National

National

Mich. Approves 'Right To Work' Bill As Dems Walk Out

6:40pm December 06, 2012

Michigan's state house has voted to approve a "right-to-work" bill that would weaken the power of labor unions. Democrats walked out in protest. Audie Cornish talks to Rick Pluta of Michigan Public Radio.

Queue Listen Now

Atlantic City's boardwalk, with its shops, restaurants, casinos and hotels, was mostly protected during Hurricane Sandy by a dune restoration project. But TV images of one small section that was damaged gave the impression that the whole thing was destroy

National

Post-Sandy: Atlantic City Wants Its Tourists Back

4:24pm December 06, 2012

by David Schaper

A month after Hurricane Sandy pounded the New Jersey Shore, Atlantic City is back in business. Even though most of the casinos, restaurants and the famous boardwalk sustained very little damage in the storm, they're now suffering from a lack of visitors.

Queue Listen Now

French President Francois Hollande (left) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take part in a bilateral meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels on Nov. 22 as part of a European budget summit.

What Should The U.S. Learn From Europe's Woes?

4:21pm December 06, 2012

by Tom Gjelten

As President Obama and lawmakers try to find a formula for spending cuts and tax increases, they might look across the Atlantic for insights from those who have been wrestling with budget problems. The first lesson from Europe's "fiscal consolidation" experiences: It will hurt.

Queue Listen Now

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan testifies about the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

White House To Seek Emergency Sandy Funds

10:24am December 06, 2012

by Brian Naylor

The Obama administration is expected to ask for $50 billion to $60 billion. Top administrators told Congress Wednesday that they want at least some of that money to go toward preventing the kind of devastation caused by Sandy and other recent storms.

Queue Listen Now

National

As Two States Legalize Pot, Tommy Chong Isn't Nostalgic About The Old Days

9:11pm December 05, 2012

by Mark Memmott

Washington state decriminalizes possession tonight. Colorado does so next month. Chong, one half of the stoner duo Cheech and Chong, is all in favor of the new laws. There isn't anything funny about being busted, the comic says.

Queue Listen Now

National

Texas Twang Fixin' To Ride Off Into The Sunset

8:25pm December 05, 2012

by Matt Largey

The way Texans speak, from using words like "y'all" to that old Texas twang, is iconic in American culture. But linguists say the twang is fading — and that, in a few decades, "talking Texan" may sound quite different than it does today.

Queue Listen Now

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, takes questions as House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., look on during a Capitol Hill news conference on Wednesday.

Obama And House GOP Engage In Fiscal Cliff Talks, Only Briefly With Each Other

6:30pm December 05, 2012

by Mara Liasson

The president and House Republicans continued to snipe at each other Wednesday over the impending set of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff. President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner later spoke briefly by phone for the first time in a week, according to reports.

Queue Listen Now

Alan Krueger, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, warns that consumer spending will drop if Congress and the White House fail to reach a deal on spending cuts and tax increases.

Looming Spending Cuts Would Hit Hard All Over

6:09pm December 05, 2012

by Jim Zarroli

If Congress fails to reach an agreement on tax increases and spending cuts this year, it will mean sharp reductions in a broad swath of federal spending, from defense and Medicare to education and unemployment benefits. Economists say the cuts would be a serious setback for the economy as a whole.

Queue Listen Now

Social Security's COLA At Stake In 'Fiscal Cliff' Talks?

10:34am December 05, 2012

by NPR Staff

The Republican plan to avert the "fiscal cliff" includes a proposal that would change the way inflation is calculated. The change could result in savings of billions, but its getting pushback from Democrats and groups like AARP.

Queue Listen Now

The largest tax break in the federal code doesn't appear on the forms the average person fills out each year.

The Huge (And Rarely Discussed) Health Insurance Tax Break

9:56am December 05, 2012

by Julie Rovner

Most people don't realize that they don't pay taxes on the value of health benefits from their job. If employer-provided health insurance was taxed in the same way as wages, the federal government could gain $250 billion a year. But it would mean higher taxes for many people.

Queue Listen Now