Acton Institute Powerblog Archives

5 Facts

November 08, 2019

5 facts about the Berlin Wall

This weekend, the world celebrates the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. On November 9, 1989, East Germans began picking at the wall with hammers, picks – even their bare hands – until the mammoth structure that had divided the city for the past 28 years lay in ruins. Continue Reading...
October 04, 2019

13 facts about St. Francis of Assisi: Samuel Gregg

The Roman Catholic Church observes October 4 as the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. The beloved saint has often been portrayed as a proto-environmentalist, a borderline pantheist, or a holy man who used his religious vocation to “preach communism.” This image could not be more baseless, writes Samuel Gregg, Ph.D., director of research at the Acton Institute. Continue Reading...
September 23, 2019

10 facts about homelessness in America

The homeless represent the most vulnerable portion of Americans living in poverty. The latest U.S. government report on homelessness shows that a culture of secularism and statism is depriving Americans of church philanthropy, curbing the free market’s ability to provide, and leaving the most vulnerable reliant on the government – or the mercy of the streets. Continue Reading...
August 01, 2019

5 Facts about food stamp programs

Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed a measure it claims will close a loophole that allows states to make participants receiving minimal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits automatically eligible to participate in USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Continue Reading...