FPL Daily News Reel: July 26, 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.
Poor may lack ‘powerful lobbies’ but have ‘greatest needs,’ bishop says
By Catholic News Service
The head of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development urged the Senate to retain tax credits that keep low-income Americans from sinking into poverty, saying it would be “unjust and unwise” to let them lapse…
Who Deserves a Tax Break?
By New York Times, Editorial
Though it seems unbelievable on a day when Republicans tried to be so generous to their wealthiest contributors, they voted for a bill that would end the child tax credit for nine million families that make less than $13,300…
Study: New Medicaid expansion could be a lifesaver
By Associated Press
States that expand their Medicaid programs under President Barack Obama’s health care law may end up saving thousands of lives, a medical journal report released Wednesday indicates.
AIDS advocates pushing for Medicaid expansion
By Brett Norman — Politico
The expansion of the Medicaid program — or the lack thereof — has emerged as a major focus of U.S. AIDS advocates at the 2012 International AIDS Conference this week.
AIDS Memorial Quilt; The Names Project Shares Religious Communities’ Panels Of Hope
By Huffington Post
More than 48,000 individual 3-by-6-foot memorial panels — most commemorating the life of someone who has died of AIDS — have been sewn together by friends, lovers and family members.
Survey: Religion, Values, and Experiences: Black and Hispanic American Attitudes on Abortion and Reproductive Issues
By Public Religion Research Institute
Among those who attend church at least once or twice a month, Hispanic Americans are significantly more likely than black Americans to report that they hear about the issue of abortion in church (54% vs. 30%).
Overseeing bishop: LCWR ‘not in accordance’ with church
By Joshua J. McElwee — National Catholic Reporter
One of the three bishops appointed to oversee the group which represents the majority of U.S. women religious took a hard line Wednesday towards the Vatican’s criticism of the organization, saying the sisters are “promoting, unilaterally…a new kind of theology that is not in accordance with the faith of the church.”
First CCHD; Now CRS
By Michael Sean Winters — National Catholic Reporter, Opinion
[Catholic Relief Services] does more to save lives throughout the world than any of these pundits at LifeSiteNews. The latter rant about life. CRS actually saves lives. The bishops have to stand behind CRS…and not cave in to these witch hunts.
Liberal Jewish group launches political lobbying arm
By Lauren Markoe — Religion News Service
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter of activism, rooted in Jewish values, where we will aggressively fight for the nation’s most vulnerable with all available political advocacy tools,” said Alan van Capelle, CEO of Bend the Arc.
Durbin sees ‘zero’ chance of passing assault weapons ban
By Daniel Strauss — The Hill
“I am a co-sponsor of the bill that would limit the sale of these high-capacity magazine clips and I also think that we should be careful when it comes to selling guns…,” Durbin said on the “Bill Press Show.” “What are the chances of — even the consideration — let alone the passage of those measures this year? Zero.”
Bachmann’s Islamist scare relaunches McCarthyism
By USA Today, Editorial
When fellow Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, a Democrat and a Muslim, challenged Bachmann to provide proof for her allegations, she charged that Ellison, too, is linked to the Brotherhood.
