Category: US Politics and Govt » General Politics
Paul McCartney And Oprah Winfrey to Receive Kennedy Center Honors
7 Sep 14:15 | Entertainment
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has announced singer and songwriter Merle Haggard; composer and lyricist Jerry Herman; dancer, choreographer and director Bill T. Jones; songwriter and musician Paul McCartney; and producer, television host and actress Oprah Winfrey will be honored at the 33rd annual national celebration of the arts.read more »
Former Treasurer of NRCC Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Funds
7 Sep 14:05 | USA News
Christopher J. Ward, 41, formerly of Bethesda, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen property in connection with a scheme to defraud the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and other political committees which were clients of his accounting and consulting business. read more »
Analysis: Dems Increasingly Show ‘Panic’ Over Midterms
6 Sep 14:59 | US Politics and Govt
Democrats are increasingly worried about the midterm elections, and there is “panic” in the White House as polls continue to trend well for Republicans in the weeks leading up to November, political analysts said over the weekend.read more »
Obama Seeks $50 Billion For Transport Infrastructure Upgrade
6 Sep 14:56 | USA News
President Barack Obama has announced he will seek $50 billion from Congress to expand and renew America's roads, railways and runways.read more »
Mayor and Chief of Police of Port Allen, Louisiana Indicted
2 Sep 13:48 | USA News
A federal grand jury has charged Derek A. Lewis, age 49, of Port Allen, Louisiana, and Frederick W. Smith, age 39, of Port Allen, Louisiana, with 22 counts of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, mail fraud, wire fraud, use of an interstate facility in aid of racketeering, and forfeiture. read more »
Obama Warns Of Tough Fight Ahead In Afghanistan
31 Aug 14:50 | USA News
President Barack Obama has warned America still faces "a very tough fight in Afghanistan" as combat operations in Iraq come to an end.read more »
Vice President Joe Biden Arrives In Iraq
30 Aug 13:26 | USA News
Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Iraq to participate in a Change of Command and Change of Mission Ceremony, fulfilling the commitment made by the President in his first month in office. read more »
Opinion: Issue No. 1 in November: Jobs
30 Aug 13:19 | US Politics and Govt
Illegal immigration. The war in Afghanistan. Global warming. Health Care. Terrorism. All of these issues remain on the radar in Washington, as Americans look ahead to the November elections. But while some of those issues were front and center just a short election cycle ago, today they are mere blips on the periphery of the screen. read more »
Opinion: Reflections on Afghanistan
28 Aug 2010 | USA News
BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Back in the States, there has been no shortage of analysts, politicos and pundits who have voiced an opinion about the continuing war against terrorism on its most active and public front here in Afghanistan. Some of those viewpoints are accurate, some have been made strictly to score political points, and still others are cogent in their thought and scrutiny, if not their accuracy.read more »
President Obama's Job Approval Holds Steady Over the Summer
23 Aug 2010 | USA News
President Obama's approval ratings end the summer almost unchanged from when it began, according to a new Harris poll.read more »
Study Finds Presidential Election Outcomes Directly Influence Suicide Rates
16 Aug 2010 | SciTech
A new longitudinal study published in the September issue of Social Science Quarterly analyzes suicide rates at a state level from 1981-2005 and determines that presidential election outcomes directly influence suicide rates among voters. read more »
Obama Announces New Foreclosure-Prevention Programs
11 Aug 2010 | US Politics and Govt
The Obama Administration has announced additional support to help homeowners struggling with unemployment through two targeted foreclosure-prevention programs. read more »
President Barack Obama To Appear On "The View"
27 Jul 2010 | Entertainment
ABC says President Barack Obama will become the first sitting US President to appear on a daytime talk show when he appears on "The View" on Thursday.read more »
Afghanistan Wikileaks Breach Federal Law Says White House
26 Jul 2010 | USA News
The White House says the leaking of top secret military documents relating to Afghanistan is a breach of federal law and the government has launched an investigation into how the documents were leaked.read more »
Federal Unemployment Compensation Claims To Be Backdated
23 Jul 2010 | USA News
The government extension of emergency unemployment compensation is retroactive, meaning claimants will be eligible to back payments. read more »
President Obama Tells Shirley Sherrod He Regrets Her Sacking
22 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Barack Obama says he has spoken to USDA official Shirley Sherrod to express his "regret" over her recent sacking. read more »
President Obama Tells Shirley Sherrod He Regrets Her Sacking
