So Donald Trump has finally signed the religious liberty order that he supposedly put the kibbosh on in February. As it turns out, Trump merely postponed the order, waiting for National Day of Prayer to issue the love letter to the religious right.
The new order is not the same as the original one. It doesn’t call for religious-based exemptions from discrimination laws for everything, but only for Obamacare requirements.. What the new order does do is give the green light for churches to engage in politicking without any fear of violating IRS regulations. In short, it’s pretty bad.
Here are five reasons why Trump’s new order is even worse than anyone might have expected.
1. It enshrines religious liberty is a core value of the Administration
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
The order doesn’t specifically allow religious groups to discriminate against gay people. But what it does do is state that “it is the policy of the administration to protect and vigorously promote religious liberty.” Trump hardly cares about policy. But his appointees do. And the order sends a signal to the religious right’s henchmen in the Trump administration to do their best to erode protections. Don’t think they won’t apply themselves to that task gleefully.
2. The religious right can be even more involved in politics
Are you a megachurch pastor who wants your church to campaign for the antigay candidate of your choice? Now you can. Trump has eliminated the tax code restraints that have kept religious institutions from engaging in full-on political activity. If you thought things were bad before, just wait. The religious right doesn’t even have to try to hide its political activity behind advocacy groups any more. Its leaders can engage in electioneering right from the pulpit.
3. Forget about the moderating influences
First Daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner were quick to take credit for quashing the original religious liberty bill. Apparently, it’s back to being complicit. No one bothered to restrain Trump this time around.
4. Mike Pence is in the ascendant
The executive order is just the kind of thing that Mike Pence would have been happy to sign when he was governor of Indiana. Wait, he did! Pence has been staying above all the infighting in the White House, which clearly is paying off in increased influence with the boss.
Related: This homophobic senator is being epically trolled by men wearing tutus
5. The religious right is now Trump’s primary base
First it was Neil Gorsuch (who will likely be the deciding vote in favor of religious liberty when it finally makes its way to the Supreme Court). Now it’s religious liberty and a license to be as political as you want. Trump has managed to irritate virtually every other element of the Republican party, but he has made the religious right very, very happy. He’s catering to their whims in ways that they could only have dreamed about. By empowering them, Trump is increasing their political clout so that, even if he’s a one-term president, they will still be going strong.
Related: Forget Trump’s 100 days. Look at what his henchmen are doing to screw us.
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sylvialucas444
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dwes09
Will Queerty please get this spammer off the boards! Surely you can ban those only here to place ads, if only because of the phishing scams promoted by scum like this!
sylvialucas444
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dwes09
Will Queerty please get this spammer off the boards! Surely you can ban those only here to place ads, if only because of the phishing scams promoted by scum like this!
Heywood Jablowme
@dwes09: What is Melania supposed to do all day? She gets bored.
barkomatic
I’m certainly not happy that churches can now openly endorse candidates during their sermons but I don’t think this is nearly as bad as I feared. Usually, most of the congregants of the big conservative megachurches already have their minds made up politically — and the pastor endorsing a right wing candidate isn’t going matter much.
This may not be end of Trumps appeasement to the right, but I certainly hope it is. We all know Trump isn’t religious at all, and this is a bone he had to throw to them.
dwes09
Trump said early on in his campaign that he would be the best president for the evangelicals/fundamentalists that they had ever seen, and that they would get more of their agenda realized than they thought possible. He was addressing them specifically.
Although these dolts make up only 35% of our population MAX, they march lockstep to the polls and vote as their pastors claim Jesus requires. We (those of us smart enough to see through the manipulation of the regressive politicians and their policies) need to get to the polls in as great a number, or our fates will be dictated by people with a tenuous grip on reality motivated largely by fear and hatred (the religious right and the far right).
Crystix
I am so confused by all the rhetoric these sites are quoting stating Trump has given churches “free reign to endorse political leaders.” It hasn’t. A church still can’t endorse a candidate. From NPR:
“But the White House had previously said Trump would urge the IRS to use “maximum discretion” in enforcing laws regarding religious organizations and offer “regulatory relief” to religious objectors to contraception coverage. Neither of those policy changes was directly brought into effect by the order.”
