Politics: Issues

Donald Trump listens to United Kingdom Independence Party leader Nigel Farage during a campaign rally on Aug. 24, in Jackson, Miss. Farage was a leader of the pro-Brexit campaign in Britain.

Trump Compares His Campaign To Brexit. What Do Britons Think?

12:22pm November 08, 2016

by Frank Langfitt

On his last day on the campaign trail, Donald Trump again drew parallels to the Brexit vote in the U.K. British voters say some comparisons are valid, but many expect a different outcome at the polls.

Detroit voters will have a chance to decide on Tuesday if they want to be more involved in the process and negotiations when big development projects happen near them.

The Business Ballot Battle Creating A Wedge Among Detroit Voters

6:30pm November 04, 2016

by Shelby Jouppi

Tired and unhappy with the city's actions, a group of Detroit activists put a measure on the ballot that would require large project developers to negotiate a binding agreement with the community.

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A man speaks with a potential employer Sept. 13 at a job fair in Hartford, Conn. Recent wage gains reflect the steady healing of the labor market since the worst of the Great Recession.

U.S. Wages Rising At The Fastest Pace In Years Amid Solid Hiring

3:39pm November 04, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

The Labor Department's latest jobs report shows that average hourly earnings have risen by 2.8 percent since last year, outpacing inflation. Economists say that will boost consumer spending.

Ammon Bundy, the leader of an anti-government militia, carries a copy of the U.S. Constitution in his pocket.

Bundy Militia Not Backing Down Following Oregon Trial Acquittal

12:15pm November 04, 2016

by Kirk Siegler

Ammon Bundy and his followers are back with fervor, saying that constitutionally, the government does not have the right to Western lands. But scholars disagree.

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A new ballot measure in Washington will determine if courts can take away guns from people deemed to be dangerous to themselves or others. The initiative is well-funded and comes two years after the state passed a different initiative for background check

Gun Control Groups Aim Their Money At States — And The Ballot

6:54pm November 02, 2016

by Martin Kaste

Borrowing tactics from campaigns to legalize same sex marriage and marijuana, gun control groups are shifting to a national strategy of tightening gun laws via state ballot initiatives.

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Voters To Weigh In On Variety Of Ballot Measures On Election Day

5:26pm November 02, 2016

Next week voters will weigh in on everything from marijuana to minimum wage laws to campaign finance. NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Caroline Cournoyer of Governing magazine about state ballot measures that voters will see at the polls.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are both proposing fixes to the American health care system.

Platform Check: Trump And Clinton On Health Care

5:26pm November 02, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The candidates diverge sharply on Obamacare but both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump see opportunities to improve health care through the tax code.

Missouri's Amendment 3 would increase the tax on cigarettes by 60 cents. Alternatively, Proposition A would tax all cigarette brands in the state by 23 cents.

Why Tobacco Companies Are Spending Millions To Boost A Cigarette Tax

9:34am November 02, 2016

by Alex Smith

The tobacco giant is supporting its first cigarette tax — 60 cents more per pack. But some health groups oppose Missouri's ballot measure, as do some education groups that would benefit from the tax.

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Ana Temu of Colorado Latinos Rise, a progressive political action committee, says her campaign polled over 17,000 Latino voters this year about issues that matter to them.

Supporters Hope Minimum-Wage Votes Will Push Democratic Turnout

5:35pm October 29, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Voters in four states will be deciding whether to raise minimum wages. Supporters hope that voters will both approve the measures and help swing voters to Democratic candidates.

Workers at the Department of Homeland Security's National Operations Center in 2015. The Obama administration proposes $3.1 billion in upgrades to federal computer systems.

Obama Urges A Boost In IT Spending To Secure Federal Computers

5:39pm October 27, 2016

by Brian Naylor

Protecting decades-old systems from hackers is like "trying to put air bags into an old car," the government's chief information officer says. The administration proposes $3.1 billion in upgrades.