Politics & Government

Newark Mayor Cory Booker speaks about his Senate campaign, outside the Grove Path Station in Jersey City, N.J., last month.

Cory Booker: Supermayor Or Self-Promoter?

7:25pm August 06, 2013

by Joel Rose

Voters in New Jersey go to the polls next week in a special primary election for a U.S. Senate seat. No one on the ballot has more name recognition than the Newark mayor, considered a Democratic rising star. But Booker's critics say he's been more focused on his ambitions than on governing.

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Lawmakers meet to discuss an overhaul of the tax code at Kelly's Irish Times on Capitol Hill.

On The Road With Max And Dave: A Tax Overhaul Tour

9:18am August 06, 2013

by Tamara Keith

Sen. Max Baucus and Rep. Dave Camp skip much of Washington's formality when they're out traveling the country to try to drum up support for simplifying the tax code. They want to convince Americans — and their colleagues in Congress — that it's possible, and worth it.

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Politics & Government

McConnell Squares Off With Rivals At Ky. Political Picnic

5:44am August 05, 2013

by David Welna

Over the weekend, the western Kentucky town of Fancy Farm was the site of the first meeting between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his likely Democratic opponent, Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes. National Democrats promise to make defeating McConnell the top priority as they head into a mid-term election that offers Republicans a good chance of taking control of the Senate.

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Durbin, Harkin Take On Immigration Critic In His Own District

1:46pm August 03, 2013

by Joyce Russell

Democratic senators Dick Durbin and Tom Harkin went to Republican Rep. Steve King's Iowa district on Friday to refute his statement about "Dreamers" — young people brought to the U.S. by undocumented parents — that even some top Republicans called outrageous.

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Obama Nominee For IRS Chief Has History With Tough Tasks

6:26pm August 02, 2013

by Brian Naylor

President Obama has nominated John Koskinen as commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. While the president calls him "an expert at turning around institutions in need of reform," Koskinen will likely face tough questions from Republicans during his upcoming confirmation hearings.

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Chris Viehland helps her daughter Jenna try on shoes for the new school year at a Famous Footwear store in Fenton, Mo., Aug. 9, 2012.

As Back-To-School Shopping Begins, Consumers May Turn Frugal

6:01pm August 02, 2013

Most economists say this year's back-to-school sales will be slower than last summer's because consumers have been coping with more expensive gasoline and higher payroll taxes. Still, several states are offering tax-free shopping to encourage purchases.

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Politics & Government

For Once, Congress Plans To Go On Recess Without A Meltdown

6:01pm August 02, 2013

by David Welna

Congress goes on its annual August break Friday afternoon. And for the first time in recent years, members will leave town without a full-on crisis over must-pass legislation. No debt-ceiling meltdown, no fiscal cliff, not even a government shutdown. At least, not yet.

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N.C. Abortion Law Sparks Protest; Governor Responds With Cookies

5:19pm August 02, 2013

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory sent out a plate of cookies to abortion law protesters who had gathered outside the governor's mansion on Tuesday. Audie Cornish speaks with Mary C. Curtis, who writes for the Washington Posts' blog She the People, about the incident and North Carolina politics.

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Jonathan Weisman writes that the last week before the long summer recess is usually crunchtime for Congress, but it's "a sleepy time for the underachieving 113th."

As Summer Recess Looms, Congress Remains Inactive

2:20pm July 31, 2013

The last week before the long summer recess is usually crunchtime for Congress, but that hasn't been the case for the 113th. New York Times correspondent Jonathan Weisman joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to discuss why this Congress has passed so few laws.

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Politics & Government

Survey Shows Regional Divide On Abortion

7:46am July 30, 2013

A new survey about American attitudes toward abortion turns up strong regional differences in opinion. And the divide seems to be growing. Renee Montagne talks to Michael Dimock, director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, about the survey.

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