Wednesday's Daily Brief: God, Cellphones, Quarterly Earnings and the Search for the Common Good; Obama's EU Trade Deal Would Include New Political Powers For Corporations

Wednesday, April 3, 2013 God, Cellphones, Quarterly Earnings and the Search for the Common Good Arianna Huffington: "Our life together can be better." That's the opening sentence of an important new book by Jim Wallis called On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn't Learned About Serving the Common Good. Wallis wrote it while taking a three-month sabbatical last year, in the midst of the 2012 election -- a break that allowed him to get a broader perspective on what was going on in American public life. The book draws inspiration from Abraham Lincoln's famous line: "[M]y concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side..." For Wallis, the key to being on God's side is a focus on the common good. But, as Wallis saw vividly during his sabbatical, that doesn't seem to be the direction things are currently headed in our country. Instead of strengthening our commitment to equality, social justice, and our sense of unity as a nation, our public and political discourse is breaking us apart. POLITICS Obama's EU Trade Deal Would Include New Political Powers For Corporations POLITICS GOP Lawmakers Propose Official State Religion BUSINESS Disrepair: The Troubled Industry Banks Use To Clean Up Foreclosure Messes COMEDY Maher: Arguments Against Gay Marriage Are 'Bankrupt' HEALTHY LIVING 9 Stress Myths, BUSTED BLOG POSTS Jim Carrey: I Never Wanted to Take Your Guns Away How shallow do they think I am? I would trade my money, my fame, my reputation and legacy if there were the slightest chance of preventing the anguish of another Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, or Sandy Hook Elementary School. I ask you, truly, what manner of human being would not? Chelsea Clinton: Getting to the STEM of Gender Inequality Across gender lines, intelligence exists in equal supply. But in far too many places, opportunity does not. Lost potential especially abounds in the asymmetrical landscape of science, technology, engineering, and math. Grover Norquist: Don't Let the IRS Do Your Taxes The IRS has one job, and one job only -- to collect taxes. It measures its success or failure in its ability to collect as much in taxes as possible. To ask the IRS to estimate the tax liability of a taxpayer is akin to asking an alcoholic how much they can have without crossing the line -- the answer will always be "more." Debra Macleod: Eight Ways to Affair-Proof Your Marriage People often say that their marriage ended because their spouse had an affair; however, infidelity isn't always the cause of marital breakdown. Usually, it's a symptom of a relationship that is already unhealthy and unhappy in some way. Here are 8 tips to affair-proof your marriage. Valerie Jarrett: Small Businesses Embody the Spirit That Makes America Great Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs has been a priority for President Obama since Day One of his administration. Why? Because he knows small businesses are responsible for creating two out of every three new jobs in the United States.

MOST POPULAR ON HUFFINGTONPOST.COM Archeologist Discover 'Gate To Hell' LOOK: Lindsay Lohan Spills Out Of Her Dress Magic Johnson's Son Goes Public With Boyfriend For First Time ON TWITTER I Never Wanted to Take Your Guns Away PHOTO: This Is Emma Watson's Sexiest Photo Shoot Yet THEY'RE BACK ON FACEBOOK O'Reilly Explodes At Conservative Radio Host I Never Wanted to Take Your Guns Away GOP Lawmakers Propose Official State Religion