Afternoon News Bytes: April 12, 2012 | Sojourners

Afternoon News Bytes: April 12, 2012

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Santorum Out, Evangelicals Edge Closer To Romney, But Warily
Rick Santorum had been the last best hope of Christian conservatives who opposed Mitt Romney, derided by many as a “Massachusetts moderate.” Now, facing the abrupt end of Mr. Santorum’s presidential bid, some evangelical leaders have begun to rally behind Mr. Romney, saying their shared hostility toward President Obama will be a powerful force for uniting the party in November.
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THE HILL: Jesus Would Oppose The Paul Ryan Budget (OPINION)
But, with all due respect, I must suggest that Jesus would oppose the Ryan budget. Jesus did not teach government preferences for the most wealthy, cruel punishment for the most poor, attacks on programs that benefit women, decimating cuts that hurt the poorest children and the sanctification of greed in economics.
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CNN: Connecticut Lawmakers Vote To Repeal Death Penalty
Connecticut's governor says he will sign a bill abolishing the death penalty, making it the 17th state to abandon capital punishment.
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THE DAILY BEAST: War Looms For Obama In Iran, Syria, And North Korea
Military confrontations loom for Obama in Iran, Syria, and North Korea. And he can’t head them off with the usual duet of threats and talks.
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REUTERS: Interim Mali Leader Promises Vote, Anti-Rebel Fight
Former parliament speaker Dioncounda Traore took over as Mali's interim president on Thursday from the leaders of last month's coup, promising to hold elections and fight Tuareg and Islamist rebels occupying half the country.
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THE ATLANTIC: Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?
Social media—from Facebook to Twitter—have made us more densely networked than ever. Yet for all this connectivity, new research suggests that we have never been lonelier (or more narcissistic)—and that this loneliness is making us mentally and physically ill. A report on what the epidemic of loneliness is doing to our souls and our society.
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THE HUFFINGTON POST: Children v. Dirty Business
On May 11, a group of children will face off against the Obama administration and the National Association of Manufacturers for the latest round of a David vs. Goliath battle in federal court.
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REUTERS: Energy Costs Stir Worries In U.S. Economic Expansion
U.S. economic activity kept growing moderately in the late winter months but rising energy prices were beginning to worry manufacturers and retailers across the country, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday.
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THE WASHINGTON POST: Post-ABC News Poll Shows Drop In Republican Support For Afghan War
A majority of Republicans say for the first time that the war in Afghanistan has not been worth fighting, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll that comes as the continuing U.S. presence in that country is emerging as a key point of contention in the presidential race.
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MOTHER JONES: The Maddow Doctrine: We Need To Make War Hard Again
With Iraq winding down, the economy still sluggish, and domestic politics dominating the headline, Maddow decided to write a book about America and the way we use our military. Specifically: why is it so damn easy to go to war these days?
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CNN: Two Leading Social Conservative Groups Back Romney
Two leading national anti-abortion organizations Thursday endorsed Republican Mitt Romney for president. The moves may be the first indications of social conservatives coalescing around Romney after their first choice, Rick Santorum, dropped out of the race.
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CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS: The State Of Communities Of Color In The U.S. Economy
More disturbingly, the data we summarize in this report shows that communities of color are substantially less likely than their white fellow citizens to enjoy the opportunities that come from having a good job, owning a home, and having a financial safety cushion in the form of health insurance, retirement benefits, and private savings.
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SLATE: The Romney/Ryan Budgets Cuts In Anti-Poverty Spending Would Disproportionately Impact Women
Given Mitt Romney's somewhat eccentric interest in deliberately focusing attention on the question of which presidential candidate's economic policies are better for women, it's worth noting that the House GOP budget Romney has endorsed enacts steep cuts in programs aimed at helping poor people.
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