Politics

Sequester Cuts Could Affect Air Safety

12:04pm February 28, 2013

At a hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, FAA administrator Michael Huerta explained to lawmakers what the sequester means to the aviation industry. He said he has limited ability to avoid furloughs for key personnel, such as air traffic controllers. That could lead to delays for passengers and the closing of towers.

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Risser has his usual lunch of soup and beer at an Irish pub across from the state Capitol.

At 85, 'Old-School' Politician Shows No Signs Of Quitting

8:16pm February 27, 2013

by Ina Jaffe

Elected in 1956, Wisconsin state Sen. Fred Risser is the longest-serving state lawmaker in the country. He may not use Facebook, Twitter or email, but he's gotten a lot done over the years. Considered an "institution within an institution" by some, he was just re-elected for another four years.

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The Changing Politics Of Health Care

2:30pm February 27, 2013

After vocal GOP opposition to President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, three prominent Republican governors recently signed-on to one key element of the law. NPR Political Junkie Ken Rudin and NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner explain on the shifting politics of health care.

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Supreme Court Weighs Future Of Voting Rights Act

8:48am February 27, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

The provision at issue in Wednesday's case before the court applies to parts of the U.S. where discriminatory voting practices were once rampant. The formula that covers those areas hasn't changed since 1975. The crux of the case: whether times have changed so much that Congress violated the Constitution when it reauthorized the law in 2006.

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Deadline For Sequester Cuts Near

7:37am February 27, 2013

Usually when we come up to the edge of one of these deadlines there are 11th-hour negotiations, and the two parties manage to swerve away from the precipice at the last minute. What about this time?

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Sequester Cuts Free Some Immigration Detainees

7:37am February 27, 2013

by Ted Robbins

Reaction is coming in after the Obama administration's unusual move releasing immigration detainees due to budget cuts. An Arizona sheriff is blasting the sequestration gridlock for undermining the safety of local communities. Immigrant rights groups, however, say it shouldn't take a budget crisis to do what they think is right.

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A nutrition specialist prepares a Meals on Wheels delivery in upstate New York. The national organization says the sequester could mean significant cuts in the number of meals they serve to homebound seniors.

Advocates Warn Sequester Could Mean Big Cuts For The Low-Income

7:05pm February 26, 2013

by Pam Fessler

Those who serve low- and middle-income people warn that cuts required by the looming sequester will hurt programs that many Americans rely on, like meals for seniors, heating assistance and nutritional aid for expectant mothers. But supporters of the sequester say those fears are overblown.

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Loaded Words: How Language Shapes The Gun Debate

9:44am February 26, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

The debate currently raging over guns goes beyond a disagreement over policy. Advocates on both sides literally disagree on the terms of the discussion — as in, the words they use to describe it. They know that the specific phrases they use tap into deeply held values in the people who hear them.

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Caitlin J. Halligan, shown in 2005, waited more than 700 days in the last Congress for a vote on the Senate floor before she was filibustered, the White House says. She was nominated again last month.

Would-Be Federal Judges Face The Washington Waiting Game

7:23pm February 25, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The White House is calling out Congress for a slowdown in voting on judicial nominees, saying it has left 10 percent of judgeships unfilled. The president also faces criticism from the left on the pace of his nominations. But recent White House moves and a new Senate rule could help get things moving.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina voices his opposition to President Obama's choice of former Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska as secretary of defense, on Capitol Hill last week.

Senate Decisions Could Put Lindsey Graham's Seat At Risk

11:55am February 23, 2013

by Tamara Keith

The South Carolina Republican has been outspoken in his criticism of President Obama's administration lately, particularly his opposition to Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense. But this may have to do more with a possible primary challenge than the nomination itself.

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