Politics

Colo. Gun Laws Offer Inspiration, Cautionary Tale For Obama

8:42am April 03, 2013

by Scott Horsley

The president is trying to regain traction for federal gun control measures by visiting states that are moving forward on their own. Today he speaks in Colorado, where public outrage in the wake of mass shootings helped propel new legislation — and where opponents are promising political payback.

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White House Delays Part Of Health Care Law

8:19am April 03, 2013

by Julie Rovner

The Obama administration has decided to delay for a year a key piece of the health law that will let small businesses provide a choice of health plans to their workers. It is the first admission that the task of rolling out the law is too complicated to accomplish in the time allowed.

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Politics & Government

Judicial Vacancies Languish On Key Federal Appeals Court

7:42am April 02, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., is sometimes called the second most important court in the country, regularly delivering the final word on major environmental, labor and national security cases. But four of its 11 judge's slots are vacant, the most in the nation.

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Politics & Government

The Politics Of The Guest-Worker Program

2:27pm April 01, 2013

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO agreed on a plan for a new system to import temporary workers. NPR senior Washington editor Ron Elving discusses the politics of the business-labor immigration deal. Rusty Barr, owner of Barr Evergreens, shares how he uses the guest-worker program.

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Gay Marriage Recap: Will Justices Rule On Constitutionality?

10:34am March 30, 2013

It was a busy week in the debate over gay marriage, with two Supreme Court cases and a number of members of Congress moving from opposition to endorsement. NPR's Nina Totenberg and NPR political editor Ron Elving join host Scott Simon for a recap.

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Tweets from GOP supporters scroll along the side of a large-screen display at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 28, 2012.

Politics & Government

Republicans Launch Mission To Turn Up Their Digital Game

7:17pm March 28, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

Democrats are winning the digital arms race, a recent GOP report concludes. Republicans say Democrats have a built-in advantage: that many technology and social media experts aren't Republican. Now, the GOP is taking distinct steps to improve its digital strategy and online presence.

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Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., appears at the Reuters Washington Summit last year.

From Leadership Posts, Women Said To Be Changing Senate Tone

7:17pm March 28, 2013

by Ailsa Chang

The 20 women in the U.S. Senate this year is the largest number in history. Female senators also now claim an unprecedented number of leadership positions. And several female senators interviewed say that is causing a change on Capitol Hill in the tone and process of legislating.

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Politics & Government

The Politics Of Guns And The Influence Of Advertising

11:50am March 28, 2013

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a $12 million ad campaign in 13 states this week to persuade senators to support gun control legislation. The ads promote universal background checks as a prerequisite for gun ownership.

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Justices Cast Doubt On Federal Defense Of Marriage Act

8:51am March 28, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

In oral arguments, several Supreme Court justices expressed strong skepticism about DOMA, the law that bars same-sex couples legally married under state law from receiving the same federal benefits as married heterosexual couples.

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A member of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization (right) is confronted by a pro-gay-marriage activist outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Politics & Government

Outside the Supreme Court, The Arguments Continue

5:58pm March 27, 2013

As oral arguments were held Tuesday in the first of two same-sex-marriage cases inside the Supreme Court, the steps and sidewalks outside were transformed into a public forum of sorts on the issue.

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