Presidential hopeful Barack Obama says he plans to carry on the spirit, if not the details, of President Bush's faith-based initiative. Now, he may truly believe in the transformative power of these "charitable choice" initiatives - or he shrewdly may be trying to convert evangelical voters to the Democratic Party. Or both. Regardless, he should recognize that religious congregations have proved to be no substitute for trained professionals working on our most pressing social problems.
During his administration, Mr. Bush welcomed religious organizations into the government contracting fold. According to the White House, religious organizations now receive about 11 percent of all federal social services funding, which amounts to over $2 billion a year.
Mr. Bush sought to remedy an "unlevel playing field" that allegedly excluded religious organizations from government contracting. Yet for decades before charitable choice, religious affiliates such as Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services received millions of dollars in federal financial support to fund secular programs motivated by a spiritual calling.
Mr. Bush and this year's leading presidential candidates fail to recognize the distinct benefits when religious organizations create secular, tax-exempt affiliates as a condition of government contracting. For starters, the recipients of social services face less risk of religious coercion when they receive services in a secular atmosphere. Further, government does not have to monitor secular affiliates for constitutional compliance, and thus avoids entangling itself in church affairs.
In addition, these secular affiliates are generally barred from discrimination in hiring on the basis of religion. By contrast, co-religionist discrimination is currently permitted under charitable choice - and is the reason that Mr. Bush could not persuade Congress to enact his initiative into law. Senator Obama has wisely announced that he would forbid hiring discrimination for any grantees that receive federal funds. After all, applying for federal grants is a choice.
Mr. Obama is also correct that government has overlooked the social capital available via smaller congregations. Likely as a result of his work as a community organizer, he recognizes that in economically depressed areas, churches, synagogues and mosques play a stabilizing role and have the moral authority within their communities.
