Governor Matt “baby” Blunt still doesn’t seem to understand the Missouri Constitution. Or, has he ever bothered to read it?

Article I, Section 7

Public aid for religious purposes–preferences and discriminations on religious grounds.

Section 7. That no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion, or in aid of any priest, preacher, minister or teacher thereof, as such; and that no preference shall be given to nor any discrimination made against any church, sect or creed of religion, or any form of religious faith or worship.

And, there’s this:

Article IX, Section 8

Prohibition of public aid for religious purposes and institutions.

Section 8. Neither the general assembly, nor any county, city, town, township, school district or other municipal corporation, shall ever make an appropriation or pay from any public fund whatever, anything in aid of any religious creed, church or sectarian purpose, or to help to support or sustain any private or public school, academy, seminary, college, university, or other institution of learning controlled by any religious creed, church or sectarian denomination whatever; nor shall any grant or donation of personal property or real estate ever be made by the state, or any county, city, town, or other municipal corporation, for any religious creed, church, or sectarian purpose whatever.

With all that, why is he bothering with this?

JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Matt Blunt today unveiled Faith-Based Missouri, his new initiative to increase cooperation between state government and faith and community-based groups in providing services to Missourians in need….

….Blunt announced the first step of Faith-Based Missouri, a five person team he charged with studying how we can improve relations between state government and religious and secular charities.

The team will include three Missourians with life-long ties to faith-based communities and state employees who share the governor’s commitment to building Faith-Based Missouri.  The community team members will travel the state to meet with leaders in Missouri churches and charities to learn:

  1) what we are doing right

  2) what we are doing wrong

  3) what we can do to encourage greater cooperation

Well, according to the Missouri Constitution you can’t give them any funds, can you?

He must be trying to shore up his eroding base.

The press release continues:

….The governor and agency directors will rely on the Faith-Based Missouri team for guidance and suggestions as to how the state can better transform lives and empower Missourians….

How about operating government with a premise other than “suffering is good for everyone but the advantaged?”

The following individuals have been appointed to the “team”:

The governor announced the following Missourians have agreed to serve on the inaugural Faith-Based Missouri team:

Dr. Reynaldo Anderson, of St. Louis, is an assistant professor of education at Harris-Stowe University. Dr. Anderson has published numerous articles regarding the African American experience. His life has been varied with involvement in the United States military, grassroots political activity, church and academic research and study. He is a dedicated member of Saint Peter AME Church in St. Louis.

Rev. Andrew Rollins III, of Kansas City is an ordained Itinerant Elder in the AME Church whose family has a long history of ministry and community service. As a youth he was nurtured on the civil rights movement and at an early age he became concerned about the state, future and destiny of his community.  He believes the mission of the church should be holistic ministering to the spirit, and soul and body.

Sheriff Greg White, of Cole County, is an ordained Baptist minister with a lifetime of experience in serving his fellow Americans. He understands how to bridge religious and cultural divides, and has some innovative ideas on how faith-based organizations can serve Missourians through disaster response coordination.

Ed Martin, of Jefferson City, serves as Gov. Matt Blunt’s Chief of Staff.  Martin was the Father McGivney Fellow for Rights of Conscience with Americans United for Life and is an active member in the Catholic Church. He previously served as director of the Human Rights Office for the Archdiocese of St. Louis and as chairman of the Papal Visit Committee for Social Concerns for Pope John Paul II’s visit to St. Louis.

Angel McCormick Franks, of St. Louis, is the Director of the Office of Supplier and Workforce Diversity and has traveled the state working to promote diversity within the state government and improve the opportunities for women and minorities to access state employment opportunities and state contracts.

Obviously Ed Martin isn’t going to be relying on the Missouri judiciary for help on this particular task.