THE HUFFINGTON POST: Reawakening The Radical Imagination: The Origins Of Occupy Wall Street
Three months ago, a loosely organized group of activists concerned about growing income inequality, corporate greed and the global influence of powerful financial institutions decided to make Lower Manhattan its home, setting in motion a movement known as Occupy Wall Street.
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THE WASHINGTON POST: Proposed Keystone Pipeline Route May Be Reassessed
The Obama administration may reassess the proposed route for a major oil pipeline that would stretch from northern Canada to the Gulf Coast, according to sources familiar with the deliberations, a move that could delay the contentious permitting process for more than a year.
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POLITICO: The answer is: Spend less. Period. (Opinion)
The federal government is spending too much money. Our nation has made more than $63 trillion in unfunded promises, to be paid for by future generations. It poses an existential threat to America’s dynamic, pro-growth economy. The solution to this problem is to reduce federal spending.
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THE WASHINGTON POST (ON FAITH): Cornel West Keeps The Faith For Occupy Wall Street
On Faith Editor Sally Quinn recently spoke with author, professor, critic and civil right activist Dr. Cornel West to discuss the Occupy Wall Street movement, West’s arrest at the Supreme Court, Martin Luther King Jr. and other issues of faith and politics.
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THE HUFFINGTON POST: Most Americans Support Raising Minimum Wage To Ten Dollars Per Hour, Survey Finds
The majority of Americans say they support raising the minimum wage -- by a lot. More than two-thirds of Americans say lawmakers should raise the national minimum wage to $10 per hour from its current $7.25, a survey from the Public Religion Research Institute finds. While Democrats were more likely to support a minimum wage boost, more than half of Republican respondents said they would like to see the minimum wage go up, according to the survey.
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SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY: THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BIBLE
This volume, created by Thomas Jefferson in 1820, is an 84-page assemblage of passages from the first four books of the New Testament. It was the work of Jefferson’s own hands and a product of his extraordinary mind. It was a personal exercise in understanding Jesus’s moral teachings.
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THE CHRISTIAN POST: Poll Suggests Evangelicals Favor Redistribution Of Wealth
Evangelical leaders such as NAE President Leith Anderson, Evangelicals for Social Action Ron Sider and Northland Senior Pastor Joel Hunter have formed coalitions with clergy from Methodist; Episcopal Baptist and Catholic churches to urge politicians to save entitlements such as the supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as food stamps) and international aid programs help those in poverty. Their alliance called The Circle of Protection emerged during spring budget talks. “We believe that God is calling us to pray, fast, give alms, and to speak out for justice,” the group expressed in statement.
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HERALD NET: Defining Poverty In The Land Of Plenty
The "poverty issue" opens a vast highway system of social and economic observations headed in every direction. Some say poverty is a national disgrace. Some say it's the poor people's own fault. Some say the government must end it through bigger subsidies and more services for the poor -- others by reducing that help and instead expanding economic opportunity.
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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES: American Poverty View: Is America Becoming A Nation Of Poor Children?
The U.S. Census Bureau released a study on a supplemental poverty measure that complements the nation's official poverty evaluation. Under the new guidelines, 49.1 million Americans, or 16 percent of the population, are classified as living in poverty. This is 2.9 million more than which are classified under the official measure.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES (ROOM FOR DEBATE): Are Older Americans Better Off?
Two reports this week draw conflicting pictures of older Americans’ economic well-being. The Pew Research Center says that they are better off than they used to be, especially relative to the young. The Census Bureau says that, by a new and more nuanced measure of poverty, children are doing better than we thought, but older people are doing worse, especially because of medical costs. Are older Americans falling behind economically, or gaining ground?
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MOTHER JONES: The South, Rising: Immigration Edition
A war has ignited between the Justice Department and several states over their controversial new immigration laws, and Republican senators are stepping into the fray, looking to prevent the Obama administration from challenging these laws as unconstitutional. Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.)—with co-sponsors Jim DeMint (S.C.), and David Vitter (La.)—will soon introduce legislation that would prevent the Justice Department from filing lawsuits against the state laws.
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THE ATLANTIC: Unions And Young People: A Winning Combination For 2012?
In the wake of a significant electoral victory in Ohio Tuesday, unions and their supporters are energized and eager to flex their newly honed political muscles. But the path to greater electoral clout in 2012 could lie in a partnership with young voters and followers of the Occupy movement.
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THE ATLANTIC WIRE: Unemployment Claims Fall For A Second Straight Week
After a rough day for markets, there's some mildly optimistic news for the U.S. economy on Thursday morning: initial unemployment benefits claims fell to 390,000, the lowest level in seven months and the second straight week under the magic number of 400,000. That is better than what surveyed economists were expecting, reported Reuters.
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THE WASHINGTON POST (ON FAITH): Christian Leaders Talk About Marriage And Sex
Last week, Rick Warren sent this message to the nearly 500,000 people who follow him on Twitter: “Husbands & wives should satisfy each other’s sexual needs. 1 Cor 7:3” His Twitter feed lit up with amens and retweets. “Oh gosh,” exclaimed one follower.
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Jack Palmer is a communications assistant at Sojourners. Follow Jack on Twitter @JackPalmer88
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