Rep. James Clyburn, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, is
touting a letter to the editor in the Washington
Post today, "How Faith Works for Democrats." The headline
belies Clyburn's meaning: Democrats don't work for faith but
vice-versa. Here it is:
...Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) created the
Democratic Faith Working Group more than a year and a half ago to
remind the wider faith community of the public and personal faith
narratives of Democrats.
Ms. Pelosi asked me to chair this initiative because, as she
explained to me, she had noticed in my actions and expressions a
deep commitment to faith-based issues. Ending poverty, increasing
the minimum wage, protecting the innocence of children, improving
education, preserving God's creation by protecting the environment,
and fighting for social and economic justice are all faith-based
causes. The values expressed are solidly rooted in the faith of the
American people and in the policies of Democrats.
Those values form my spiritual foundation as well. As the eldest
son of a fundamentalist minister, I went off to college fully
expecting to follow in my father's footsteps. During my junior
year, however, I had a change of heart, and when I informed my
father of my decision, he replied, "Well, son, I imagine the world
would rather see a sermon than hear one." That admonition became a
guiding principle for my life as a public servant and aptly
describes the attitudes of many of my Democratic colleagues.
We stand together for opening wide the doors of government, as
we do with our church doors on Sunday mornings, to all people who
yearn to participate, have a voice and make a difference.
Democrats who studiously adhere to Thomas Jefferson's doctrine
of the separation of church and state are also rooted in Matthew's
directive to provide for the least among us and are guided by
James's admonition that "faith without works is dead."
We believe that the federal budget is a moral document in which
our values are demonstrated through our spending priorities.
Any budget that favors the wealthy over working Americans, cuts
aid to schoolchildren, slashes health care for veterans, underfunds
first responders and reduces opportunities for those who are the
least in our society is a budget that fails to keep faith with
America's values.
This is what the Democratic Faith Working Group is all
about.
First, it is worth nothing that this group has existed
only since the Democrats lost the values vote in the 2004 election.
Give them credit for recognizing the problem, albeit belatedly.
Second, this platform is indistinguishable from
old-line liberalism. Democrats seem to think they can talk about
God, say faith matches liberalism, and call it a day. They even
present a Congressman who once considered the ministry, who says,
"Hey! We go to church too!"
Americans of faith will recognize these attempts as
the window dressing they are. Especially revealing is Clyburn's
citation of the "Matthew's directive to provide for the least among
us." Perhaps Clyburn is thinking of the Gospel of Matthew, in which
Christ may have provided that directive. (Or maybe Clyburn thinks
Matthew made up the Gospel?)
But more important is the Democrats' application of
providing for the least among us. It also means safeguarding and
loving the least among us, from the womb to natural death. For a
man with a 100 percent rating from NARAL who has twice voted
against partial birth abortion bans to preach about the "least
among us" insults the public's intelligence.
This isn't faith motivating politics. It is faith
"working for" politics -- the same old package repackaged and
rebranded.
topics:
Education, Health Care, Nancy Pelosi, Federal Budget, Abortion, Environment
