Politics & Government

First lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday speaks about 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot and killed on the South Side of Chicago earlier this year.

Michelle Obama Steps Into Gun Control Debate

7:19pm April 10, 2013

by Cheryl Corley

The first lady gave a personal and emotional speech in her hometown, two months after attending the funeral of a Chicago teen who was shot and killed earlier this year. Michelle Obama is encouraging business leaders to donate millions of dollars for programs to help at-risk youth.

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How The Latest Budget Could Affect You

2:51pm April 10, 2013

President Obama unveiled his fifth annual budget proposal to Congress Wednesday, offering a mix of tax increases and spending cuts. The newest changes include cuts to Medicare and Social Security benefits. Across the country, some are only beginning to feel the affects of sequestration.

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Politics & Government

Congress Nears Agreements On Guns And Immigration

2:23pm April 10, 2013

A bipartisan group of senators announced an agreement Wednesday on gun legislation. If passed by Congress, the agreement would require all buyers, even those at gun shows, to pass a check by a federally licensed dealer. The Senate's bipartisan Gang of Eight is also nearing a deal on immigration.

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Some Public Defenders Warn: 'We Have Nothing Left To Cut'

7:20am April 10, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

Around the country, budget cuts are bringing some federal public defenders to the breaking point. "We can't not pay the rent, and ... everything else is personnel. We can't send a computer to court," says Washington, D.C., public defender A.J. Kramer.

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Politics & Government

Immigration Protesters Aim For Rally To Motivate Lawmakers

7:20am April 10, 2013

by David Welna

Thousands of demonstrators backing more generous immigration rules are expected at a big rally on Capitol Hill Wednesday. They're demanding swift action by Congress. But while preliminary agreement has been reached on a range of immigration issues, it could be weeks before a bill appears in the Senate.

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President Obama signs a series of executive orders on gun control Jan. 16 surrounded by children who wrote letters to the White House about gun violence. They are, from left, Hinna Zeejah, Taejah Goode, Julia Stokes and Grant Fritz.

Politics & Government

Why Politicians Want Children To Be Seen And Heard

7:36pm April 09, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

Right now, children are central to campaigns on gun control, immigration and same-sex marriage — demonstrating their effectiveness as political messengers. Politicians know that on almost any issue, kids can make an argument more compelling.

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Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., shown speaking at a meeting of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on March 19, is promoting libertarian ideas as a way the Republican Party can be more inclusive.

Politics & Government

Will The Future GOP Be More Libertarian?

7:34pm April 09, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul thinks embracing libertarian ideas is one way the party can be more inclusive. And GOP leaders are starting to think he might be on to something.

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The 'Hard To Change' Legacy Of Medicare Payments

9:14am April 09, 2013

by Julie Rovner

One possible proposal in President Obama's budget would change the way Medicare patients pay for their care. It's been floated as a possible bipartisan compromise, but it's an idea with a long, controversial and unsuccessful history.

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Administration Urges Europeans To Ease Austerity Measures

9:14am April 09, 2013

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is on his first trip to Europe, pushing for leaders to let up on strict steps that were enacted during the financial crisis. His trip comes as President Obama prepares to send his budget plan to Congress. It's said to include cuts to Social Security and Medicare. David Greene talks to Lew, who's in Berlin to meet with Germany's finance minister.

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In Columbus, Ohio, signs of the sequester were hard to find.

Searching For The Sequester In The Middle Of Ohio

9:59pm April 08, 2013

by Tamara Keith

It's only been about a month since across-the-board federal spending cuts kicked in, but real, tangible, quantifiable signs of the sequester are proving hard to find so far. Politically, that means — for now, at least — there's not much pressure for Congress to undo or modify it.

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