James Dobson seeks church-based political machine.Religious Right leader James Dobson James Clayton "Jim" Dobson, Ph.D. (born April 21, 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is the chairman of the board of Focus on the Family, a nonprofit organization he founded in 1977. is planning a drive to build a church-based political machine to intervene in the November elections. In an Aug. 11 e-mail alert to supporters, Dobson's Focus on the Family (FOF FOF Fund of Funds (umbrella fund) FOF Focus on the Family (religious organization) FOF Frets On Fire (game) FOF Feast of Fools FOF Front Office Football ) sought volunteers to work with eight of its state affiliates to mobilize evangelical Christian voters. States targeted include Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Minnesota, Montana and Tennessee. The Dobson dob·son n. See hellgrammite. [Probably from the name Dobson.] Noun 1. dobson - large brown aquatic larva of the dobsonfly; used as fishing bait hellgrammiate campaign has all the trappings of a traditional political machine. FOF's state affiliates plan to name coordinators for each county who will supervise church coordinators in each evangelical congregation. The church coordinators will prod pastors to speak about political issues, conduct voter-registration drives and disseminate dis·sem·i·nate v. dis·sem·i·nat·ed, dis·sem·i·nat·ing, dis·sem·i·nates v.tr. 1. To scatter widely, as in sowing seed. 2. "voter guides and get-out-the-vote efforts." The Rev. Barry W. Lynn Reverend Barry W. Lynn (born 1948 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) has been the Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State since 1992.[1] , Americans United executive director, says houses of worship should reject Dobson's scheme. "This is a blatant effort by Dobson to build a partisan political machine based in churches," said Lynn. "He has made it abundantly clear that electing Republicans is an integral part of his agenda, and he doesn't mind risking the tax exemption tax exemption, immunity from the requirement of paying taxes. Federal, state, and usually local law provide exemption from taxation for a wide variety of organizations, usually not-for-profit, such as churches, colleges, universities, health care providers, various of churches in the process. Dobson wants to be a major political boss, and this is his way to get there. "The Internal Revenue Service has promised swift and sure enforcement of federal tax law this year," Lynn continued, "and pastors should be aware of the danger to their churches' tax exemption." |
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