There is a reason the ALCU has declined to fight this executive order. It is nothing but lip service. This click baiting fear mongering has to stop. I have this feeling all these “news” sites had their story written before the executive order came out, thinking it was going to be this horrible attack on American people. All he did was cozy up to the religious right without any effective action.
Seems Queerty’s “Our only agenda is the gay agenda” is missed on this story and it makes me sad. I thought better of your site.
DCguy
Quick Right wing Troll with your multiple screenames. Come on in and scream about Muslims, or Hillary, or Benghazi, or the latest GOP meme which is Bringing up some anti-lgbt tragedy overseas and then saying that American lgbts shouldn’t say anything because look whats going on over there.
ANYTHING to change the topic.
Oh, and while you’re at it, why don’t you tell us about how pro-lgbt Trump is.
1EqualityUSA
As long as our tax dollars go to these tax-exempt entities, they need to stay clear of politics. It will be a money laundering scheme every election. We need to cut them off entirely, and this wadified move by Trump may make it happen sooner rather than later.
He BGB
Pence just got an huge erection and WITHOUT viagra! Or being with Mama! You know he just kissed the new guy’s ass up to the purple. Thank you Commander and Master!
He BGB
Hardon! If it goes on longer than 4 hours, consult a doctor, Mr. VP. If the executive order said, and it’s okay to give electroshock therapy to gay men on site, I think his head would explode. I think Pence is behind this, not Trump. When Pence runs for president this will come in handy. Pence posters up on the walls of churches
1EqualityUSA
Here’s an article by George Will titled, “Trump has a dangerous disability.”
The first paragraph draws the reader in. Trump is nuts.
“It is urgent for Americans to think and speak clearly about President Trump’s inability to do either. This seems to be not a mere disinclination but a disability. It is not merely the result of intellectual sloth but of an untrained mind bereft of information and married to stratospheric self-confidence.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-has-a-dangerous-disability/2017/05/03/56ca6118-2f6b-11e7-9534-00e4656c22aa_story.html?tid=hybrid_collaborative_2_na&utm_term=.64b1b5f7ca84
“As this column has said before, the problem isn’t that he does not know this or that, or that he does not know that he does not know this or that. Rather, the dangerous thing is that he does not know what it is to know something.”
104 days and 1,356 days more to go.
1EqualityUSA
Here’s George Will speaking about the article above on Lawrence O’Donnell.
http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word
batesmotel
In the end it sounds as if gay marriage is not threatened after all and is still on the books as being legal. That was the big ‘fear based paranoia’ surrounding this ‘scary’ bill right?
1EqualityUSA
Neil Gorsuch.
Xzamilloh
Neil Gorsuch replaces Antonin Scalia, so unless Kennedy does an about face, gay marriage is still not threatened.
DCguy
Wow, this screename lies as much as your other screenames.
So your fake point is that this bill was supposedly broadcast as an attack on marriage? Nice try in trying to deflect from what the bill was ACTUALLY for. Allowing organizations to deny service, or medical, or other activities to lgbts based on bigotry concealed as religious beliefs.
Marriage is about the only thing the bill wouldn’t touch. And it’s funny that that is the ONE thing you tried to claim it was about.
So once again you prove that you and your other screenames aren’t naive conservatives who don’t really know what you’re talking about, no you showed that you are manipulative trolls who know the bigotry of this bill and purposely picked the one issue it didn’t touch to try to lie about it’s impact.
Nice try bigot.
1EqualityUSA
Merrick Garland should have replaced Scalia.
mhoffman953
Not sure how any of this is bad. It helps extend the first amendment regarding religious freedom in America.
It allows religious figures to verbally endorse a candidate. In the past, if a religious figure endorsed someone, they could face a penalty. For instance, if a religious missionary that provides meals for the homeless would say that they support Bernie Sanders and his views, they would face a penalty and no longer be recognized as a religious charitable organization. It not only covers churches but synagogues as well, as it encompasses all religious entities.
