Buffett, Gates, and Adelson: Billionaires prod Congress on immigration reform
Billionaires Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Sheldon Adelson have taken Congress to task for failure to enact immigration reform.
Brad Knickerbocker
Confidence in the presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court all plummets
Gallup finds that Americans’ confidence in all three branches of the US government has fallen, reaching record lows for the Supreme Court and Congress, and a six-year low for the presidency.
New Old West: The Colorado restaurant where everyone carries a gun
Big businesses like Target and Starbucks are asking customers to please leave your guns at home. Not so at Shooters Grill in Rifle, Colorado.
Marijuana: Pot use declines worldwide, but not in the US
In Seattle this weekend, a school bus rigged up as a food truck will start selling items infused with marijuana. The menu includes truffle popcorn, peanut butter and jelly, and a Vietnamese pork […]
Marijuana: Oregon and Alaska could be next to legalize recreational use
While the fight is heating up in Florida over a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana, voters in Oregon and Alaska will decide whether to join Colorado and Washington in legalizing recreational use.
On social issues, America edges steadily left
The tendency among Americans to be more conservative on social issues is shifting, mainly because of changing attitudes among Democrats and younger people.
Insurgent gains in Iraq point to greater problems for the US
The Islamist insurgency in Iraq illustrates intelligence challenges in an increasingly unstable region, pointing to the potential for attacks in the US itself.
Locked in a box: How Bowe Bergdahl coped with captivity
As a prisoner of the Taliban, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was kept in solitary confinement for long periods. How he dealt with that is key to his recovery and to the investigation of his leaving his post in Afghanistan.
Clippers owner Donald Sterling: I am not a racist
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling says racist comments attributed to him are “the antithesis” of who he is. President Obama joins others in terming those comments “incredibly offensive.”
Fort Hood shooting: What’s known about combat stress and violence?
The rates of suicide and domestic violence have increased during the years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, though it is unclear if an Iraq deployment played a role in this case.
Michael Dunn verdict: What it says about race in America today
The partial verdict in the trial of Michael Dunn for the shooting death of black teen Jordan Davis in Florida – like the George Zimmerman case before it – raises questions about equal justice and race.
US marijuana policy edges toward acceptance
The US government considers marijuana an illegal drug. But Attorney General Eric Holder says the Justice Department will issue banking regulations for state-approved marijuana businesses.
Would a ‘third party’ protect your phone data better than the NSA?
President Obama wants to limit NSA surveillance of US citizens. One suggestion is that a third party – perhaps telecommunications company themselves – store such metadata for NSA use.
Saving horses from slaughter
A new law bans the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the US. Animal rights advocates are pushing a law that would prevent the export of horses for slaughter.
Date set to begin Iran nuclear deal
Officials announced Sunday that implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement reached in November will begin Jan. 20. A major challenge for the Obama administration is fending off the congressional push for increased economic sanctions on Iran.
New York set to join other states allowing medical marijuana
Gov. Andrew Cuomo – who in the past had opposed medical marijuana – reportedly will announce his support in his State of the State address this week.
Colorado school shooting: Armed guards the answer?
An armed deputy sheriff at Arapahoe High School in Colorado likely prevented a school shooting there from being worse, officials say, ending the episode in less than two minutes.
HealthCare.gov working much better, officials declare
The White House reports a ‘vastly improved’ online system used to sign up for the Affordable Care Act, now able to handle 50,000 individuals at a time and more than 800,000 applicants per day.
Obama must convince many Democrats as well as Republicans on Iran nuclear deal
Congress strongly supports Israel, with many members pushing for tough sanctions on Iran. This is a challenge for President Obama trying to win support for the deal on Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Obamacare woes: Hurting Obama in other areas as well?
The disastrous roll-out of the Affordable Care Act is to blame for plummeting polls on Obamacare. But that voter gloominess may be impacting the President’s standing on other issues too.