by Kathy Henry

Created on: March 16, 2007   Last Updated: April 25, 2007

On the home front, the presidency of George W. Bush has caused numerous social and economic problems. While the controversies over abortion and same-sex marriages aren't fresh, Bush uses "faith-based initiative" to justify his presidential actions. Although the Constitution makes clear the right of the people to choose and practice their own religion without government interference, the Bush administration made clear their support of the Christian religion above other religions by disbursing over $1.1 billion to Christian groups for community service purposes. However, no regulations were set on how the groups could spend the money. Furthermore, no Jewish or Muslim groups received funds (Kitty 615).

When controversy arose over same-sex marriages, Bush, once again, used his faith in an attempt to amend to constitution. He supported the Defense of Marriage

Act, which would prevent federal recognition of same-sex marriage and allow states to

ignore same-sex licenses from outside their borders. President Bush said that "the union of a man and woman...is encouraged by every religious faith." Bush's comments on gay marriage were condemned by the Democratic Party as a way to write discrimination into the Constitution.

Bush also used his personal beliefs in an attempt to make abortion illegal. This is also in conflict of separation of church and state. Bush, being extremely pro-life, made third-trimester and partial-birth abortions illegal in November 2003. He also decided to block U.S. funds to international family planning groups that offer abortion and abortion counseling. The administration has also denied $34 million annually for the U.N. Population Fund. The fund provides birth control, maternal and child health care, and HIV/AIDS prevention services for women in some of the world's most impoverished regions. It did not provide money for abortion. It is estimated that this funding could have prevented 2 million unwanted pregnancies, 800,000 induced abortions and 4,700 maternal deaths, as well as 77,000 infant and child deaths each year.

On an even more important issue, education, Bush has failed to make progress. After his election he signed the No Child Left Behind Act on January 8th of 2002 and since then, then bill has been horribly underfunded. The Congressional Republicans at that time refused to fund No Child Left Behind at the levels they originally agreed to, preventing teachers and schools from realizing the goals established in this law. To date, nearly

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