We have to honor the rights of ALL Americans and those who practice any religion have a right to publicly endorse any candidate they choose and should be extended a voice to do so.
DCguy
Funny how you left out the part that these organizations are exempt from paying taxes and part of the deal was that they stay out of politics.
Fine, if they want to endorse, they can pay taxes. I’m good with that. A Mormon Bishop endorses, then the entire Mormon church is taxed.
If these endorsements are so important to them, then they won’t mind forking over those taxes right?
mhoffman953
@DCguy Why does the left always think the answer to everything is higher and more taxes? You purposely brought up Mormons as if this only protects Mormons. It protects all religious entities.
One religious group previously punished was Little Sisters of the Poor which provides housing to the poor, people of color, and the elderly. So because they would publicly endorse any political candidate whether its a Democratic Socialist or a Republican, you think they should have to forego income and then not be able to house as many elderly or poor women as they did prior to this?
Why should we issue a tax penalty because a religious charity, synagogue, mosque, or church wants to campaign, fundraise, or endorse a candidate?
Lots of times these religious entities provide food service, housing, or clothing to poor and needy people but you rather they not give that money to the less fortunate and instead fork over that cash to the big government to pay some senator’s salary. Sad.
1EqualityUSA
If the Republican oligarchs stopped making life impossible for the middle class, fewer beds would be needed in the poor house. Dark money will flow through the pews and into the pockets of politicians, just like Christ would have wanted.
mhoffman953
@1EqualityUSA (or DCguy since that’s your alternate screen name) Since when you do you care about the word of Christ? Are you a practicing Catholic?
The EO does more for freedom of speech than for campaign finance, read the actual text of the order before making stuff up
Also, I’m pretty sure, as of late, its the Republicans who are pushing for lower taxes which help the middle class, not Democrats.
Yet your distraction didn’t address anything in my original post
1EqualityUSA
Yes, we see how well George W. Bush did for the middle class. De-regulation harmed everybody. Church and State must remain separate, but you’ve never felt this way, even when you were Alistair.
mhoffman953
@1EqualityUSA When I was who? Also, George Bush is a loser and has not been President in over 8 years, so I’m not sure why the left keeps mentioning him
Also, no one even brought up deregulation. I mentioned tax cuts. You don’t believe the middle class deserves a tax cut? Keynesian economics would disagree with you if you say we should raise taxes at the moment
This isn’t even an argument of the separation of church and state. They still are separate in this EO which you clearly didn’t even read. It states that 501(c)(3) organizations, included those run by religious organizations such as food banks, shelters, synagogues, mosques, churches, and the like may endorse a political candidate or a political bill. Why do you think they shouldn’t have freedom of speech protections? Are you anti-first amendment or only when it benefits things you like?
Do you believe 501(c)(3) organizations should not endorse a candidate or have any political stance? So do you feel that historic black churches should not endorse candidates or speak on civil rights legislation? Should other 501(c)(3)s such as the Human Rights Campaign, not publicly endorse a candidate on their website?
I will await your answers but I’m sure they’ll be riddled with deflections and no real answers of substance…blah blah blah…Bush…some Alistair guy….Russia…MoBro…bigot…xenophobe…grab a fly swatter….blah blah
1EqualityUSA
Cutting taxes during an ongoing war is foolish. My spouse and I will benefit financially, but it doesn’t make it right. I do not believe the motive that the GOP has. I believe it’s slow genocide.
1EqualityUSA
As for churches who are tax exempt, they should not involve themselves in politics.
https://www.au.org/media/press-releases/americans-united-trump-executive-order-harms-religious-freedom-and-undermines
1EqualityUSA
Americans United also expressed concern over Gorsuch’s dissent in a case dealing with contraceptives.
In Little Sisters of the Poor v. Burwell, non-profit organizations challenged a federal policy that allowed them to opt out of providing insurance coverage for birth control in employee health care plans.
Under the Affordable Care Act, employers are expected to make birth control available at no cost because it is an important part of women’s health. Houses of worship and religious groups are exempt from this mandate, but some non-profits demanded an exemption too.
