The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party

Hurricane Katrina is giving dominionists an excuse to cut all those federal programs they've been wanting to cut all along.

Last week, congressional Republicans proposed to cut nearly a trillion dollars from vital national services, like health care for the poor and elderly, student loans, Amtrak, and eliminating the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (again!). Compare their cuts to recommendations in the Texas Republican Party Platform, p. 19:

We support the abolition of ... the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms, the position of Surgeon General, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Departments of Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Education, Commerce and Labor. We also call for the de-funding or abolition of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Public Broadcasting System.

Katrina is also enabling dominionists to push a program they have wanted all along: school vouchers.

Last Friday, President Bush released his plan for helping students and schools recover from the Hurricane Katrina tragedy.  While there are good components, what stands out is the administration’s attempt to use the devastation wrought by Katrina as political cover for pushing school vouchers on the nation. more