As a nation, we do not expect the government to do everything for us. We work for the nonprofits and we give them our money. The organizations got little help from the government. The president is right. It's time to drop the charade and recognize that partnerships between these organizations and the government can work, as long as the faith-based groups don't ask the needy for a loyalty pledge to a denomination in order to receive help.
Organized religion is an important part of the American fabric.
It helps communicate common righteous values and set the standard for worship and virtuous behavior. Charitable programs based in a particular faith give people a structured way of practicing those values. The president wants to get government out of the way of programs that succeed in battling society's problems, encourage charitable giving, and expand such groups that battle illiteracy and other ills. Charities need to be accountable, of course, but religious charities often lack the experience or are ill-equipped to produce the kinds of spreadsheets and Power Point presentations that might be necessary to prove their effectiveness. New charities, especially ones without years of history and infrastructure, must be given an equal chance.