NPR Politics
A New Front In The War On Obamacare: Twitter
Republicans slammed Obamacare with a barrage of three-word tweets. But the White House trolled them in response.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Congress: Where Food Reforms Go To Die?
As Congress gets to work on the farm bill, two common-sense, bipartisan reform measures seem to have gotten run over somewhere along the way. The first would set minimum standards for housing egg-laying chickens. The second sought to change how the U.S. provides food aid to people in foreign nations.
Some Lawmakers Want Big-Budget Groups Included In IRS Debate
The Justice Department is investigating the IRS's flagging of grass-roots conservative groups that sought nonprofit status. But some lawmakers want the debate extended to look at the well-financed activities of existing 501(c)(4) groups that spent millions in the 2012 elections.
House Republicans Take Another Stab At Repealing Obamacare
The House held a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act — again. This time it was to make freshman Republicans happy by giving them a vote to take home.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Obama Responds To Questions On IRS, Benghazi, AP Phone Logs
President Obama met reporters briefly on Thursday with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, but the American side of the news conference was all about domestic controversies involving the IRS and the Justice Department.
Obama Has 'Complete Confidence' In Attorney General Holder
The Justice Department searched phone records of AP reporters and editors in search of the source of a leak. Critics call that overreach. The president says the government must sometimes balance national security against press freedom.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
The Tricky Business Of Retirement: Hidden 401(K) Fees
You could end up with a lot less savings at 65 than you ever anticipated because of fees charged by the financial institutions managing your retirement accounts. Robert Hiltonsmith, who researches retirement security, says those fees were disclosed to 401(k) plan participants until only recently.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Obama Names New Acting IRS Commissioner
The president names Daniel Werfel to replace outgoing acting commissioner Steven Miller, who was ousted Wednesday in the wake of a scandal over IRS scrutiny of conservative groups.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Focus On Women, Families Propels New York's Sen. Gillibrand
Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand is introducing legislation with other lawmakers Thursday that would change the way the military prosecutes sexual assault cases. It's the latest high-publicity move for a senator who was almost unknown four years ago when she was appointed to fill Hillary Clinton's seat.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Sen. Gillibrand Profile
Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York will be introducing legislation with other lawmakers Thursday that would change the way the military prosecutes sexual assault cases. It's the latest high-publicity move for a senator who was almost unknown four years ago when she was appointed to fill Hillary Clinton's Senate seat. NPR's Ailsa Chang profiles the junior senator, who's now appearing on some lists for possible candidates for vice president — even president.
South Dakota Officials Miss Historic Meeting With Tribes
Federal officials met with South Dakota's nine Sioux tribes on Wednesday for a historic summit in Rapid City. A year in the making, it was an effort to address long standing concerns over the high number of Native American children the state places in white foster homes. State officials, however, didn't show up for the meeting.
Obama Acts To Control 2 Big Controversies
The White House on Wednesday tried to turn the fire hose on two big flare-ups. The administration released 100 pages of emails related to the Benghazi terrorist attacks in Libya, and President Obama announced that the acting IRS commissioner is stepping down.
Obama Acts To Control Controversies
The White House on Wednesday tried to turn the fire hose on two big flare-ups. The administration released 100 pages of emails related to the Benghazi terrorist attacks in Libya, and President Obama announced that the acting IRS commissioner is stepping down. David Greene talks to NPR's Ari Shapiro about the White House's efforts at damage control.
Cloning, Stem Cells Long Mired In Legislative Gridlock
The news that scientists have successfully cloned a human embryo seems almost certain to rekindle a political fight that has raged, on and off, since the creation of Dolly the sheep. It's a fight that has, over the past decade and a half, produced a lot of heat and light and not a lot of policy.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
House Panel OKs Farm Bill With Food Stamp Cuts
The House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday approved a sweeping farm bill that would trim the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program. The panel rebuffed Democratic efforts to keep the program whole, as debate on the farm bill turned into a theological discourse on helping the poor.
The Obamas Release 2012 Financial Disclosure
The 2012 accounting of the president and first lady's finances shows they had between $1.8 million and $7 million in assets.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Obama Announces Resignation Of Acting IRS Commissioner
The president says the resignation of Steve Miller is part of a larger effort to make sure the IRS never again engages in partisan targeting of certain groups.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
White House Addresses Benghazi Emails, IRS Audits
The White House has released 100 pages of internal emails related to the development of talking points after the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, last year. President Barack Obama also addressed the controversy surrounding the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups. Audie Cornish talks to Scott Horsley.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
10 Things We Learned From the IRS Inspector General Report
Among the things we learned about the IRS from the inspector general's report was that their boss told the group of employees at the controversy's heart to stop their dubious practices. Which they did, for a little while at least.
One Reason To Apply For Tax-Exempt Status: Anonymity
The IRS scandal has put a spotlight on a part of the tax code increasingly popular with political groups. Donors can't get tax deductions for giving to 501(c)(4) organizations like they would for charities. But the names of those donors can stay private.
