How To Turn A Red State Blue: California Edition
Democrats who want to change the dynamics in Texas are turning to California for inspiration. Here's a look at how things went so wrong for the Republicans in the Golden State.
Governing
'The Center Holds' Sees Victory For Moderates In Obama's Win
Journalist Jonathan Alter regards the 2012 presidential contest as the most consequential election of recent times. In his new book, Alter argues that President Obama's re-election prevented the country from veering sharply to the right, and he dissects the campaign and the events that led up to it.
'The Watchers' Have Had Their Eyes On Us For Years
Shane Harris, an author and journalist who covers intelligence, surveillance and cybersecurity for a number of publications, says that the revelations about the NSA from Edward Snowden are nothing new, and that such programs have a significant recent history in the United States.
Obama's Former Legal Adviser Urges U.S. To 'Disciple Drones'
Harold Koh, who was a legal architect for President Barack Obama's drone policies, criticized the administration's lack of transparency on its use of drones. In a speech at Oxford University, the former legal adviser for the State Department suggested the U.S. "discipline drones."
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn Talks Climate and Carbon
Like any major city near a coast, Seattle likely won't be immune from rising sea levels and other effects of global warming. Mayor Mike McGinn discusses the city's plans for addressing climate change, including his push to divest Seattle's pension funds from fossil fuel investments, and the city council's plan to make Seattle carbon neutral by 2050.
Administration's Plan For Morning-After Pill Pleases No One
The Obama administration's move to drop opposition to over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception is pleasing no one. It proposes making just one brand-name form available to all ages without a prescription.
Watchdog Agency Could Keep NSA In Check, Once It Gets Going
The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board is tasked with making sure that secret government surveillance programs aren't abused. It was created in 2004, but still doesn't even have a website or email.
The NSA, Verizon And The Future of Domestic Spying
According to a top-secret court order obtained by The Guardian, the National Security Agency has collected the phone records of millions of U.S. Verizon customers since late April. The Guardian's Spencer Ackerman explains the coming debate over the scale of domestic spying operations.
Immigration Measure Faces Test In Senate, Rival Bill In House
The immigration overhaul proposed by a bipartisan group of senators has been passed out of committee and will soon be brought before the Democratic-led Senate. Less clear, though, is where the issue is headed in the GOP-controlled House, where another bipartisan group is at work on its own bill.
The President's Remarks On The Future Of National Security
In a speech at the National Defense University, President Barack Obama addresses the use of U.S. drones to target terrorists — including U.S. citizens — and his renewed efforts to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.