NPR Politics
Is The FDA's Caution Hazardous To Our Health?
Some argue that the FDA's approval process — required before new treatments can be sold on the market — takes too much time and money. A group of experts face off over the balance between safety and urgency in the latest Intelligence Squared U.S. debate.
IRS Chief Says 'Mistakes Were Made' But Weren't Partisan
The extra scrutiny given to some conservative groups' applications for tax-exempt status has sparked outrage. Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller blames "shortcuts," not politics. He and other IRS officials didn't alert Congress to what was happening when they could have last year.
Lawmakers Call For Hearings On IRS Scandal
The IRS scandal hands Republicans an unexpected opportunity to chide the Obama administration. It comes as the GOP's resurrected questions about how top officials, including the president, handled the attack last September in Benghazi, Libya, that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
IRS Controversy Revives Questions About Tax-Exempt Issues
President Obama says it's outrageous that the Internal Revenue Service apparently targeted conservative groups for additional scrutiny. Some say there has not been enough scrutiny of groups across the political spectrum that are tax exempt — yet which also advocate political causes.
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Lawmakers Call For Hearings On IRS Scandal
News that the IRS had singled out Tea Party groups for questioning when determining their status as social welfare groups has ignited a political firestorm.
IRS Controversy Revives Questions About Tax-Exempt Issues
President Obama says it's outrageous that the Internal Revenue Service apparently targeted conservative groups for additional scrutiny. Some say there has not been enough scrutiny of groups across the political spectrum that are tax exempt yet which also advocate political causes. NPR's Brian Naylor looks at the regulations governing non-profits and political organizations.
Clinton White House Crisis Manager Dings Obama's Message Team
Lanny J. Davis, a onetime crisis manager in former President Clinton's White House operation, doesn't give President Obama's communications team high marks.
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Poll: Americans Split Over Benghazi Issue
The survey showed that slightly more people (40 percent) thought the administration had been dishonest about Benghazi than those who said honest (37 percent).
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Card-Carrying Cajuns? Louisiana Lawmakers Weigh ID Change
A bill making its way through the Louisiana Legislature would let Cajun citizens celebrate their ancestry by customizing their driver's license, adding the phrase "I'm a Cajun" below their photograph.
For Tax-Exempt Groups, How Much Politics Is Too Much?
The IRS is under fire for directing additional scrutiny toward conservative groups seeking 501(c)(4) status. But the controversy reveals a question with no clear answer: Precisely what are so-called social welfare organizations allowed to do in electoral politics?
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White House On Defense Over IRS Audits, Benghazi
At a news conference in the White House East Room on Monday, President Obama responded to criticism surrounding the IRS targeting conservative groups and the administration editing talking points about September's terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.
Does Obama Administration Have The Second Term Curse?
The second term curse has plagued the last five two-term presidents, but President Obama's administration had been confident they'd be the ones to break the streak. But instead the administration finds itself on the defensive about the Benghazi and now IRS questions targeted at Tea Party groups.
IRS Under Fire For Targeting Conservative Groups
As the IRS plunged over the line in investigating conservative groups seeking 501c4 status, it was trying to answer a longtime question: What is a 501c4 "social welfare" organization allowed to do in electoral politics?
Benghazi Talking Points Debate Is A 'Sideshow,' Obama Says
The administration's critics, though, say revelations about changes made to accounts of what happened at the U.S. consulate raise questions.
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Drawing Security Lessons From Benghazi Mission Attack
The debate continues over the handling of the September attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. But retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson says some important lessons have already been learned about strengthening diplomatic security and inter-agency communication.
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Understanding Tax-Exempt Status
The IRS is under fire for singling out conservative organizations applying for charitable status for extra scrutiny. Associated Press reporter Stephen Ohlemacher, who broke the story, explains tax-exempt status and what kinds of organizations do and do not qualify.
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Obama On IRS Actions: 'Outrageous' If True
"This is pretty straight forward," Obama said Monday. "If in fact IRS personnel engaged in the kind of practices that have been reported .... and were intentionally targeting conservative groups, then that's outrageous and there's no place for it."
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Is GOP Overtime Bill Family Friendly?
House Republicans just passed a bill they say will help people juggle work and family. Supporters say the bill gives workers more flexibility by letting them trade for time off. But critics, including Senate Democrats, say it's just a ploy to pay workers less money. Host Michel Martin learns more from NPR's Senior Business Editor, Marilyn Geewax.
Is GOP Overtime Bill Family Friendly?
House Republicans just passed a bill they say will help people juggle work and family. Supporters say the bill gives workers more flexibility by letting them trade for time off. But critics, including Senate Democrats, say it's just a ploy to pay workers less money. Host Michel Martin learns more from NPR's Senior Business Editor, Marilyn Geewax.
Should Food Stamps Pay To Indulge A Sweet Tooth?
Millions of Americans rely on food stamps to keep from going hungry. They can also use them to buy sugary drinks. Some groups, including the National Center for Public Policy Research, say that's not right. Host Michel Martin discusses this with the Center's Justin Danhof, and University of Illinois Professor Craig Gundersen.
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