Freedom from religion has a bad day

This morning the Supreme Court issued the opinion in Hein v. Freedom from Religion, commented on previously here and here.

The AP reports:

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that ordinary taxpayers cannot challenge a White House initiative that helps religious charities get a share of federal money.

The 5-4 decision blocks a lawsuit by a group of atheists and agnostics against eight Bush administration officials including the head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

The taxpayers' group, the Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc., objected to government conferences in which administration officials encourage religious charities to apply for federal grants.

Taxpayers in the case "set out a parade of horribles that they claim could occur" unless the court stopped the Bush administration initiative, wrote Justice Samuel Alito. "Of course, none of these things has happened."

The justices' decision revolved around a 1968 Supreme Court ruling that enabled taxpayers to challenge government programs that promote religion.

The Baptist Joint Committee, Americans United, and others had entered the case in support of Freedom from Religion. They lost even though Flast [the 1968 decision] was not overturned. The vote was five to four with Justice Alito writing the decision, joined by Roberts and Kennedy. Justices Thomas and Scalia concurred, but would have gone further and reversed Flast.

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