NPR Topics: Politics http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1014&ft=1&f=1014 NPR's expanded coverage of U.S. and world politics, the latest news from Congress and the White House, and elections. Subscribe to podcasts and RSS feeds. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:26:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Politics http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1014&ft=1&f=1014 'Public Option' Remains Possible Snag As Vote Looms Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs 60 votes — that's every Democrat and both Independents — to clear the way for a vote on historic heath care legislation Saturday. The final two Democrats fell in line Saturday afternoon — Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. But the holdouts still expressed strong reluctance about the "public option" in Reid's bill. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:26:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120653061&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120653061&ft=1&f=1014 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs 60 votes — that's every Democrat and both Independents — to clear the way for a vote on historic heath care legislation Saturday. The final two Democrats fell in line Saturday afternoon — Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. But the holdouts still expressed strong reluctance about the "public option" in Reid's bill.

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]]> Fallows On The News: Health Care, China, Palin The Senate spends the day tackling health care, President Obama returns from China, and former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin goes "rogue." Guy Raz reviews this week's news with James Fallows, national correspondent for <em>The Atlantic</em> magazine. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120652951&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120652951&ft=1&f=1014 The Senate spends the day tackling health care, President Obama returns from China, and former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin goes "rogue." Guy Raz reviews this week's news with James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic magazine.

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]]> Senate Vote Opens Debate On Health Care Bill Senate Democrats pushed through a procedural wall Saturday night and formally opened the floor debate on their effort to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system. The Senate mustered 60 votes, the exact number required to end a Republican filibuster against consideration of the bill, in a straight party-line vote. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:53:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120649888&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120649888&ft=1&f=1014 Senate Democrats pushed through a procedural wall Saturday night and formally opened the floor debate on their effort to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system. The Senate mustered 60 votes, the exact number required to end a Republican filibuster against consideration of the bill, in a straight party-line vote.

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]]> Expect Senate Health Bill To Change, Durbin Says The historic health care overhaul plan proposed by Congressional Democrats makes its way to the Senate for a test vote tonight. The sweeping legislation sets the stage for a showdown between Republicans and a fragmented Democratic majority. Sixty votes are required to advance the bill toward full debate. Host Scott Simon speaks with Sen. Dick Durbin, the majority whip of the Senate. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646658&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646658&ft=1&f=1014 The historic health care overhaul plan proposed by Congressional Democrats makes its way to the Senate for a test vote tonight. The sweeping legislation sets the stage for a showdown between Republicans and a fragmented Democratic majority. Sixty votes are required to advance the bill toward full debate. Host Scott Simon speaks with Sen. Dick Durbin, the majority whip of the Senate.

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]]> Republicans Hope For Just One Defection No Republicans will vote Saturday night to advance the Senate's health care bill to full debate, Republican Whip Sen. John Kyl says. That leaves the fate of the vote in the hands of a few moderate Democrats, all of whom are needed to reach the 60 votes required to push the bill forward. Host Scott Simon speaks with Kyl on his party's chances of defeating the bill. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646662&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646662&ft=1&f=1014 No Republicans will vote Saturday night to advance the Senate's health care bill to full debate, Republican Whip Sen. John Kyl says. That leaves the fate of the vote in the hands of a few moderate Democrats, all of whom are needed to reach the 60 votes required to push the bill forward. Host Scott Simon speaks with Kyl on his party's chances of defeating the bill.

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]]> One Job The Stimulus Has Definitely Saved The Web site Recovery.gov lists the jobs the Obama administration claims to have saved or created. In one company the government certainly did helped save a jobs, but it wasn't in manufacturing or technology. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646674&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646674&ft=1&f=1014 The Web site Recovery.gov lists the jobs the Obama administration claims to have saved or created. In one company the government certainly did helped save a jobs, but it wasn't in manufacturing or technology.

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]]> Week In Review With Daniel Schorr This week, the Senate faced a crucial vote on health care. The Obama administration fended off criticism over Sept. 11 trials in New York, and Hamid Karzai was sworn in for another term as president of Afghanistan. Host Scott Simon reviews the week in the news with NPR Senior News Analyst Dan Schorr. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646678&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646678&ft=1&f=1014 This week, the Senate faced a crucial vote on health care. The Obama administration fended off criticism over Sept. 11 trials in New York, and Hamid Karzai was sworn in for another term as president of Afghanistan. Host Scott Simon reviews the week in the news with NPR Senior News Analyst Dan Schorr.

