fuckity fuck fuck fuck

[acroyear]

Americans United: Americans United Blasts House For Passage Of Fee-Stripping Bill:

AU's Lynn Says Measure Is 'A Repugnant Affront To The Civil Rights of All Americans'

The U.S. House of Representatives in full political mode approved a seriously flawed bill aimed at stopping citizens from challenging in court government-sponsored religious activities, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

In a largely partisan vote, the House today passed the so-called “Public Expression of Religion Act,” which would make it much more difficult for those seeking to uphold the First Amendment principle of church-state separation. The bill, H.R. 2679, would deny legal fees and out-of-pocket expenses to plaintiffs who win lawsuits under the Fist Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which bans the government from promoting religion. It passed by a vote of 244-173.

Once again, "Christians" make me seriously regret my faith and my hope.

Comments

[jocelyncs.livejournal.com]

And now we find out whether the Supreme Court really is in Dubya's back pocket as he and his nominee supporters seem to hope.

If the Court is applying the LAW, things like access to courts and separation of powers, to say nothing of the Establishment Clause, this law will not last long.

If the administration has indeed taken over the judicial branch this law will pass--and so will America as a free nation.

[acroyear70.livejournal.com]

it's gotta get past the Senate first, and conventional wisdom among pundits (even moderate ones) is that it's not likely to pass. the house may have to give in to the religious nutballs to get re-elected, but the senate right now doesn't (with a few exceptions like Allen here in VA, or Santorum in OH).

right now, the analysts are saying it won't even come up for a vote - the Senate will be too busy dealing with last-second appropriations bills to hack something like this.

of course, if for some sick reason it does pass, we certainly know that his royale schmuckface will sign it in a second, and then we'll see what happens.

of course, it makes challenging it difficult. one can't challenge it until its been applied, and one can't have it applied if one can't afford the initial establishment-clause lawsuit that one suddenly has to pay full price for.

and given that Dover cost more than 2.5 million (of which the plaintiffs legal team is only getting 1 mil back), that's not entirely likely.