"Justice Takes a Back Seat"

First off, let me be clear, if anyone feels the need to enter national politics, I say "go for it." Run for any federal office that can use your skills. And, if you are a devout Christian, that is okay by me. Give it your best shot. You may accomplish what no one has ever been able to do before.




But, let me also be clear. There is mounting evidence cited by people who seem to have a handle on the nature of politics and the way government functions that the best efforts of those who seek to bring about meaningful change are largely futile.




I refer first to a column by a columnist for Newsweek magazine, Lisa Miller. Writing in the May 10 issue she applauds the Catholic Bishops for their stand on immigration reform. They have found allies in Senators Schumer and Stupak who share their concerns for the "tired and poor." The bishops have looked diligently for others who might also take up the cause. Some say they might be willing to vote for reform "if it had a chance," but "they won't stake their political careers on it..." Miller concludes her column with this telling conclusion, "More evidence, if any were needed, that in an election year, justice takes a back seat to politics."




I would add, and what year is it in the life of a politician when reelection doesn't have a significant effect in the way one votes? Politics always seems to be in the driver's seat.




Even more devastating in its criticism of government at work is the book, Tempting Faith, an inside story of political seduction, by David Kuo. Mr. Kuo, according to the jacket blurb, "came to Washington wanting us use his Chritian faith to end abortion, strengthen marriage, and help the poor."



President George W. Bush had created the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and in major speechs had promised funding and follow-through for this effort. There was honest acknowledgement of the superior effectiveness of these kinds of efforts over government run programs.




Kuo and others who joined in these concerns took the President at his word with the conviction that "he was one of them," an earnest Christian who could be trusted. Kuo, along with assistants, worked diligently in gathering grass roots support to assure that the White House and Congress would take their promises seriously and put proposals into action.




But as the process unfolded it gradually became tragically clear to Kuo that instead of "following the teachings of Jesus to serve the needy [he] found himself helping to manipulate relgious faith for political gain." The legislative process was used as a football, not to pass laws but to deepen purely symbolic fault lines. Grants were incestuously recycled to political cronies." In spite of lofty promises there was simply no attept to fund valuable programs. Even more galling key aides and Republican operative spoke of those working in the OFBCI with contempt and treated them as "useful idiots."




A clear example of religion being used for political gain cited by Kuo is the Nation Day of prayer. It's only purpose as described by Kuo is to placate Christian leadership. He says organizers such as Shirley Dobson go on radio and describe their encounter with the president and their time in the White House. "The event, however, held absolutely no significance." Congressman Tony Hall , one of the people who helped pass the bill creating the breakfast in the 1980's stopped going to the breakfasts, seeing them as worthless. One staffer called the breakfast a "Jacob and Esau thing," a reference to Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of cereal.




On his final day, Kuo delivered his resignation letter to Andy Card then summarized his experience this way. "The president had made great promses but they hadn't been delivered on. Worse than that, the White House hadn't tried. Worse than that, we had used people of faith fo further our political agenda and hadn't given them anything in return. And finally...your staff frequently refers to the faith-based initiative as the 'f*#$ing faith-based initiative.' "




The faith-based initiative may have be ill conceived or had real legal problems but it seems to me that the experience of Mr. Kuo strongly suggests that any effort that in any way even appears to compete with the prevailing priorities ofthe people in power will be given short shrift leaving the reformers with nothing but the memory of wasted time. Ultimately, where will the people in need be better served? Kuo concludes that Christians should "start with the things God has commanded us to do--pray, learn, listen him, and serve a hurting world."