The non-profits were offered an accommodation. All they had to do was state their objection in writing, and the government would arrange for a third party to pay for and provide the coverage instead. Some groups insisted that the mere act of requesting the accommodation violated their religious freedom.
A majority of judges on the 10th Circuit rejected this claim, but Gorsuch sided with the dissenters in arguing that even filling out a form to get the accommodation was a substantial burden on religious freedom.
Americans United said it’s dangerous to allow Gorsuch to bring these extreme views to the high court.
“Our nation needs a Supreme Court justice who respects real religious freedom and appreciates the role church-state separation plays in protecting the rights of all Americans, religious and non-religious,” said Lynn. “Gorsuch is not likely to be that justice. The Senate should reject his nomination.”
Visit http://www.au.org for more information about AU’s opposition to the Gorsuch nomination.
mhoffman953
@1EqualityUSA
You didn’t answer a single question which I asked. Instead you did the very thing I said you would do and went into a tangent about Neil Gorsuch and some special interests group’s opposition to him. I was asking about your opinion related to my questions. If I wanted to know how some special interest group felt, I’d go to there website and not ask you
Regarding taxes, you said we are at war, who are we at war with? Or are you still complaining about something George Bush did? I’m talking right now in 2017, you seem to be stuck in the past
My 5 questions are still there waiting to be answered
1EqualityUSA
Endless shrimp.
1EqualityUSA
I said that even though my spouse and I will benefit from tax cuts, it is wrong. I said that the tax cuts, possible with ACA being undone were slow genocide. I answered your questions. The war is ongoing and if you can’t see this, ask the troops who are being deployed now. I don’t want to read your words again.
1EqualityUSA
And you brought up, “Little Sisters of the Poor v. Burwell” which was also addressed. This is why you are endless shrimp. You need to read. I’m done, MHoff. Insatiable trolls never stop. You must have a high opinion of yourself. Did your parents instill this in you? “You’re so special.” Demanding answers to your questions like you’re Jack Merridew in “Lord of the Flies.” ugh. Ignore, ignore, deprive it of oxygen. Unpleasant one, I’m purging the garage and chasing echoes, so even though you’re going all Patton on me, I have to say, bite it. Tah.
DCguy
MHOFFMAN said –
“@DCguy Why does the left always think the answer to everything is higher and more taxes? You purposely brought up Mormons as if this only protects Mormons. It protects all religious entities.”
——————
See, we can tell when you have a fake agenda when you lie to hide your point.
Are these religious organizations getting the benefit of our infrastructure and my taxes? Yes. Do they pay taxes? No. So this isn’t “The Left” (Nice FOX News boogeyman word) wanting higher taxes. This is “The Right” wanting organizations to get the benefit of all of our taxes and not pay, but be able to funnel money and andorsements into the political arena. Sorry but the agreement was, religions don’t participate in the politicial arena and in return they are not required to pay taxes. The GOP wants to change that, fine, then the organizations want to participate, then they can pay.
As for Mormons, yeah, it applies to all, INCLUDING all of those Muslims you are so terrified of.
mhoffman953
@1EqualityUSA
“I said that even though my spouse and I will benefit from tax cuts, it is wrong”
How are tax cuts for the middle class wrong? I assume you’re in the middle class. Also, if you feel they are “wrong”, nothing is stopping you from paying more in taxes. When you file your taxes and find out how much you owe, if you don’t feel it’s enough and feel it’s “wrong”, what’s stopping you from writing a check to the US Treasury for additional money? There is no law saying you can’t send more money to the US Treasury, which I’m sure you don’t but feel the rest of the middle class should pay more.
“The war is ongoing and if you can’t see this, ask the troops who are being deployed now”
Troops have always been deployed and stationed all around the globe in nearly every major country and will continue to be. That by definition does not mean we’re in perpetual war. The US government has specific definition as to when we’re in wartime and not so that veterans may get wartime benefits.
“I don’t want to read your words again”
Deflection so that you don’t have to address the topic of other 501(c)(3) organizations like the Human Rights Campaign or gay charities
@DCguy You forgot to log back into your 1EqualityUSA alternate account to respond
Chevelter
Thankfully:
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reversed course Thursday, saying it won’t file a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s executive order on religious political exemptions.
