Afternoon News Bytes: Jan. 25, 2012 | Sojourners

Afternoon News Bytes: Jan. 25, 2012

THE HUFFINGTON POST: Obama Speech: State Of The Union Address Carries Emphatic Populist Challenge
Declaring the American dream under siege, President Barack Obama delivered a populist challenge Tuesday night to shrink the gap between rich and poor, promising to tax the wealthy more and help jobless Americans get work and hang onto their homes.
Learn more HERE

THE WASHINGTON POST: What Do Latino Evangelical Voters Want? (OPINION by Gabriel Salguero)
It may come as a surprise to you to learn that Hispanic evangelicals are a key constituency in swing states. The Jan 31 Florida primary has hastened an all-out blitz for this group’s attention. What do Hispanic evangelicals want from a presidential candidate?
Learn more HERE

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Evangelist: True Christians Don’t Demonize Mormons, Obama
Mark DeMoss has a message for his fellow evangelicals: You can’t attack and demean Mormons or President Barack Obama and still consider yourself a follower of Jesus Christ.
Learn more HERE

POLITICO: Daniels Slams Obama's 'Pro-Poverty' Policy
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, in early remarks, slammed the Democrats for 'extremism' — saying that the Obama administration was pursuing a 'pro-poverty' policy.
Learn more HERE

POLICY MIC: Does Mitt Romney And Newt Gingrich's Rise Signal The End Of Evangelical Influence In 2012?
Less than a decade ago, it seemed as though evangelical Christians dominated the political landscape of the United States. Regular prayer meetings were held in the oval office, the reasoning behind many governmental decisions was unambiguously based in Christian theology, a government agency was created to specifically support faith-based charities, and the president openly consulted with evangelical leaders.
Learn more HERE

THE WASHINGTON POST (ON FAITH): Time For The Peace Vote?
It is ironic that Amish and Mennonites --arguably some of the least politically active Christian sects in America -- settled in some of the most politically important regions of the country, in states that are critical for their primary caucus value or swing state potential.
Learn more HERE

THINK PROGRESS: Best Actor Nominee Dedicates His Oscar Nod To Undocumented Immigrants
Today, Demián Bichir was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor In a Leading Role for his portrayal of undocumented day laborer Carlos Galindo in the film A Better Life. Demián immediately dedicated his nomination to the undocumented. As he told me when we spoke recently, “I played a role that 11 million people play in real life. They don’t get the attention I do, but they deserve our respect and a chance at a better life.”
Learn more HERE

THE DAILY BEAST: Christine Lagarde Sounds The Alarm On Europe
Friday the 13th of January dawned grim at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. The news blowing in from across the Atlantic, as often happens these days, brought the smell of disaster like an approaching hurricane. The credit scores of France and eight other European countries had just been knocked down. Negotiations to bail out an all-but-bankrupt Greece had stalled, or died—it wasn’t clear which.
Learn more HERE

ASSOCIATED PRESS: Davos Elite: Capitalism Has Widened Income Gap
A four-year economic crisis has left societies battered and widened the gap between the haves and have-nots, financial leaders conceded Wednesday — with one suggesting that Western-style capitalism itself may be endangered.
Learn more HERE

DESERET NEWS: Alabama's Immigration Law Dividing Religious Community
In the months since Alabama passed the nation's toughest immigration law, Yenny Laney's life has changed drastically. Once childless, she's now playing foster mom to five boys whose parents are in immigration detention.
Learn more HERE