Welcome to the Morning Buzz, PRRI’s morning dose of religion-related news with a shot of data – because what doesn’t liven up a morning round-up like some public opinion numbers? Good news for people who are irritated by slip-ups like this one at Whole Foods: kosher food giant Manischewitz is marketing products that they say will appeal to wider audiences. Mediterranean matzos? Sign me up!

According to the New York Times, some Republican candidates and white evangelicals are standing alongside Catholic bishops who say that their religious liberty is being curtailed in order to expand gay rights. But on this issue, standing with the bishops isn’t the same as standing with rank and file Catholics. American Catholics are one of the most supportive religious groups when it comes to same-sex marriage and other rights for gay and lesbian people, as Dr. Robert P. Jones notes in his latest “Figuring Faith” on PRRI’s top 11 findings of 2011.

Speaking of Catholics, John Gehring has a piece up at U.S. Catholic, arguing that the Tea Party’s “anti-government rhetoric and emphasis on individualism” doesn’t jive with core Catholic tenets. Over half of Catholics (54%) believe that one of the biggest problems in the U.S. is that not everyone has an equal chance in life.

Immigration could be a key issue for many voters in Iowa next week, but it’s hard to know whether a more moderate approach like Newt Gingrich’s or a hardline tack like Michele Bachmann’s will work better. After all, as we’ve written often, Americans’ views on immigration are complex: when asked about the values that should guide immigration reform policy, overwhelming numbers of Americans prioritize national security (88%) and ensuring fairness to taxpayers (84%), but are about equally as likely to emphasize protecting the dignity of every person (82%) and keeping families together (80%).

A new analysis of financial disclosures reveals that although the wealth of the American family declined from 1984 to 2009, the median net worth of a member of the House more than doubled. This may not bode well for politicians’ ability to respond to the majority (67%) of the public who say government should do more to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor.

Several candidates for the GOP nomination elaborated on their commitment to “personhood legislation,” like the law recently rejected in Mississippi, should they be elected president. Check out our blog to see why “personhood” laws may not be what “pro-life” Americans have in mind.

For updates and coverage throughout the day, follow us on Facebook or Twitter. Also a reminder that our CEO and our online communications associate are on Twitter: they’re @robertpjones and @PRRIAmelia.