Posted on 02/21/2017 9:56:07 AM PST by V K Lee
According to a left-wing website, The Nation, the president is circulating a draft of an executive order on religious liberty that will bring civil rights protections for Christians into the 21st century. Its stated purpose is "to guide the executive branch in formulating and implementing policies with implications for the religious freedom of persons and organizations in America."
Christian organizations include even "closely held for-profit corporations, operated for a religious purpose, even if its purpose is not exclusively religious."
It is a perfectly appropriate executive order because it is a directive from the head of the executive branch, the president, to everybody who works for him and under him. Here, President Trump says, is how the executive branch is going to do business under my leadership. He's not presuming to tell Congress or the Supreme Court or the states how to do their jobs. He is saying only that this is how we are going to get the job done in this separate but equal branch of government.
The order states clearly and unambiguously that "The United States Constitution enshrines and protects the fundamental natural right to religious liberty."
It adds the following as a clear statement of Trump administration policy (emphasis mine throughout):
"This Constitutional protection ensures that Americans and their religious organizations will not be coerced by the Federal Government into participating in activities that violate their consciences, and will remain free to express their viewpoints without suffering adverse treatment from the Federal Government. It shall be the policy of this Administration to protect religious freedom."
(Excerpt) Read more at onenewsnow.com ...
No it will not. It will prevent the DoJ from assisting plaintiffs in such cases, but the EO has no standing to determine judicial proceedings, nor should it. And it has no power to compel state and local jurisdictions to follow its lead. That can only be done by Law and only if the Law passes the test of following the Constitution.
Only an hour these days for fasting.:)
Consider the significant role that a desire to freely pursue differing, but specifically particular, religious beliefs in communities built from the ground up to such particular purposes, played in the original settlement of what became the United States of America, under our Constitution. It is clear that Trump's understanding of the importance or religious liberty to Americans, is the correct one.
This allows the pulpit to speak directly about politicians who defy Judeo-Christian ethics without reprisal.
This is long over due. Amazing that no other president even Reagan proposed to do this.
???? Did the Johnson amendment skew this? Is was supposedly about some local issue, then it got associated with politicians threatening to remove tax exempt status for churches expressing a political view.
Had laws like this been in existence during the founding of country, you’d hear nothing about slavery.
About damned time. All the “progressive” BS from nobamaville has been tossed in the trash. Finally.
Photographers, florists, bakers and others are celebrating, I’m sure.
None of the other religions have any problem with co existing except isSlime! Should the religious liberties of mankind live in fear of extinction from just one? Or should the one that's causing global chaos be eliminated from protections?
I voted for Cruz in the primary. Didn’t switch to Trump until Trump had won the nomination.
But I’m REALLY liking Trump as President!
communion served like chip and dip..
LOL...funny image!
Too too sad...
I think some things have changed too much to be salvaged.
Same Here, until DJT threw his hat into the ring and began campaigning. Could Cruz have gotten us any further down the road? Could Cruz have even won?
Exactly! Don’t reduce truths to legalisms. Freedom of religion is a human right. All the govt should do is keep out of it, allow the FREE exercise thereof.
xkaydet65 provided an excellent answer at post 21, highlighting the article's clearly stated claim that Trump's proposed Executive Order applies specifically and only to the federal executive branch.
But there is the implied potential not only for individual states to use this as a model for their executive branches but also for the US Congress to act. Indeed, a Constitutional Amendment augmenting the First Amendment would then be in-play.
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