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Quote of the Day. "The crowd was saying, 'Thank you,' and I get choked up even right now saying that. There was not one Vietnam veteran who didn't have tears running down their face, including myself. It was our greatest day." Paul Davis, president of the Delaware chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, at a parade for Vietnam vets. (New York Times)
RELIGION IN THE NEWS
'Truth commission' urges change in conscientious-objector status "A coalition of more than 60 religious, veterans, academic and advocacy groups called on the United States military Nov. 10 to extend conscientious-objector status to soldiers who believe a specific war is immoral."
Churches Urged to Speak Out on War, Moral Conscience "On the eve of Veterans' Day, interfaith group Truth Commission on Conscience in War urged churches and religious leaders to break their silence regarding the moral conflict that America's involvement in unjustified wars is putting religious soldiers through."
Bishops Play Defense On Anti-Poverty Initiative "For four decades, the U.S. Catholic bishops have maintained a nationwide program designed to help the poor lift themselves out of poverty. And for just as long, fierce critics have tried to kill it."
Iraqi Christians suffer a plague of persecution "Christians in Baghdad huddle in churches these days, praying for deliverance from an ongoing campaign of persecution that threatens the viability of the 2,000-year-old religious community."
Rapper Finds Order in Orthodox Judaism in Israel "Living as Moses Levi, an Orthodox Jew in Jerusalem (he legally changed his name from Jamaal Barrow), he shuttles between sessions of Talmud study with some of the most religiously stringent rabbis in the city and preparations for a musical comeback."
NEWS AT HOME
Deficit Commission proposal. Panel Seeks Social Security Cuts and Tax Increases "President Obama's bipartisan commission on reducing the national debt outlined a politically provocative and economically ambitious package." Deficit panelists offer bold moves on taxes, outlays "The chairmen of President Obama's bipartisan deficit commission on Wednesday offered an aggressive plan to rebalance the federal budget by curbing increases in Social Security benefits, slashing spending at the Pentagon and other agencies, and wiping out more than $100 billion a year in popular tax breaks for individuals and businesses." Who will be upset by panel's proposal on national debt? Nearly everyone. "The co-chairs of Obama's deficit-reduction panel issued a proposal to reduce the national debt by $4 trillion in 10 years. But the budget cuts and tax increases promise to anger just about everyone."
Tax cuts. Temporary extension of Bush-era tax cuts gaining momentum "A compromise appears to be in the works that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts, including those for the wealthy, for two years. Nothing is certain, however, and some Republicans are insisting the cuts should be made permanent."
U.S.-Afghanistan. U.S. Tweaks Message on Troops in Afghanistan "The Obama administration is emphasizing the idea that the United States will have forces in Afghanistan until at least the end of 2014, which is a change in tone." McCain, Lieberman urge Obama to drop 2011 Afghan date "A delegation of four U.S. senators, asserting that the U.S. counterinsurgency is making headway in Afghanistan, heightened pressure Wednesday on President Barack Obama to abandon his pledge that the United States would begin withdrawing troops in July 2011, a deadline that seems increasingly wobbly." PM plans 'inside the wire' Afghan role while U.S. presses for riskier one "The United States is asking Canada to take on a more robust
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