Politics

Ahead Of Obama Trip, Mexico Alters Cooperation Agreements

10:09am May 02, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

President Obama heads to Mexico Thursday for a three day trip south of the border that includes a stop in Costa Rica. The president says he plans to focus on trade and economic opportunities between the U.S. and Mexico during his visit. But the timing of the trip comes just as Mexico is altering cooperation agreements between the two countries in the fight against drug trafficking.

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Obama Announces Commerce, Trade Nominees

10:09am May 02, 2013

President Obama on Thursday nominated Penny Pritzker to run the Commerce Department. An heiress to the Hyatt hotel empire and one of Forbes' 300 richest Americans, she also served on the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Obama also nominated a new U.S. Trade Representative. Michael Froman is a senior economic adviser to the president and a former Citigroup executive.

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Politics & Government

The Strategy Of Putting Politics On TV

2:25pm May 01, 2013

The last couple of years have seen a proliferation of politically-themed television, including Scandal, Veep and House of Cards. Reporter, columnist and TV analyst Jonathan Alter talks about his new political satire Alpha House, and what's changed in how entertainment television does politics.

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Politics & Government

The Race For South Carolina's Congressional Seat

2:05pm May 01, 2013

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford will face Elizabeth Colbert Busch in a special election for South Carolina's first district congressional seat May 7. NPR's Ken Rudin, NPR's Kathy Lohr and Robert Oldendick, University of South Carolina, discuss the candidates, the debate and the district.

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Vice President Joe Biden, holds a background check form last week in Washington, as he calls on Congress to pass legislation aimed at reducing gun violence.

Background Check Battle: More Prosecution Or More Checks?

1:54pm May 01, 2013

by Ailsa Chang

Some gun rights supporters point out that only a tiny fraction of people caught trying to buy a gun illegally are ever prosecuted. They say the government should focus on enforcing current law, not expanding background checks. But gun control supporters say that argument misses the point.

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Markey, Gomez Vie For John Kerry's Senate Seat

10:51am May 01, 2013

by Tovia Smith

Veteran Democratic Rep. Ed Markey, who has been in office for 36 years, will face off against novice Republican Gabriel Gomez in the race to become the next U.S. senator from Massachusetts.

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Roger Bottomley of Fairfax, Va., has been homeless for 10 years. He expected to get a housing voucher, but then his appointment with the local housing authority was canceled because of sequestration. He keeps his belongings in a locker at a homeless day c

Sequester Puts Some Needing Housing Aid 'Back To Square One'

8:01pm April 30, 2013

by Pam Fessler

Housing authorities across the country have all but stopped issuing rent vouchers as they try to deal with across-the-board spending cuts. Many newly issued vouchers have been rescinded, leaving some people homeless or doubled up with family and friends.

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American farms like this iceberg lettuce field owned by Duda Farm Fresh Foods outside Salinas, Calif., are facing a dwindling supply of farmworkers from rural Mexico.

Why An Immigration Deal Won't Solve The Farmworker Shortage

8:01pm April 30, 2013

by Kirk Siegler

Many farmers are cheering government proposals to give thousands of seasonal farmworkers a path to legal status. But even if the bill passes, it won't solve the long-term trend of fewer migrants coming north to work on U.S. farms. Farmers will instead have to learn how to do more with less immigrant labor.

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States Question What To Do With Surging Tax Revenue

1:07pm April 29, 2013

by Greg Allen

After at least three years of red ink, most states have budget surpluses. It's a sign of a recovering economy and leaves states with a new dilemma: how best to spend the money.

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Conservative Shift Has Some Kansans Yearning For The Past

8:17pm April 27, 2013

by NPR Staff

Journalist Jason Probst says he doesn't recognize his own state. He wrote a faux obituary lamenting Kansas' lost battle with extremism. But Republican Gov. Sam Brownback sees a bright future. He wants to eliminate state income taxes, hoping to build a model for other red states.

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