All Politics
First LookUS government shuts down amid standoff over immigrationA last-ditch Republican funding bill fell well short of the 60 Senate votes needed Friday night to prevent the country's first shutdown since 2013.
A year after the March, women are sprinting forwardThe Women's March on Jan. 21, 2017 sparked new levels of activism and engagement for many, with record numbers of women running for office, donating to campaigns, and finding new ways to get involved.
What makes immigration deals so hardIncreased partisanship and decreased trust among lawmakers have made reforming immigration harder than ever 鈥� even as pressure to fix the problems in the system has grown.
In shutdown showdown, a crucial question: Who will get the blame?With Friday鈥檚 deadline looming to avert a government shutdown, some observers see a twist to what is typically a party-line battle. Some Republicans and Democrats say they are tired of short-term funding of government 鈥� with its patches, unpredictability, and the toll that takes.
Spy suspect's arrest: What motivates turncoats?The FBI has charged Jerry Chun Shing Lee, a former CIA officer, with illegally retaining documents. That may have helped Beijing brutally dismantle US espionage operations in China.聽
First LookDemocrats watch Pennsylvania special election race for anti-Trump sentimentA moderate Democrat and a Trump supporter face off in conservative Pennsylvania in a special congressional election race as Democrats hope for a political renaissance on the heels of sweeping wins in Virginia and a surprise upset in Alabama.聽
On policy, Trump favors one side of red-blue divideFrom tax reform to offshore drilling, the Trump administration has made major policy moves that appear to favor red states and penalize blue ones, reflecting the GOP's control of government 鈥� and the degree to which the president is focused on his base.
Why presidential language mattersWhen presidents sort groups of voters 鈥� and groups of nations 鈥� into categories they like and dislike, the results aren鈥檛 always pretty. It鈥檚 a tactic that can be wrong, and ineffective, say historians.
Q&A: In St. Louis, the Rev. Darryl Gray is 'praying with my feet''If we can be successful in St. Louis as Dr. King and the civil rights leaders were in Selma, it could change this country, as Selma did.' 鈥� The Rev. Darryl Gray, civil rights activist
First LookTrump opens path for states to require employment for Medicaid recipientsThe Trump administration announced a policy shift that would allow states to enforce work requirements for Medicaid recipients. Ten states have already applied for waivers to require work or community involvement.
First LookState legislators rework sexual misconduct policiesSexual harassment policies for state legislatures across the country are currently being reviewed and changed following a rash of complaints against lawmakers in around two dozen states.
Why earmarks, deplored by many Republicans, find a new fan in TrumpAllowing members of Congress to insert pet provisions has been a fount of wasteful spending in the past. It can also facilitate dealmaking 鈥� now an urgent priority for President Trump.
On DACA, old political fault lines 鈥� but new room for optimismSome lawmakers say Tuesday's televised negotiations helped them inch toward a deal to aid an estimated 700,000 young people brought illegally to the US as children. Also Tuesday, a federal judge issued an injunction temporarily blocking White House plans to end the DACA program in March.
First LookRussian interference in Europe brought to surface by congressional reportA new report by congressional Democrats highlights Russia's increasing interference in Europe and the US who feel the meddling has failed to be addressed by President Trump, despite aggressive countermeasures by other Western democracies.
First LookJudges strike down North Carolina GOP-drawn voting mapFederal judges determined that North Carolina's congressional district map gave the Republican Party an advantage for most seats and ordered the map to be redrawn immediately.聽
Oprah 2020? Why the political appeal of celebrities endures.Oprah Winfrey鈥檚 impassioned speech about the #MeToo movement at the Golden Globe Awards lit Democratic hopes and dreams. Part of that may be because voters want to connect with their leaders on an emotional as well as a political level.聽
Gun rights: Bid to federalize concealed carry puts GOP in unfamiliar territoryThat a black single mom has become the poster-woman for a national concealed-carry reciprocity bill has put Republicans in an unusual position. The party usually arguing in favor of states' rights finds itself defending federal supremacy.
First LookTrump reaffirms promise of border wall before immigrations talks with CongressThough Republicans and Democrats seem far from an agreement on immigration reform, President Trump heads into discussions with congressmen from across the aisle regarding 'Dreamers' and his campaign promise of a border wall.
Under Trump, US debates a leader鈥檚 mental fitness as never beforeTwo books, one quoting White House insiders and the other by psychiatrists, have spurred discussion of a long-taboo subject regarding sitting presidents. It's about Trump, but also about whether the "Goldwater rule" against armchair diagnosis should still apply.
Why the leaders of the Republican establishment are smilingThe political banishment of Steve Bannon means the GOP can focus on candidates who appeal to the mainstream. But the rift with the anti-establishment still remains, and Trump will have to help mend it for the midterms, analysts say.
