Daily news coverage of politics, policy, and issues shaping the nation.
ODESSA, Ukraine—Outside of the city administration building here on April 16, three older men who said they were from the local Communist party unfurled a red hammer and sickle flag to protest a national law banning symbols of the Soviet Union. Nearby, police and local militia units were standing in a defensive ring around city…
Tycoon philanthropists Charles and David Koch may endorse a conservative Republican candidate for president before the party’s nominating convention, but any such decision is six months or more away. “While I think Governor Walker is terrific, I am not endorsing any candidate for president at this point,” David Koch says. An endorsement likely would turn…
Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and likely presidential candidate Carly Fiorina criticized the Democratic Party’s platform of abortion on demand during a recent speech. Serving as the mistress of ceremonies at the Susan B. Anthony List’s Campaign for Life Gala in Washington, D.C. last week, Fiorina praised the organization and its supporters for their contributions to…
Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s nominee for attorney general, is one step closer to a confirmation vote in the Senate after lawmakers today reached an agreement on a bipartisan human trafficking bill. Lynch’s confirmation was stalled after Democrats and Republicans disagreed on a provision in the anti-trafficking bill that would prevent a restitution fund for victims—funded…
With less than 70 days before the Export-Import Bank’s charter expires, a coalition of groups has formed in opposition to the agency’s reauthorization. More than 50 organizations joined forces to urge Congress to allow the Export-Import Bank’s charter to expire. The groups sent a letter to lawmakers on Capitol Hill explaining how the bank “unfairly…
Aiden Hill’s introduction to the secretive culture at Covered California came in his first days on the job. He had just been hired to head up the agency’s $120 million call center effort when he emailed a superior April 18, 2013, and got a text message in reply: Please refrain from writing a lot of…
At a school board meeting in Henrico County, Va., two months ago, a panel of school district officials and board members had been left speechless. School district officials were in the midst of crafting the district’s budget for 2016, and the five-member board had just heard a presentation from Assistant Superintendent for Finance Terry Stone,…
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently heard oral arguments in two cases challenging a signature aspect of President Obama’s energy plan. In June 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a Clean Power Plan, intended to cut carbon-dioxide emissions 30 percent, from 2005 levels, by 2030. Critics of the proposed…
KYIV, Ukraine—At its training camp on the outskirts of Kyiv this past weekend, the Ukrainian National Guard Azov Regiment held its Spartan Test—a grueling three-hour rite of passage meant to test the mental and physical strength of both new recruits and battle-hardened veterans. The ordeal is the capstone to a two-week-long whirlwind military training program,…
California’s health insurance exchange, established under the Affordable Care Act, has been held out as a national model for Obamacare. In some ways—not all of them good—it is. Whether it’s falling far short of 2015 enrollment goals or sending out 100,000 inaccurate tax forms, Covered California is struggling with its share of challenges. Now, several…
EAST ROCKAWAY, N.Y.—For Frances Healy, a 90-year-old widow known as "Muzzy," home is just a tease. Muzzy lives so close to her gutted, molded home—an unhealed victim of a hurricane that hit nearly two-and-half years ago—that she can see it. But she can't live in it. From her vantage point through a window in the…
Modern, Internet-enabled aircraft may be susceptible to hacking, according to a new government report. “Modern aircraft are increasingly connected to the Internet,” warns the Government Accountability Office report. “This interconnectedness can potentially provide unauthorized remote access to aircraft avionics systems.” Much like your own computer, if a plane’s Internet-connected safety systems aren’t protected by firewalls,…
On April 19, 1995, 168 people were killed and 680 injured in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City—leaving the country in mourning and in shock. The blast damaged or destroyed 324 buildings, ruined 86 cars and shattered 258 windows in nearby buildings. It was the work of two…
NASHUA, N.H.—Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina said America is in need of leaders rather than managers during a speech at the First in the Nation Summit in New Hampshire today. “I have lived all over the world, I have traveled and worked all over the world, and I know that it is only in…
NASHUA, N.H.—Sen. Ted Cruz said America is craving new leadership during his speech at the First in the Nation Summit in New Hampshire today. The Texas Republican, who announced his presidential campaign last month, began his remarks by praising his rivals for the Republican nomination as “an incredible array of conservative leaders.” Later, he shared…
NASHUA, N.H.—What motivated Sen. Rand Paul to run for president? The Kentucky Republican said he’s “tired of throwing things at the television.” Paul said he wants to find solutions to the problems facing the nation rather than simply complaining about them. In addition to making his pitch to Republican activists at the First in the…
Is your state a leader in innovation? The Consumer Electronics Association, a technology trade association, released its first Innovation Scorecard this week, ranking each state on its “innovation performance.” Consumer Electronics Association evaluated all 50 states and Washington, D.C. on criteria such as “right-to-work laws, policies that support new business models, tax friendliness, Internet speed,…
Supporters of the Export-Import Bank often argue the agency supports small businesses and allows such firms to compete in the global market. However, a new analysis of the bank’s transactions found those benefiting the most on the buyer side are large foreign corporations. Veronique de Rugy, senior fellow at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, and…
NASHUA, N.H.—Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., outlined his vision for “a new American century” during his first visit to New Hampshire since announcing his presidential campaign. “I believe with all my heart that America’s greatest days are right around the corner,” said Rubio at today’s First in the Nation Leadership Summit. Rubio said America should remain…
NASHUA, N.H.—Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in a speech today that hinted he might run for president again, said he is “optimistic” about the future of the United States. “This is an incredibly resilient country,” said Perry. “We lived through a civil war, two world wars, we lived through the Great Depression, we lived through…