Politics & Government

Voters in Los Angeles County, Calif., cast their ballots in 2012.

Vulnerable Voting Machine Raises Questions About Election Security

12:17pm April 18, 2015

by Pam Fessler

Virginia found 1-in-5 of its touchscreen machines vulnerable to attack with passwords as easy as "abcde." As voting equipment ages, new concerns are being raised.

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Declared and potential candidates are already in New Hampshire. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and others spoke at the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Summit this week in Nashua.

Politics & Government

Advice For Beleaguered Battleground State Residents: Leave Town

10:59am April 18, 2015

by Linda Wertheimer

With the presidential campaign season already underway, NPR's Linda Wertheimer has a hot tip for swing state voters feeling besieged: Rent your house to a political operative and take a vacation.

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"We need to fix our dysfunctional political system and get unaccounted money out of it, once and for all, even if that takes a constitutional amendment," Hillary Clinton said at Kirkwood Community College in Iowa Tuesday.

Hillary Clinton Supports Amendment To Get Hidden Money Out Of Politics

12:27am April 18, 2015

by Peter Overby

Clinton called campaign finance reform one of the "four big fights" of her campaign. But does this idea of a constitutional amendment to restrict or eliminate big money stand a chance?

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Lawmakers Approve Bill To Help Finalize Asia-Pacific Trade Deal

10:05pm April 17, 2015

by Scott Horsley

Senate negotiators move forward on legislation that would give President Obama the authority to negotiate a sweeping trade accord. That deal, however, will align Obama with Republicans and pit him against Democrats.

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Freighters wait to unload cargo at the Tanjung Pagar container port in Singapore.

Why A Blockbuster Of A Trade Deal With Asia Matters

5:51pm April 17, 2015

by Jackie Northam

Congress is giving President Obama new powers to help seal the deal on an ambitious Asia-Pacific free trade agreement, a move that angers many Democrats and unions.

#NPRreads: From The Hell Of The North To 'Trash' Food

2:38pm April 17, 2015

by Ina Jaffe

We highlight a 160-mile cycling race, reminiscences of an interview with the Oklahoma City bomber, the Finnish prison system, the nuclear deal with Iran, and the meaning of calling someone "trash."

The Most Corrupt State In The Country Is ...

1:14pm April 17, 2015

by Domenico Montanaro

A new poll says Americans think New York is the most corrupt state in the country. But is it? There are lots of ways to calculate it.

Politics & Government

Senator's 'Let It Go' Ringtone Disrupts Committee Hearing

7:35am April 17, 2015

During the panel's hearing on Thursday, Sen. Pat Roberts cellphone rang. And what ringtone does the Kansas Republican have on his phone? It was the theme from the Disney movie Frozen, "Let It Go."

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Politics & Government

Legislature May Repeal Map Act

8:21pm April 16, 2015

by Michael Burke

Homeowners in North Carolina have been complaining about the Map Act, where the state can lock up land for decades for new roads. The Legislature is looking to repeal these laws.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is greeted by members of Congress before speaking to a joint meeting in the House chamber.

In Or Out In Congress? Gyrocopters, Tweets To Iran, Downton Abbey

7:44pm April 16, 2015

by Amita Kelly

In Congress, just like at any storied American institution — McDonald's, New York Fashion Week, the Bush and Clinton families — trends come and go.