Week 8 Continued

My research paper is going well.  I believe that I have set myself up with a topic that I am very passionate about, and I have also done a lot of research so that I can make strong arguments.

My outline is extensive and should make the paper-writing process much simpler.  In doing some last minute extra research before the outline was due last Tuesday, I found some very helpful sources.  One such source was from the Christian Science Monitor, and it made the argument that even some evangelists, who share Bush's religious views, have problems with his infusion of religion into politics, especially in foreign policy.  Iraq and Israel were two countries where even evangelists felt that Bush was making poor, rash decisions due to his religious perspective and the mentality it gives him.  

One claim that I am making is that Bush has given too much federal money to religious groups during his presidency.  An article from the New York Times provided a statistic that displays how much Bush has given, and will greatly help my argument.  Between 2003 and 2005, due to a new federal department created by Bush Administration, the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, the number of federal grants given to religious groups increased by 38 percent.  I plan to argue that this government action is unfair, because it favors religious groups over secular ones.  This is just one example of how bush has violated the First Amendment.