Sizing up Trump's EO on religious freedom

[HAPPY2BME]

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order today he says will protect the religious freedoms of all Americans. Some on the religious right, however, say the order doesn't go far enough to address the concerns of Christian business owners who have been blocked by courts from running their businesses according to their biblical convictions.

Prior to signing the order he greeted religious leaders from a variety of faiths, including Christianity and Judaism. He also announced his first foreign trip will include stops in Israel, Rome, and Saudi Arabia.

Michael Farris, Alliance Defending Freedom: "President Trump’s executive order provides hope ... that he will move fully toward fulfilling his promise to protect religious freedom for countless Americans. Regrettably, this executive order leaves that promise as yet unfulfilled .... Though we appreciate the spirit of today’s gesture, vague instructions to federal agencies simply leaves them wiggle room to ignore that gesture, regardless of the spirit in which it was intended."


https://www.onenewsnow.com/politics-govt/2017/05/04/sizing-up-trumps-eo-on-religious-freedom

[HAPPY2BME]

One thing that it does is relieve groups like Little Sisters of the Poor from being punished.

    WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order targeting a rarely enforced IRS rule that says religious organizations and other non-profits that endorse political candidates risk losing their tax-exempt status.

    The order also promises “regulatory relief” for groups with religious objections to the preventive services requirement in the Affordable Care Act. Those requirements include covering birth control and the move could apply to religious groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor, which have moral objections to paying for contraception.

    Trump will sign the order as he marks the National Day of Prayer at the White House Thursday. He planned to meet Roman Catholic leaders in the Oval Office before signing the order.

    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/05/04/trump-targeting-irs-rule-on-churches.html

[SVPete]

Michael Farris founded and for many years lead Home School Legal Defense Association. He has considerable experience with wiggly-weasely educrats, government social workers, and adminicrats.

Unlike Obama, Trump is not trying to legislate by Executive Order. So that does limit what he will do with an EO. OTOH, if his peeps follow up to make sure the guidelines he laid down are followed, those guidelines can be effective.

[HAPPY2BME]

President Trump Signs the Executive Order on Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n3L75jpUlg[/youtube]

[HAPPY2BME]

Friday, May 5, 2017 | Charlie Butts, Jody Brown

LEGAL-COURTS So ... the religious liberty EO was purposely 'vague'?

In the wake of a presidential executive order restoring religious freedom, a constitutional attorney is making the case that the states, Congress, and federal agencies are keys to carrying it out.

The executive order – signed by President Donald Trump on Thursday – directs the federal government to undo the damage to religious freedom done during eight years under the Obama administration. Section 1 of the order states:

"Federal law protects the freedom of Americans and their organizations to exercise religion and participate fully in civic life without undue interference by the Federal Government.  The executive branch will honor and enforce those protections."

Many have criticized the order as vague as to what the federal government actually will do. But Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel says to restore religious freedom, a lot of the work needs to be done by the states.

Subsequent sections of the executive order (Sections 3 and 4) address the damage done by ObamaCare to religious freedom, calling out actions needed by the secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, as well as the attorney general, who heads up the Department of Justice.

Along those lines, columnist Todd Starnes points out: "... President Trump has directed the Department of Justice to come up with guidelines that will protect people of faith and 'ensure these religious protections are afforded to all Americans.' That means Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be writing guidelines for every federal agency to ensure that our rights are protected."

https://www.onenewsnow.com/legal-courts/2017/05/05/so-the-religious-liberty-eo-was-purposely-vague