped out the "charitable
five new programs initiated by
choice" provisions, which
federal departments that open
would have relaxed rules for -
the door to government aid to
government grants to religious
religious groups.
groups; last month, they
A particularly dramatic
yanked almost all the remain-
example: proposed
ing controversial provisions,
JAMES D.
Department of Housing and
including ones allowing dis-
BESSER
Urban Development rules
crimination in hiring by
Special
grantees.
Commentary that could lead to the use of
taxpayer dollars for building
Now, the Senate version of
church and synagogue buildings. The
CARE is just a tax bill that offers
HUD rules also would create a new
some new incentives to charitable giv-
type of social service voucher, without
ing. Orthodox groups had hoped for
restrictions against proselytization.
more; liberals were pleased.
That pattern is being repeated
On the school voucher front, only
throughout the executive branch,
one bill is in the hopper — a demon-
where officials are writing new rules
stration project for the District of
striking down barriers to funding for
Columbia. There are the usual assort-
programs run by-religious charities •
ment of school prayer resolutions and
and eliminating restrictions on how
amendments, but none is likely to see
that money can be used.
the light of day.
The administration is also quietly
But the lack of action on the legisla-
changing the rules on religion in pub-
tive front belies a dramatic shift in
lic schools.
administration strategy. With little
At. the Department of Education,
fanfare, the administration is moving
guidelines for schools on navigating
forward in a number of departments
the church-state line developed by the
to implement charitable choice and
Clinton administration have been
other elements of its faith-based agen-
da without legislation.
BESSER oh page 34

Walking The Walk No More

Jerusalem
is a whole new ball game.
Now — after the total disin-
tegration of tyrannical Iraq, the
Middle East has no alternative
but to face new realities. Opportunities
for the entire region are just waiting to
emerge. The hard part is realizing their
import and grabbing hold.
I'm not talking about "the Domino
Effect," which the Bush administration
has been touting for the last year where
they suggest that after Iraq falls, the rest
of the despotic-ruled region will fall.
I'm talking about the fear and trepi-
dation that U.S. power now engenders.
It has been years since any Arab state
in the Middle East took the United
States seriously. The United States
would flaunt its power, throw its weight
around and make grandiose statements,
but it was regularly ignored.
Most Arab leaders thought the

I

Micah D. Halpern, a US. emigre, is

the founding director of the Jerusalem
Center for European Study and Israeli
columnist for America Online. His e-
mail address is Co mmMicah@aol. corn

United States really wasn't interested
in them or in what happened in the
region. They thought American diplo-
macy was empty bellowing. They
thought that the United Sates had
only one overriding interest for their
region — protecting Israel's interests.
True, the United States would pro-
vide monetary incentives, but when
and if things did not go well — then
so be it. There was no price to pay
because, until now, the United States
really did not get hands-on involved.
The Arab street was under an illu-
sion. They thought that they could
combat and destroy the United States
and Israel. They actually believed that
the Arab states had the weapons, the
training and the power to defeat an
invading army from the United States.
And not just because Allah was with
them.
Across the Arab world, the United
States' defeat of Iraq was devastating. It
was demoralizing. It burst the bubble they
had been living under for generations.
Palestinians have been hit hard.
Palestinians never assumed that they
themselves were strong enough to

other Arabs, Saddam was
crush the enemy, Israel, and
going to be the one to teach
her protector, the United
Bush a lesson. Bush, they were
States. They relied on the
convinced, was to learn the
strength of their brothers and
lesson of humility at the
neighbors. The defeat of
hands of an Arab who knew
Saddam's Iraq crushed their
how to teach humility.
dreams and destroyed their
At the start of the war, in
hopes.
the center of Gaza City,
No other Arab ruler was as
MICA H D.
Palestinians began a vigil in
supportive of the Palestinian
HAL PERN
solidarity with the Iraqis as
struggle as was Saddam
Spe cial
Hussein. Almost everyone on
Comm entary they fought the Americans.
That vigil lasted until the 21st
the Palestinian street harbored
day of thq war. Only then was
the hope that the great mili-
it dismantled and most of the posters
tary of Saddam — the weapons and
put up in support of Saddam Hussein
the training of the former Soviet
Union — would repulse and crush the taken down.
The mood was grim on the streets of
arrogant Western Crusaders.
Gaza. The people were despondent.
On the streets of Gaza there was no
They had many unanswered questions:
better defender of the Palestinian cause
• If Saddam is gone and he cannot
than Saddam. It was he who paid the
defend us — who can?
families of suicide bombers. He walked
• Iraq's leader now looks like a cow-
the walk and talked the talk unlike any
ard in hiding. Where is Saddam the
of the other heads of Arab States.
great warrior?
Saddam would blatantly flaunt his
• In Jenin, with only small weapons,
disgust for America and their interven-
Palestinians held out longer against the
tionism. His hatred of Israel was pal-
pable.
For the Palestinians as for many
HALPERN on page 34

4/18
2003

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