On page 15A of the South Florida Sun Sentinel Opinion Page, Karen McCarthy Brown wants us to believe this about FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE – “You’d Better Believe This Is a Bad Idea.”  I have agreed with this conclusion at various times and not merely because of the wall between church and state.  Under Mr. Bush, his first steps other than outright declaring war against Iraq, have been to do the bidding of his ultra-Right Religious Fundamentalist patrons. He has unilaterally torn down protections for people set up by previous administrations.

Ms McCarthy Brown points out that Mr. Bush dwells on the recognized big three religions, those with “a Rabbi on the board or a cross or a crescent on the wall.” She asks where there is mention of lesser known faiths or beliefs.

What follows are my ideas on this subject. The only group big enough to step in where the government has opted out is BIG BUSINESS as represented by the stock markets where business makes its transactions for people who have the where-with-all to own and keep parts of businesses in their portfolios.  BIG BUSINESS has the funds almost equal to the money that keeps pouring into the U.S. Treasury.  What we should do is expect and require that the owners and operators of the stock markets to anti-up a tiny percentage of each transaction either buying or selling and give this to an “OFFICE OF DISBURSEMENTS FOR NEED” that is operated as a non-profit organization attached to the Department of Finance or the U.S. Treasury. Let’s call this a national service tax.

The colleges and universities of this country should provide courses for interns who will investigate case-by-case non-tax paying Americans who need shelter, food, medical care, education and job training.  Non-tax paying RICH Americans should be studied to find out how they avoid paying taxes. Moreover, the tax system should be revised to a graduated income tax once again on the old notion that those who have benefited most from our system should pay for that privilege.

A part of the price BIG BUSINESS pays to stay in business is to provide shelter for the homeless. Their business space is empty during each night throughout the year. The homeless will be welcome into the marble halls and lobbies of Banks, Insurance companies and office buildings all over America.  The homeless will be given floor space to sleep on and the right to use the bathroom facilities. Of course, their presence and plight will be immediately recognized and heroic measures taken to improve their lot.

All over the country, businesses will vie for public appreciation of what they do for the unlucky but deserving and needy Americans.

In this way, the religious community will be free to do what it does best – pray.