The Impossible Politics of Church-State Partnerships

Most Americans believe faith-based organizations should be eligible for government funds. But strong public support doesn’t mean passing related laws is a walk in the park. In recent decades, policymakers have repeatedly struggled to work out the fine print on church-state partnerships. Democrats and Republicans generally agree that at least some religious homeless shelters, day care centers or other organizations can receive public money, but they rarely see eye-to-eye on what strings should be attached.