Politics

Why Iowa Has Caucuses And Why Iowans Vote First In Presidential Contests

2:22pm January 08, 2016

by Sam Sanders

In less than a month, voters in Iowa will be first to choose who they want to be president. The Iowa caucuses have been first since 1972. How did this tradition get started?

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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking at Thursday's campaign event in Burlington, Vt.

Trump In Vermont: 'I Would Love To Run Against Bernie'

2:21pm January 08, 2016

by Peter Hirschfeld

The Republican front-runner stopped in one of the most liberal states in the country for a raucous rally.

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Pastors Say Va. GOP Loyalty Pledge Creates 'Burden Of Fear' For Black Voters

2:12pm January 08, 2016

by Asma Khalid

Three pastors are suing the Virginia Board of Elections, arguing that a new rule requiring voters to pledge loyalty to the Republican Party before voting in the state's primary is discriminatory.

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Is Obama's Hope For Better Fuel Economy Sputtering Out?

1:24pm January 08, 2016

by Scott Horsley

For a while, the president's plan for increasing vehicles' fuel efficiency worked; he said it would save money and reduce carbon pollution. Then came cheap gas, and the improvements have stalled.

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"The city, the township, is a natural expression, a natural manifestation of that social instinct that we have. ... They define us." — Benjamin Barber

Does The Road To Changing The World Go Through City Hall?

9:55am January 08, 2016

by NPR/TED STAFF

Political theorist Benjamin Barber argues that cities and city mayors are the key to bypassing political gridlock and solving many of our global challenges.

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"Cities are where you can see your mayor in a grocery store." — Kasim Reed

How Are Mayors Better Poised to 'Get Things Done'?

9:55am January 08, 2016

by NPR/TED STAFF

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed says mayors are in a position to accomplish a great deal, because they're locals. They can see a city the way "people who are most in need of help see it," he says.

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Obama Directs The Pentagon To Study Gun Safety

10:16pm January 07, 2016

by David Welna

The White House has ordered the Pentagon to study gun safety in an attempt to field new technologies that make weapons safer. But the military services don't have any desire for safer weapons, and none of the technologies or products that already exist have found any acceptance among gun buyers.

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How Florida's New District Maps Could Give Democrats An Edge

7:09pm January 07, 2016

by Greg Allen

Republicans control the reins of power in Florida, but Democrats think the new maps will help them unseat some GOP incumbents both in Congress and in the state Legislature.

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Hillary Clinton Outlines Plan To Address Autism

6:42pm January 07, 2016

This week in Iowa, Hillary Clinton announced a detailed plan to address autism, including additional resources and research. NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Ron Fournier, a columnist for National Journal and father of a child with Asperger's syndrome, about the plan and the significance of a presidential campaign taking on the issue.

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Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's superPAC is a juggernaut, raising well over $100 million. But he has sputtered in the GOP primary.

SuperPACs Are Not So Super In 2016

6:31pm January 07, 2016

by Peter Overby

Outside groups were expected to propel candidates this year. But in the 2016 Republican primary, they are having little impact on who's up and who's down.

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