Politics

Tea Party and conservative leaders including Sen. Ted Cruz, Rep. Michele Bachmann and Sen. Mike Lee gather for a press conference on Capitol Hill in May.

'Insurgent' Wing Grapples For Control Of The GOP

4:57pm October 23, 2013

New York Times national political correspondent Jonathan Martin explains the Republican rift that was widened by the recent budget battles. He talks about how the divisions may play out in upcoming elections and traces the history of the battle between establishment Republicans and the "insurgent" conservatives.

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Obama Says He's 'Frustrated' About Health Care Site Issues

3:37pm October 22, 2013

At the White House on Monday, President Obama acknowledged widespread problems with his health care law's website while still defending the Affordable Care Act. NPR White House Correspondent Scott Horsley talks with Steve Inskeep about the president's remarks.

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Volkswagen's car plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., is the company's only one in the U.S. It's also the only VW plant around the world without a workers union.

Volkswagen Union Opposed By Tennessee Republican Officials

10:10am October 22, 2013

by Blake Farmer

At auto plants, the tension is typically between the workers and the management. But not at Volkswagen in Chattanooga, where it's Republican officials who are trying to stand in the way. One of them is the Tennessee governor, who says a unionized plant might discourage other companies from coming to his state.

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Politics & Government

Tea Party Activist: It Was Worth 'Getting In The Ring'

10:09pm October 18, 2013

by Don Gonyea

It's been a tough week for the Tea Party and its supporters in Congress. But activist Sal Russo and others say that their movement isn't going away. They're looking ahead to next year's midterm elections, as well as to next month's local races.

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The Olmsted Locks and Dam project is under construction on the Ohio River between Illinois and Kentucky.

Money For Dam Project In Shutdown Deal Riles Conservatives

10:09pm October 18, 2013

by Peter Overby

When Congress voted to end the shutdown, the measure also included $2 billion for a troubled lock and dam project on the Ohio River. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a supporter of the project, has been attacked by hard-line conservatives who call it pork-barrel spending, but he says he didn't put it in the bill.

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Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, in New York City.

Wilted Reputations Left By Shutdown And Default Threat

5:35pm October 18, 2013

by John Ydstie

There was a sense of relief Thursday as the U.S. government went back to work and once again skipped past default. But around the world, many investors wonder whether the U.S. is going to be in fiscal crisis mode for some time to come, and how the country's currency and creditworthiness will be viewed by others.

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Obamacare Fight Leads Sen. Roberts To Turn Against Old Friend Sebelius

1:28pm October 18, 2013

by Don Gonyea

Despite their failure to defund the health care law, Republicans still detest it — and now there's a movement underway to oust Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. What's unexpected is that the effort is being led by Sen. Pat Roberts, a fellow Kansan she has long had close ties to.

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Declining Gas Prices Pump Up A Shaky Economy

12:34pm October 18, 2013

by Marilyn Geewax

The federal shutdown had economists worried, but consumers have had something to smile about. Gasoline prices are the lowest in three years — under $3 a gallon in some places. Analysts credit greater supplies, lower demand, the easing of Middle East tensions and even a slow hurricane season.

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After Shutdown Dust Clears, Where Does Boehner Stand?

12:23pm October 18, 2013

Weeks after vowing that House Republicans would not capitulate to President Obama's demands for "clean" bills reopening the government and raising the debt ceiling, Speaker John Boehner led his caucus in doing exactly that. Only about a third of Republicans voted "yes" on the bill with Boehner, but Boehner's standing among Tea Party conservatives in his caucus may have actually improved.

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Budget Process Isn't Over. Are More Shutdowns Ahead?

10:23am October 17, 2013

by David Welna

By wide margins in both the House and the Senate, Congress voted Wednesday night to end a 16-day partial government shutdown. The measure also delays the debt ceiling deadline until early February. House and Senate Budget committees have until Dec. 13 to reconcile competing budgets.

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