Politics & Government

Last week, FBI investigators and a Watertown, Mass., police officer investigate the scene near the boat where bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was hiding. Democrats have argued that the way the government responded to the Boston attacks makes a case for

Politics & Government

Democrats Invoke Boston, West To Defend Government's Role

5:23pm April 26, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

Democrats are using the fertilizer plant explosion in Texas and the Boston Marathon bombings to argue that the government has an important role to play in keeping Americans safe. People who want smaller government say liberals are reaching the wrong conclusions.

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Pressure Builds On White House To Intervene In Syria

4:47pm April 26, 2013

by Tom Bowman

The White House says it still needs to corroborate information it has received that suggests Syria's government has used chemical weapons. That act would cross a "red line" drawn by President Obama. At that point, the question becomes: What might the U.S. do in response? The Pentagon is already planning.

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Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. (left), leads a news conference about the Marketplace Fairness Act on Tuesday. The legislation would provide states with the authority to require out-of-state retailers to collect and remit taxes on purchases shipped into the

Politics & Government

Shifting Retail Landscape Tilts Support For Online Sales Tax

2:46am April 26, 2013

by Yuki Noguchi

The U.S. Senate seems ready to let states collect sales tax from more online retailers. Support for the measure has increased as businesses have converged their online and offline sales. "We're looking for consistency" in how taxes are collected, says the owner of a St. Louis pet store chain.

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Should Air Traffic Controllers Be Included In Furloughs?

2:46am April 26, 2013

by Tamara Keith

As air travelers grumble about delayed flights, congressional Republicans have a new talking point: It's all President Obama's fault. They argue that he could make cuts in less critical parts of the FAA budget, but wants to inconvenience the public to force Congress to undo sequestration.

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Politics & Government

House Panel Examines Government Loan To Fisker Automotive

2:46am April 26, 2013

by Sonari Glinton

The founders of financially troubled Fisker Automotive were grilled by Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday. The electric car maker received a $529 million loan from the Department of Energy in 2009. The carmaker is now on the edge of collapse. Fisker has laid off most of its employees and hired bankruptcy advisers.

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Sen. Corker Calls On U.S. To 'Step Up' Efforts In Syria

8:16pm April 25, 2013

Robert Siegel talks to Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who is the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, about the U.S. intelligence assessment regarding chemical weapons in Syria. Corker says there is not yet enough evidence to take military action against the Syrian government. He adds that the real challenge now is to keep the more extremist anti-Assad-regime rebels from having the upper hand.

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President Obama makes a statement in the White House briefing room just a few hours after the bombings at the Boston Marathon on April 15.

How Obama's Response To Terrorism Has Shifted

4:57pm April 25, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

While President Obama's time in office has not been defined by terrorist attacks, incidents like the one in Boston have been a regular, painful through line of his presidency. And the Obama administration has been on a steady learning curve when it comes to how to handle its public response.

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Boston Response Praised, But Intelligence-Sharing Questioned

4:57pm April 25, 2013

by Brian Naylor

Law enforcement officials have been given high marks for their response to the bombings at the Boston Marathon. But at the same time, questions are being raised about the coordination among federal agencies handling intelligence about the suspects in the months before the attack.

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Politics & Government

When Conscience Conflicts With Constituents

2:13pm April 24, 2013

Last week, the Senate voted against a proposal for background checks on gun buyers. Several senators from states with strong pro-gun constituencies cast votes supporting the checks despite voter polls. On divisive issues, politicians may often face a choice between personal and public opinion.

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People On Terrorism Watch List Not Blocked From Buying Guns

8:49am April 24, 2013

by Ailsa Chang

Under current laws, if a background check shows your name is on the national terror watch list, you can still purchase a gun. Government data show that people on terrorism watch lists were able to buy guns or explosives after a background check more than 1,300 times between 2004 and 2010.

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