Politics

Congress Gets A Beating In Gates Memoir, Too

12:50pm January 27, 2014

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has a new memoir out that serves up some tough criticism of President Obama and Congress. NPR's Arun Rath talks to correspondent Liz Halloran about the punches being thrown.

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An Unconventional Contender Emerges As GOP Ponders 2016 Convention

7:29pm January 24, 2014

by Don Gonyea

Las Vegas may seem to be an unlikely place for Republicans to gather to nominate their next presidential candidate. That's exactly why city leaders are getting such a head start on their pitch to do just that.

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Politics & Government

Boehner Picks Cathy McMorris Rodgers For GOP Rebuttal

10:16am January 24, 2014

by Mara Liasson

Tuesday night is the State of the Union Address — the biggest opportunity President Obama gets all year to speak to the American people about his priorities. There's also another speech that night — the GOP response. On Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner announced Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers from Washington State would deliver the official rebuttal.

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Pope Francis waves to faithful during the Angelus prayer from his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sunday. President Obama will meet with the pope for the first time in March.

Finding Common Interests, Obama And The Pope Set A Date

8:32pm January 21, 2014

by Scott Horsley

The meeting in March will be the two men's first face-to-face encounter. The president and the pontiff have a shared interest in fighting income inequality, but the Roman Catholic Church still has serious differences with the president on issues such as abortion.

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Henry Ford Hospital treats Detroit residents. About 1 in 3 residents of that city is uninsured, and the hospital CEO hopes Medicaid expansion will increase the number of people with health insurance.

In Michigan, Businessmen And Politicians Agree On Medicaid

1:45pm January 20, 2014

by Eric Whitney

Michigan is one of only a handful of Republican-led states that is expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. It did it by forging a plan that worked for Republicans, Democrats and business interests, as well as doctors and hospitals.

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President Obama has alluded to his pen and his phone as two tools that help him act without waiting for congressional approval.

Wielding A Pen And A Phone, Obama Goes It Alone

8:04am January 20, 2014

by Tamara Keith

President Obama has a couple tools at his disposal that let him bypass congressional approval — and he's using them to advance his economic agenda. The administration says the president is still willing to work with Congress, but some on Capitol Hill are taking issue with the executive tactic.

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Politics & Government

5 Takeaways From The President's NSA Speech

7:21pm January 17, 2014

by Carrie Johnson

The president's speech Friday offered a revealing look into the nation's phone data collection program and the direction of the surveillance policy debate. But some of biggest controversies have been put off or pushed to Congress.

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In The Long Wait For Aid From Washington, Job Hunters Despair

6:20pm January 17, 2014

by Tovia Smith

After failing to agree upon an extension for federal jobless benefits to the long-term unemployed, Congress is vowing to keep trying. The help can't come soon enough for many of the 1.4 million unemployed who saw their checks suddenly cut off last month.

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Senate Committee Lays Blame For Benghazi With State Department

7:44pm January 15, 2014

by Tom Gjelten

The Senate Intelligence Committee has released a new bipartisan report on the 2012 Benghazi attack. The report finds that the attack was preventable. According to the committee, fault lies with the State Department for failing to provide adequate security or heed warnings about a deteriorating security situation. The committee claims that individuals associated with al-Qaida affiliates participated in the attack, but it stops short of saying the attack was pre-planned. The report also does not implicate the "core" al-Qaida leadership.

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Why The GOP Is Winning The Statehouse War

6:18pm January 15, 2014

In an increasing number of states, one party controls both chambers of the legislature and the governor's office. While both parties have contributed to the trend, the Republicans have had a lot more success with it. Reporter Nicholas Confessore credits the foresight of GOP strategists.

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