Lawmakers are negotiating with the administration over how to avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff” looming at the end of the year. This week, a group of Christian leaders urged Congress and the president not to cut anti-poverty programs as they struggle to reach a deal. In an open letter, the leaders said, “We pray during this season, in which we give thanks and offer gifts, that you will advance policies that protect the poor—not ones that make them poorer.”