Report: “Extreme Maps” Give Unfair Political Advantage

Posted at http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2017-05-17/civil-rights/report-extreme-maps-give-unfair-political-advantage/a57726-1 May 17, 2017 – Andrea Sears, Public News Service (PA) Play Audio in Browser Window A new report blames bias in drawing district lines for giving the Republican Party a 13-5 advantage in Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation. (61-1099lm/Wikimedia … Continued

Sign Letter Urging Congress Not to Permit Houses of Worship to Be Used as Political Tools

From Americans United for Separation of Church and State (http://www.au.org): Throughout his campaign and presidency, the current president has repeatedly promised to “destroy” a law known as the Johnson Amendment. This law protects the integrity of houses of worship, by ensuring … Continued

When Protests Are Powerful, The Powerful Punish Protest

Posted at https://ourfuture.org/20170510/when-protests-are-powerful-the-powerful-punish-protest May 10, 2017 Libero Della Piana When people feel powerless – locked out of decision-making, bypassed by real governance – they turn to protest. Especially for the disenfranchised and oppressed, protest is often the only way to … Continued

Major Christian Organization Urges Churches to Refrain From Intervening in Political Campaigns

From the National Council of Churches (http://www.ncccusa.org): WASHINGTON: The National Council of Churches expresses opposition to the regretful Executive Order entitled, “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty,” signed today by President Trump. This executive order does not promote free speech … Continued

Gerrymandering: House Bill 722’s Coming-Out Party—Encourage Your Rep to Sign On

From the Committee of Seventy (https://www.seventy.org/): House Bill 722, a joint resolution to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to establish an independent citizens commission to redistrict state legislative and Congressional districts, will be officially introduced next Wednesday, April 26. That comes … Continued

Tracking of Foreign Lobbyists More Important Than Ever

Posted at http://www.pogo.org/straus/issues/other-items/pogo-and-others-urge-justice.html By: Lydia Dennett | April 12, 2017 Photo: Valerie Everett/Flickr As foreign influence dominates the news cycle with President Trump’s former National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, and former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, registering as foreign lobbyists, getting better access to foreign lobbying documents … Continued

Advisors to the President Should Be Subject to Ethics Laws

From the Project on Government Oversight (http://www.pogo.org/): April 6, 2017 Stephen Feinberg (right), Cerberus Capital Management (Photo: Dow Jones Events / Flickr) With news earlier this week that the White House may name another advisor with vast business holdings that would pose conflicts of interest, the … Continued

‘Confessing Faculty’ Denounce Sins of the Trump Era

Posted at https://baptistnews.com/article/confessing-faculty-denounce-sins-trump-era/#.WO-0W_nysdV By Bob Allen, Baptist News Global More than 1,100 professors at Christian colleges across the country have signed a “Confessing Faculty” document acknowledging sins of omission that echoes an 83-year-old statement denouncing the corruption of Protestant churches … Continued