22 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Barack Obama says he has spoken to USDA official Shirley Sherrod to express "his regret" over her recent sacking. read more »
Congress Extends Emergency Unemployment Insurance
22 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
Congress has voted to extend emergency jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed for six-months, providing relief to over 3 million Americans who had been cut off the scheme.read more »
Obama Signs Sweeping Wall Street Reforms Into Law
21 Jul 2010 | USA News
President Barack Obama has signed into law the most sweeping reforms of the American financial system since the Great Depression and introduced what he says are the strongest consumer protections in history.read more »
Senate Votes To Extend Unemployment Insurance
20 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
Senators have voted to extend unemployment insurance for millions of Americans to help them weather the economic recession.read more »
Obama And Cameron Discuss BP Oil Spill, Lockerbie Bomber
20 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Barack Obama says he and his British counterpart David Cameron see eye to eye "on virtually every challenge before us," following Mr Cameron's first visit to the White House as Britain's leader.read more »
Obama Pleads With Congress To Extend Unemployment Insurance
19 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Barack Obama has urged Congress to extend unemployment insurance for Americans and criticised Republicans for blocking legislation that would continue the support to people in desperate need of income.read more »
Director of National Intelligence Response to the Washington Post Series (2)
19 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has issued a atatement "Truth about Contractors" which it says dispels myths surrounding the Intelligence Community’s use of and relationship with contractors, in response to the Washington Post series "Top Secret America."read more »
Director of National Intelligence Response to the Washington Post Series (1)
19 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has issued a Q&A regarding intelligence practices and reform efforts post-9/11 in response to the Washington Post series "Top Secret America." read more »
Parliaments Urged To Play Leading Role In Tackling Today’s Crises
19 Jul 2010 | World
The world's elected parliamentarians can play a leading role in tackling some of today’s global crises and challenges, including unconstitutional changes of government and threats to the rule of law, according to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.read more »
Former State Department Official Sentenced To Life For Spying For Cuba
16 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
A former State Department official, Walter Kendall Myers, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a nearly 30-year conspiracy to provide highly-classified U.S. national defense information to the Republic of Cuba.read more »
Bernanke Welcomes Passage Of Financial Reform Legislation
15 Jul 2010 | USA News
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the financial reform legislation just approved by the Congress represents a "welcome and far-reaching step toward preventing a replay of the recent financial crisis."read more »
Inquiry Finds GlaxoSmithKline Withheld Avandia Health Risk Data
13 Jul 2010 | USA News
A Senate Finance Committee inquiry says it has uncovered documents suggesting that GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of diabetes drug Avandia, failed to publish studies that found serious health risks associated with the drug and actively promoted it despite the safety concerns.read more »
Better-Looking Politicians Get More Media Coverage
8 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
The better a politician’s looks, the higher the frequency of television news coverage, according to a new study carried out at the University of Haifa’s Department of Communication.read more »
Obama Awards $2 Billion To Solar Companies
3 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Barack Obama has announced the Department of Energy is awarding nearly $2 billion in conditional commitments to two solar companies as part of his plan to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy.read more »
Vice President Makes Surprise Visit To Iraq
3 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr Jill Biden, have made a surprise visit to Iraq to celebrate Independence Day with U.S. troops stationed in the country.read more »
California State Assembly Votes To Ban Toxic BPA In Kids' Food Wares
2 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
The California State Assembly has voted 43-31 to ban the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from food and beverage containers designed for children 3 and younger.read more »
House Ethics Committee Clears California Rep. Laura Richardson
1 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
The House ethics committee says California Democrat Laura Richardson did not knowingly accept a gift from Washington Mutual Bank or violate any standards of conduct in connection with a residential property she owns in California.read more »
