Chad’s Morning Brief: Gay Marriage, California, and the Courts & More

Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of February 8th, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.

1. Court Rejects Gay Marriage Ban (link)

It should surprise no one that the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the 2008 California law known as Proposition 8 violated the Constitution. In the years to come I believe we will see the issue of gay marriage arrive at the Supreme Court. How will the court rule? Who knows. What I do know is that the issue of gay marriage is one that the GOP candidates probably didn't want popping up right now. The number one issue in this country is the economy. We must get the economy going again. We must get American's back to work. We also must deal with our debt, and the entitlement society that we are dealing with. We must secure our nation's borders. We must have a powerful military that is able to take the fight to our enemies.

Do we really need to worry about who is marrying who right now? I'd argue no. Of course, this is where a lot of you get annoyed with me because you know I personally don't care if gay marriage is allowed. Let's just say that's the Libertarian in me. The Ron Paul fans have got to love that.

Back to the GOP candidates. I agree with Neal Boortz on this. Stay away from talking about gay marriage. No one really cares about that right now. I know the "base" loves to talk about it, but they will vote for the Republican candidate no matter what. It's a no-win topic for the candidates.

2. White House May Compromise (link)

It seems like the Obama Administration is open to working with Catholics over the health insurance debate. According to Reuters:

David Axelrod, a senior campaign adviser to President Barack Obama, said the administration had heard the Church's concerns and never intended to "abridge anyone's religious freedom."

But he gave no sign that the administration would reverse course under intensifying pressure from Church leaders and political heat from Republican presidential candidates.

"This is an important issue. It's important for millions of women across this country. We want to resolve it in an appropriate way, and we're going to do that," he said in remarks on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program.

White House spokesman Jay Carney also sought to diffuse criticism from Church leaders, telling reporters later on Tuesday that the administration would work with religious organizations "to see if the implementation of the policy can be done in a way that allays some of those concerns."

U.S. Catholic bishops have slammed the Obama administration for a regulation finalized on January 20 that would require health insurance to include birth control and other preventative health services for women. The leaders contend that the policy infringes on religious liberty because the Church does not condone birth control of any kind.

Don't think for a second that this thing is over yet. Will the Catholic Church hold it's ground or will they cave like the Komen Foundation did? Does the average Catholic even care?

3.  Bread Worse Than Chips?

Okay who really believes this? The CDC is now saying that bread and rolls are the number 1 source in the American diet. That's right, more than potato chips.

That surprising finding comes in a government report released Tuesday that includes a list of the top 10 sources of sodium. Salty snacks actually came in at the bottom of the list compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn - which we think of as the saltiest foods in our diet - are only No. 10," said CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden.

Breads and rolls aren't really saltier than many of the other foods, but people tend to eat a lot of them, said Mary Cogswell, a CDC senior scientist who co-authored the report.

Salt is the main source of sodium for most people, and sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke. Health officials say most Americans get too much salt, mostly from processed and restaurant foods - not added from the salt shaker.

How long until we see a study that says bread is good for the heart? Here is some advice, don't eat too much of anything. It can be bad for you.

4. Dumb story of the morning (link)

Silence!

The Army said Tuesday that a request for chaplains not to read a letter in Sunday Mass that expressed disapproval of a new regulation in the Obama administration's health care law was not an attempt to "censor," but rather a cautionary move to preserve "military order and discipline."

The Army acknowledged that Chief of Chaplains Donald Rutherford had asked chaplains to only distribute, but not read, the Jan. 26 letter sent by Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio. The concern was apparently over a single line.

"The Chief of Chaplains was concerned that one line in the 456-word letter could be misinterpreted as a call to civil disobedience within our nation's military ranks," the statement said.

A senior Army official separately confirmed that the offending line stated: "We cannot -- we will not -- comply with this unjust law." The official confirmed that "there was a worry that would be a call for civil obedience."

The Army statement went on to say that the chief of chaplains was not rendering a judgment on the letter's message, but acted only out of "concern that a single line might run counter to proper military order and discipline."

"Any suggestion that he or the Army were attempting to censor the clergy is not supported by the facts," the Army said.

If you are going to hand out the letter, you might as well read it. Right?

Other Top Stories:

Senator Jim DeMint on Why Republicans Must Become More Libertarian

South Carolina Sues Over Voter ID

Komen VP Quits

Pajama Ban

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App.