Afternoon News Bytes: Feb. 13, 2012 | Sojourners

Afternoon News Bytes: Feb. 13, 2012

THE WASHINGTON POST: Obama Budget: National Debt Will Be $1 Trillion Higher In A Decade Than First Forecast
President Obama on Monday unveiled a $3.8 trillion spending plan that seeks to pump billions of dollars into the economy while raising taxes on the rich to tame a soaring national debt now projected to grow significantly faster than previously forecast.
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THE HUFFINGTON POST: Why Evangelicals Must Defend Muslims
Some Christians get excited when they discover that I'm half Indian or that I studied Islam in college. They'll sometimes ask me to talk about how Christianity compares to other faiths. But I've learned that what they mean to say is: "Great, you've read books I'd never own so you can tell us how awful those other religions are, and you're brown so you won't be called a bigot!"
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REUTERS: Obama's Election-Year Budget To Target Rich
President Barack Obama will propose an election-year budget on Monday that raises taxes on millionaires and seeks billions of dollars for job-creating infrastructure projects, drawing a populist battle line with his Republican opponents.
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REUTERS: GE To Hire 5,000 U.S. Veterans, Investing In Plants
General Electric Co plans to hire 5,000 U.S. military veterans over the next five years and to invest $580 million to expand its aviation footprint in the United States this year.
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THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Is Class War Unfolding In GOP Primaries?
Do these emerging income divides indicate a full-bore class war in under way in the Republican primary battle? Maybe not. But the vote shows there are some clear differences of opinion among GOP voters about the presidential field based around class and income – and they are flaring up at Mr. Romney’s expense.
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MOTHER JONES: It's The Wealth Gap, Stupid
The OWS demonstrators have performed a valuable public service. They have initiated a conversation about how the distribution of wealth, income, and power correspond to our common values. Fundamentally, radical wealth inequality is incompatible with a meritocracy and undercuts our national creed that everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES: From The Pulpit And In The Pew, The Knicks’ Lin Is A Welcome Inspiration
Jeremy Lin’s sudden emergence as an N.B.A. star has thrilled fans at Madison Square Garden and on the road, generated a torrent of comments on social media around the world and made Knicks fans out of a lot of people who did not follow basketball a week ago. By Sunday, the story of Lin, a committed Christian, had worked its way into church services — notably those in New York with large numbers of Asian-American congregants.
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POLITICO: Ethics Issues Tarnish Congressional Image
The 112th Congress is the most unpopular ever, but is it the most corrupt? The dire headlines about bad behavior by members of Congress are everywhere: At least a dozen House members are under investigation for ethical or potential criminal charges; the House Ethics Committee itself is being investigated for its handling of cases; and reporters are digging into the finances of lawmakers and senior aides.
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THE HILL: Senate GOP Push For Keystone Vote On Highway Measure
Senate Republicans want to add an amendment to the highway bill that would mandate construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
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THE WASHINGTON POST: Obama Administration Slows Environmental Rules As It Weighs Political Cost
After pushing through some of the most sweeping and contentious environmental measures in years, the Obama administration has slowed action on several policies as it calculates what it should undertake before the end of the term.
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