Obama Calls For Bi-Partisan Immigration Reform
1 Jul 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Barack Obama has called for a major reform of immigration laws following the passage of a controversial law in Arizona and the heated reactions across America. read more »
U.S. Debt To Hit Highest Level Since WW2 Says CBO
30 Jun 2010 | USA News
America's debt compared to economic output risks ballooning to 109 percent by 2025 under several changes to current law that are widely expected to occur or that would modify some provisions of law that might be difficult to sustain for a long period, according to the non partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).read more »
Senator Scott Brown Pulls Support For Financial Reform Bill
29 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
One of the three Republicans who originally voted for President Obama's Financial Reform Bill says he cannot support the legislation to the next stages if a new "bank tax" clause remains.read more »
UPDATE: Senate Confirms Petraeus To Run Afghanistan War
29 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
Gen. David Petraeus will lead the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan after being approved by the U.S. Senate.read more »
President Obama Pays Tribute To Senator Byrd
28 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Barack Obama has paid tribute to America's longest serving member of Congress, Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), who has passed away aged 92.read more »
The G-20 Toronto Summit Declaration
28 Jun 2010 | World
The Group of 20 countries have released a summit declaration which aims to cut deficits by 2013, against the wishes of the United States. Full transcript of the G-20 Toronto Summit Declaration.read more »
Obama Gets Lowest Job Performance Rating Since Taking Office
25 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Obama is now at his worst job ratings since taking office with only 39 percent of Americans giving him positive ratings on the overall job he is doing and 61% giving him negative marks, according to a new Harris Poll.read more »
Gates And Mullen Support McChrystal Decision
24 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Obama's top military brass say they support the decision to accept Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal's resignation as the NATO and U.S. commander in Afghanistan.read more »
Julia Gillard Sworn In As Australia's First Female Prime Minister
23 Jun 2010 | World
Julia Gillard has been sworn in as the first female prime minister of Australia after Kevin Rudd was forced to resign from the top job by his parliamentary colleagues before he had completed his first term in government.read more »
Gen. Stanley McChrystal's Job Under A Cloud After Magazine Comments
22 Jun 2010 | USA News
The job of Gen. Stanley McChrystal as America's top military commander in Afghanistan is in doubt after comments he and aides made in a Rolling Stone magazine profile which criticised President Barack Obama.read more »
Obama Bypassing Courts Over Spill Say Libertarians
18 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
The Libertarian Party says the federal government and BP share the blame for the large oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and President Obama "seem(s) to be trying to take the place of the courts" in determining liability for the oil spill.read more »
Rep. Joe Barton Retracts Apology To BP
17 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton, R-Texas, has retracted his apology made to BP at a subcommittee hearing on Thursday.read more »
Members Of Congress Dress Down BP CEO Tony Hayward
17 Jun 2010 | USA News
Members of Congress have berated BP chief executive Tony Hayward for being "way too evasive" in a testimony on the causes of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. read more »
Transcript: President Obama Oval Office Address to the Nation
15 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. As we speak, our nation faces a multitude of challenges. At home, our top priority is to recover and rebuild from a recession that has touched the lives of nearly every American. read more »
Obama Says World "Running Out" Of Oil
15 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
President Obama has asked Americans in an Oval Office address to accept the United States is running out of places to drill for oil, which is why the oil spill "epidemic" in the Gulf of Mexico has occurred, but said BP would pay for a "battle plan" to clean up the mess and compensate the victims for its "recklessness." RELATED: Transcript: President Obama Oval Office Address to the Nation read more »
Study Shows Politicians’ Appearance Influences Voting Behaviour
15 Jun 2010 | US Politics and Govt
A new study shows a politicians’ facial appearance can influence voting behaviour and the outcome of an election.read more »
Former Jersey City Deputy Mayor Gets Three Years for Taking Bribes
15 Jun 2010 | USA News
Former Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for accepting $20,000 in illicit campaign contributions in exchange for her agreement to exercise her official influence and authority to obtain real estate development approvals.read more »