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]]> Overlooked In The Rush To Digitize Medical Records The administration has made $45 billion available for doctors and hospital across the country to digitize medical records. This money, part of the government's stimulus plan, promises what amounts to a gold rush for major technology firms, who have begun competing to win those accounts. But Fred Schulte, senior reporter for the Huffington Post Investigative Fund, says some health care professionals wonder if the promise of electronic medical records has been exaggerated. Host Scott Simon talks to Schulte about the potential pitfalls. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646690&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120646690&ft=1&f=1014 The administration has made $45 billion available for doctors and hospital across the country to digitize medical records. This money, part of the government's stimulus plan, promises what amounts to a gold rush for major technology firms, who have begun competing to win those accounts. But Fred Schulte, senior reporter for the Huffington Post Investigative Fund, says some health care professionals wonder if the promise of electronic medical records has been exaggerated. Host Scott Simon talks to Schulte about the potential pitfalls.

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]]> Politics, Breast Health Have A Long History Together Meddling in medical recommendations is nothing new for politicians Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:20:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114409272&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114409272&ft=1&f=1014 Meddling in medical recommendations is nothing new for politicians

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]]> Evidence-Based Medicine: Hard For Some To Swallow Patients often find it difficult to base medical decisions on study results. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:07:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120620408&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120620408&ft=1&f=1014 Patients often find it difficult to base medical decisions on study results.

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]]> Week In Politics Examined Senate Democrats hoped to have enough votes this week to pass a health care bill, Obama Cabinet officials faced hostile lawmakers on Capitol Hill and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's much-awaited book hit bookstores. Political analysts E.J. Dionne, of <em>The Washington Post</em>, and David Brooks, of <em>The New York Times</em>, offer their insight. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:03:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120624692&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120624692&ft=1&f=1014 Senate Democrats hoped to have enough votes this week to pass a health care bill, Obama Cabinet officials faced hostile lawmakers on Capitol Hill and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's much-awaited book hit bookstores. Political analysts E.J. Dionne, of The Washington Post, and David Brooks, of The New York Times, offer their insight.

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]]> Health Care Concessions A Bow To Moderates The public option looms large in the minds of voters and certain lawmakers, but not so much in the Senate health care bill. There it limits eligibility, kicks in late, includes an opt-out provision for states, and is expected to cost more than private plans. Leaders say they had to weaken it to round up the 60 votes they need to move the bill forward. Still, its inclusion continues to jeopardize needed support for passage, because several members of the Democratic caucus adamantly oppose any public option. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120624310&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120624310&ft=1&f=1014 The public option looms large in the minds of voters and certain lawmakers, but not so much in the Senate health care bill. There it limits eligibility, kicks in late, includes an opt-out provision for states, and is expected to cost more than private plans. Leaders say they had to weaken it to round up the 60 votes they need to move the bill forward. Still, its inclusion continues to jeopardize needed support for passage, because several members of the Democratic caucus adamantly oppose any public option.

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]]> Senate Ethics Committee: No Punishment For Burris The Senate Ethics Committee on Friday admonished Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., for making "inconsistent, misleading or incomplete" statements about the circumstances surrounding his appointment to the seat once held by Barack Obama. The committee didn't recommend any punishment. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:26:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120613280&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120613280&ft=1&f=1014 The Senate Ethics Committee on Friday admonished Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., for making "inconsistent, misleading or incomplete" statements about the circumstances surrounding his appointment to the seat once held by Barack Obama. The committee didn't recommend any punishment.

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]]> Without Further Ado, Sarah Palin Returns Cultural and political phenomenon Sarah Palin returned to the national spotlight this week to promote her memoir "Going Rogue" and fielded questions about a possible run for the White House in 2012. Host Michel Martin talks with Mary Kate Cary, a columnist with U.S. News and World Report, and Matt Continetti, author of "The Persecution of Sarah Palin: How the Elite Media Tried to Bring Down a Rising Star" about what might be next for the former Alaska governor. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:11:01 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120609997&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120609997&ft=1&f=1014 Cultural and political phenomenon Sarah Palin returned to the national spotlight this week to promote her memoir "Going Rogue" and fielded questions about a possible run for the White House in 2012. Host Michel Martin talks with Mary Kate Cary, a columnist with U.S. News and World Report, and Matt Continetti, author of "The Persecution of Sarah Palin: How the Elite Media Tried to Bring Down a Rising Star" about what might be next for the former Alaska governor.

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]]> Senate Health Bill Faces Saturday Showdown Democrats will need to vote in lockstep to overcome GOP opposition in a key procedural vote to move the $848 billion measure to full debate. But it's not yet clear whether Majority Leader Harry Reid can round up enough support. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:42:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120611773&ft=1&f=1014 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120611773&ft=1&f=1014 Democrats will need to vote in lockstep to overcome GOP opposition in a key procedural vote to move the $848 billion measure to full debate. But it's not yet clear whether Majority Leader Harry Reid can round up enough support.

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