FPL Daily News Reel: July 12, 2012
The FPL News Reel is a daily round-up of the top faith and politics stories in the news. You can sign up for the email version of the News Reel here, subscribe to the RSS feed here, and follow it on twitter at @FPLNewsreel.
Members of Congress: Call Your Pastors and Rabbis
By Amy Sullivan — New Republic
Paul Ryan has sparred with Catholic bishops who oppose cuts to SNAP, quipping that “a preferential option for the poor does not mean a preferential option for big government.” Of course it doesn’t. But there are some—perhaps even many—cases in which religious congregations simply don’t have the capacity to provide services to the extent that government can.
House panel’s food aid cuts in farm bill called ‘unjustified and wrong’
By Catholic News Service
A proposed $16 billion cut in the nation’s Supplemental Nutritional and Assistance Program is “unjustified and wrong,” said a joint letter from the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ domestic and international justice committees, leaders of Catholic Relief Services and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference.
GOP Govs & Medicaid
By Michael Sean Winters — National Catholic Reporter, Distinctly Catholic
…in today’s Tea Party-driven GOP, some governors have announced they will not allow their states to participate in the expansion of Medicaid…The USCCB, and local bishops, should step forward and combat this foolishness forcefully.
Why all govs will opt into ‘Obamacare’
By Jennifer Granholm — Politico, Opinion
For the tea party crowd, instead of this being a huge missed opportunity to provide health care to struggling people, turning down the federal money has become a badge of honor. So, weirdly, this argument, while appealing to most rational people, has no sway with tea partiers.
Repeal of Health Care Law Approved, Again, by House
By Robert Pear — New York Times
The House has voted more than 30 times to repeal part or all of the 2010 law or to choke off money needed for various provisions, including coverage of more than 30 million uninsured people.
How Not to Talk to the NAACP
By Joanna Brooks — Religion Dispatches, Opinion
…to Mitt Romney, it was more important to score a little footage of booing Black voters to fire up his conservative donors than it was to risk just a little bit of self-disclosure, or reflection, or humility.
Arms Trade Treaty, Second Amendment Compatible
By Galen Carey — Christian Post, Opinion
Those opposing an arms trade treaty on Second Amendment grounds should rethink their strategy. The best way to protect the legal right of law abiding citizens to bear arms is to support sensible regulation of international arms sales.
Arlington Diocese parishioners question need for fidelity oath
By Michelle Boorstein — Washington Post
Last month, Riley joined at least four other Sunday school teachers and resigned from her post at St. Ann’s parish after a letter arrived at her home requiring her — and all teachers in the Arlington Catholic Diocese — to submit “of will and intellect” to all of the teachings of church leaders.
