ACLU of Louisiana has filed suit to stop the disbursement of $120,000 to two churches. Apparently the earmarks were included in the state budget with no explanation of what the money is to be used for or why it was going to the churches. Interestingly, until this year's budget, pork like this was never itemized in the state budget so Louisiana citizens never had any idea exactly which legislators were paying off which constituents with these earmarks.
ACLU tried to obtain the legally required documentation of the purpose of the earmark from the bill's sponsor Rep Ernest Baylor but never received a response. Here is a copy of the complaint.

I don't know which surprises me more. That a state legislator would try to hand wads of taxpayer cash to a church or that stuff like this probably went on for years before the recent reform that has forced this information into the open. I'd always heard Louisiana politics is particualrly corrupt. With a system like this it really couldn't be anything else.

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The most important political office is that of private citizen.
Louis D. Brandeis - First Jewish Supreme Court Justice

As bad as ACLU is - it would appear on the surface that they are absolutely correct...in fact...this is about as unconstitutional as you can get and goes against the very fabric of our country.
(Hearing only one side of the story that is)

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The most serious threat to the United States is not someone hiding in a cave in Afghanistan or Pakistan, but our own fiscal irresponsibility 2008 - David Walker, Controller General of the United States

I agree, it definitely seems to be unconstitutional. That is not to say that any government money ear marked for a specific church is unconstitutional, it depends on why the church is getting the money. If the purpose of the grant is not stated, I would assume it is unconstitutional.

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President Josiah Bartlet: Sweden has a 100% literacy rate. 100%! How do they do that?
Leo McGarry: Maybe they don't and they can't add.

It seems some of us just can't grasp the concept of "separation of church and state."

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From what I've read, there is no understanding as to what the funds are to be used for.
Therefore, I'd have to agree that the (Shiver...I can't believe I'm saying this ) that the ACLU is right.

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Anyone who thinks freedom comes cheap, please put the blindfold on and stand against the wall.

Many times I believe Americans will have to take back the country and start a new government.

ACLU is right again.
Card carrying liberal here.

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I love what the ACLU should be; just not what it's become.

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IMO there is nothing at all "liberal" about ACLU. Just this year - again in Louisiana, ACLU represented a right wing christian who was arrested for protesting Wal-Mart's (in the protester's opinion) support for "Gay Lifestyles And Marriage". The court's decision forced the town in question to change its law against public protests.

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The most important political office is that of private citizen.
Louis D. Brandeis - First Jewish Supreme Court Justice

The ACLU is the epitome of Liberalism... just not necessarily progressiveness.

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"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Matthew 5:9

That sounds liberal to me.

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"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

President George W. Bush, 8-5-2004

Carolina Politics Online

THIS IS REAL HOPE AND CHANGE!

Did you read the post? What is "liberal" about protecting the rights of an anti-gay right-wing christian protester?

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The most important political office is that of private citizen.
Louis D. Brandeis - First Jewish Supreme Court Justice

Liberalism is all about protecting rights...

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"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Matthew 5:9

agree 100% it can be the greatest cause in the world regardless .. church and state cant mix.
Wish we knew the details of what they hide.

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Hardcore Conservative !

I said Conservative not necessarly Republican or Democrat. Liberals are in both of those parties.

What he said.

I think if most people look at everything the ACLU does rather than the controversial things that get all of the attention they would be shocked as to how many cases they take that are actually pretty popular in their stances. We just do not hear about them because they do not fetch the ratings and attract the anger.

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"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"