John Kerry's position on:

Separation of Church & State: Much of the recent debate on the topic focuses on the area of the faith-based initiatives and the government's seemingly growing role in charities.

Faith-based Initiatives: On January 29, 2001 Bush showed his support for faith-based programs by creating the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) and executive department centers for faith-based and community initiatives with five cabinet departments (Justice, Education, Labor, Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development).

Description of candidate's position: Kerry supports a modified version of the OFBCI which is called the Charity Aid, Recovery, and Empowerment Act (CARE). Kerry voted for this act, which was passed through the senate (95-5) in April of 2003. This act would seek to amend the Internal Revenue Code to offer tax incentives to encourage charitable giving and provide financial support for nongovernmental community-based organizations. This would enable tax payers to donate to charities of their choice and receive tax breaks for donating. Source

Quotation from the candidate:"I began life baptized and confirmed as Catholic. I served as an alter boy. There was a period in my life when I thought I might even be priest--as a young person. And then I went to Vietnam. And in Vietnam I think most time I wore a rosary around my neck when we went into battle. So I believe. I still believe. And I have great personal faith and I think the more you learn about the universe; the more you learn about the unanswered questions the harder it is for many people not to in my judgment. But many people chose not to and I understand that and I respect that. That's what I want to get to. We are a country founded on the notion of diversity and our freedom of choice and freedom of religion." - John Kerry [Town Hall Meeting, 12/14/03]

Kerry has often said that he is, "John Kerry, Catholic and John Kerry, U.S. Senator."

Assessment of the Proposal:

Positive: The CARE Act seems to provide people the opportunity to donate to the charity of their own choice and by providing tax incentives for those which choose to donate. It was also widely supported by both parties in the senate, which indicates that it was largely accepted. Source

Negative: Others argue that this is not the right approach because the CARE Act struck language from the bill that would have allowed faith-based groups to maintain their religious character while receiving federal funds for their social service. Mark Souder, an experienced Republican member of the House of Representatives from Indiana states ,"To ask me to check my Christian beliefs at the public door is to ask me to expel the Holy Spirit from my life when I serve as a congressman, and that I will not do. Either I am a Christian or I am not. Either I reflect His glory or I do not." He also argues that "most political issues are moral issues." Source

Comparison: Bush's record and usage of an executive order to create the new White House office of OFBCI shows that he supports and most likely continue to support the cause of faith-based initiatives. Bush seems to see that the government needs to step in and decide where and how much money is going to charities. Kerry on the other hand did not support OFBCI, because he feels that more freedom should be left to the charities themselves and this is why he would support efforts such as the CARE Act that offers incentives but doesn't actually directing where the money would go.

Link to Bush's Issue Brief.