Editorial: Analyzing Bush's Strategies to Implement FBCI

April 23, 2003

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

On April 23, 2003 The Washington Post printed an editorial by Dana Milbank stating that "after 26 months of tussles over Bush's 'faith-based initiative,' the sponsor of the legislation in the Senate agreed to remove any mention of religion in a bill whose stated purpose was helping religious charities. All that was left was a package of charitable tax incentives -- and even those were barely 15 percent of the amount Bush had proposed. The 'faith-based' legislation -- central to Bush's campaign promise to 'rally the armies of compassion' -- had turned into a retreat... The White House disputes the notion that the faith initiative has foundered. Jim Towey, head of Bush's effort, calls the legislation that passed the Senate -- and [is] awaiting final action in the House -- 'a big step forward' and the latest in 'a procession of victories' for Bush's initiative, despite its scant funding and no mention of religion. He blamed the failure to get the full plan on 'a couple of Democratic senators' and said Bush and his aides never doubted their strategy."