“Today’s executive order signing was an elaborate photo-op with no discernible policy outcome,” ACLU director Anthony Romero said in a statement.
“After careful review of the order’s text we have determined that the order does not meaningfully alter the ability of religious institutions or individuals to intervene in the political process. The order portends, but does not yet do harm to the provision of reproductive health services,” Romero added.
Heywood Jablowme
Yes – (& I’m a member of the ACLU) – actually there are a LOT of news stories today about how disappointed religious conservatives are with this executive order. It doesn’t really do much of anything and doesn’t give them what they wanted. It’s all for show. Pence is apparently disappointed as well. So perhaps Jared & Ivanka are still a pro-gay influence after all. I think Queerty is overreacting here.
DCguy
mhoffman said …….
The EO does more for freedom of speech than for campaign finance, read the actual text of the order before making stuff up
Also, I’m pretty sure, as of late, its the Republicans who are pushing for lower taxes which help the middle class, not Democrats.
——————————–
Actually it does nothing for Freedom of speech because ministers are not prevented from making personal declarations. They are not allowed to preach from an organization that is tax exempt for the specific reason that they claim to be non-political. But nice try lying.
And as for the lie of tax cuts, the GOP pushed for ONE tax increase. And THAT was a payroll tax increase, the ONLY tax that ONLY hits the poor and middle class. So they want to give the 1% a massive tax cut and they always want the poor and middle class to pay for it.
But hey, nice try on lying about the parties there.
mhoffman953
@DCguy (or 1EqualityUSA – your other screen name)
“ministers are not prevented from making personal declarations”
That is a misleading statement. For example, if a minister writes an article in a church sponsored newsletter endorsing a candidate, he is in violation of the law and costs his organization tax-exempt status
Regarding taxes, if you look at the overall topic of taxes, look at the tax cuts the Trump administration is advocating for which would lower taxes on all Americans and double the standard deduction amount.
Then look at the taxes advocated for by Democrats, since there are too many to list, let’s just go through the big ones and ones forced onto people because of Obamacare:
Obamacare Individual Mandate Excise Tax, Obamacare Employer Mandate Tax, Obamacare Surtax on Investment Income, Excise Tax on Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans, Hike in Medicare Payroll Tax, Medicine Cabinet Tax, HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike, Flexible Spending Account Cap – aka “Special Needs Kids Tax”, Tax on Medical Device Manufacturers, Obamacare “Haircut” for Medical Itemized Deduction from 7.5% to 10% of AGI, Tax on Indoor Tanning Services, Obamacare elimination of tax deduction for employer-provided retirement Rx drug coverage in coordination with Medicare Part D, Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tax Hike, Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals, Tax on Innovator Drug Companies, Obamacare “Black liquor” tax hike, and Obamacare Tax on Health Insurers
^ That’s just the taxes added from Obamacare which puts more money in the pockets of government and big insurance executives versus keeping more money in the pockets of all Americans
cdndmf
If Churches are so eager to play a role in shaping government, they are clearly ready to start paying taxes.
msfrost
Damn Straight.
msfrost
A federal judge, will block in on Constitutional grounds, as it is a blatant violation of the First Amendment.
DuMaurier
Some good points, but bear in mind even the ACLU said the order is so ineffectual it isn’t worth suing over. I wouldn’t go that far, but it isn’t clear how bad it will be. Point 2 is factually inaccurate; Trump can’t eliminate the IRS prohibition against endorsing candidates; it’s written into law. Perhaps the order will encourage the IRS to be (even more) lax in enforcing the ban, but we’ll see. But I agree this indicates Trump has thrown himself more explicitly into the conservative evangelical camp.
ErikO
There’s lots of fearmongering. We don’t know what will happen.
GayEGO
Trump must be getting some type of monetary enrichment as he really does not care about religious issues, who knows what he is interested in other than making money and winning.
1EqualityUSA
Using mega-churches like ATM machine in 2020?