Time magazine picks pope as Person of Year
NEW YORK – Time magazine selected Pope Francis as its Person of the Year on Wednesday, saying the Catholic Church’s new leader has changed the perception of the 2,000-year-old institution in an extraordinary way in a short time.
The pope beat out NSA leaker Edward Snowden for the distinction, which the newsmagazine has been giving each year since 1927.
The former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected in March as the first pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit. Since taking over at the Vatican, he has urged the Catholic Church not to be obsessed with “small-minded rules” and to emphasize compassion over condemnation in dealing with touchy topics like abortion, gays and contraception.
“He really stood out to us as someone who has changed the tone and the perception and the focus of one of the world’s largest institutions in an extraordinary way,” said Nancy Gibbs, the magazine’s managing editor.
Proposed budget deal garnering GOP support
WASHINGTON – House Republicans signaled support Wednesday for a budget deal worked out a day earlier, a plan narrowly drawn but promoted as a way to stabilize Congress’ erratic fiscal efforts, avert another government shutdown and mute some of the partisan rancor that has damaged Americans’ attitudes about their lawmakers.
“There’s a lot to like about it,” said one GOP congressman, John Fleming of Louisiana, as he emerged from a closed-door caucus meeting.
The plan provides $63 billion in short-term relief from painful automatic spending cuts and counters that with $85 billion in spending cuts and new fees during the coming decade. Congress is expected to enact the savings measure this year and follow up with a huge spending bill next month.
GOP critics faulted the measure for increasing deficits for the next three years and complained that much of its deficit savings would come near the end of its 10-year projections.
Associated Press
