Rare Agreement On Abortion: South Dakota Law Makes Poor Test Case

A new law that imposes the longest waits for abortions in the country is vulnerable to constitutional challenge. Supporters of abortion rights have vowed to file suit. And abortion opponents are uncharacteristically mum.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/23/134801673/rare-agreement-on-abortion-south-dakota-law-makes-poor-test-case?ft=1&f=1014

hillary clinton george w bush nancy pelosi harry reid john mccain

Chicago's Silent Watchmen Guard School Route

Like a lot of parents, Gretta Campbell worries about her 17-year-old daughter, a senior at Chicago's Hyde Park Academy High School on the city's South Side — especially right after school.

After all, one of the most dangerous times of day for teenagers is after school and that's especially true in the gang-infested neighborhoods of Chicago, where police and school officials are using federal stimulus funds to try to better protect kids on their way to and from school through a program called Safe Passage.

"My daughter ... walk[s] up and down these streets and I'm really concerned about the crime and the violence that's happening these days with our youth," Campbell says.

Campbell notes that it's not just mom who's concerned — her daughter is worried, too.

"She knew a little boy that was shot and killed here and that really hit hard," Campbell says of her daughter. "That really got next to her after her friend was killed here, so she does have a lot of concern walking back and forth to school."

A New Look At An Old Problem

Hyde Park Academy Principal Thomas Trotter says he's sensitive to what his students are going through.

"If you're a kid growing up in Chicago and you travel from Englewood to Woodlawn, you go through different gang territories, so they're a little bit alert or on edge in terms of making sure they get here safely and get back home safely," Trotter says. "That's always a concern."

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/03/24/134798564/chicagos-silent-watchmen-guard-school-route?ft=1&f=1003

harry reid john mccain al gore bill clinton newt gingrich

Budget 2011: Welcome to Planet Osborne (Guardian)

There are a few rather crucial flaws in the chancellor's plans for Britain's future ... Britain can be the new Germany. That was the gist of George Osborne's second budget, in which he sketched out the changes that would be needed to transform clapped-out and debt-sodden Britain into a country that once again makes stuff. The chancellor has a gleaming vision of the future. No longer will the UK be Europe's offshore hedge fund, a paradise for the spivs and snake oil salesmen of the City peddling their worthless bits of paper. Instead, a new army of apprentices will troop off to work for environmentally friendly businesses supported by a Green Investment Bank. Out will go the economy dangerously skewed towards asset-price speculation. In will come an economy "carried aloft by the march of the makers". Marvellous stuff. Who could possibly argue with a better balanced Britain, one in which the workforce has better skills and small businesses are able to get access to the funds they need to set up a business? As Osborne went through his plans for a supply-side revolution, it was hard not to admire the beauty and elegance of what the ...Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/68428918?client_source=feed&format=rss

john mccain al gore bill clinton newt gingrich sarah palin

Obama Official: Affordable Care Act Closes Racial Disparities

One year ago, President Obama signed into law sweeping new health care legislation. Over the course of four years, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act aims to make insurance companies more accountable, offer more health care choices and reduce costs for patients. The law remains a subject of spirited political debate, with many Republican lawmakers vowing to repeal the legislation. Tell Me More explores the impact, so far, of the Affordable Care Act on the lives of ordinary Americans, and particularly minority communities. Guest host Farai Chideya talks with Dr. Garth Graham, Assistant Secretary for Minority Health at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=134794854&ft=1&f=1003

bill oreilly fox news hamid karzai barak obama hillary clinton

EU To Stress Test The Bloc's Nuclear Reactors

The tragic events in Japan are causing widespread concern in Europe about the safety of nuclear power. The European Union is trying to forge a joint response, but with attitudes sharply differing across the member states, it is proving a difficult task.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/03/21/134726212/European-Union-To-Stress-Test-140-Nuclear-Power-Reactors?ft=1&f=1007

fox news hamid karzai barak obama hillary clinton george w bush

Boehner challenges Obama on Libya military mission

Washington (CNN) -- House Speaker John Boehner complained Wednesday of "limited, sometimes contradictory" information so far from the Obama administration on the U.S.-led military mission in Libya and asked for the president to provide "a clear and robust assessment."

In a letter to President Barack Obama, Boehner, R-Ohio, said that he and other House members were troubled that the president committed U.S. military resources to war "without clearly defining for the American people, the Congress and our troops what the mission in Libya is and what America's role is in achieving that mission."

"In fact, the limited, sometimes contradictory, case made to the American people by members of your administration has left some fundamental questions about our engagement unanswered," Boehner's letter said, adding that there seemed to be greater consultation with "foreign entities such as the United Nations and the Arab League."

Obama has said the purpose of the mission was to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Libya, where Moammar Gadhafi had threatened to unleash his military "without mercy" on the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

In addition, Obama has said that U.S. leadership of the mission will end within "days, not weeks," and coalition partners including NATO allies and Arab states will take over the no-fly zone being established over Libya. Boehner's letter represented an overt political challenge to Obama on the issue, demanding more details on the mission itself as well as an explanation of the goals and whether all partners are consistent in their approach and resolve.

He noted that Obama has called for Gadhafi's ouster, but the U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing the mission "makes clear that regime change is not part of the mission."

"Why would the U.S. commit American resources to enforcing a U.N. resolution that is inconsistent with our stated policy goals and national interests?" Boehner asked in the letter.

He also questioned what the United States would do if support from coalition partners dissolves, and what standards a new Libyan leadership must meet to be recognized as legitimate by the U.S. government.

In addition, Boehner pushed Obama to provide a specific timeline for handing over control of the mission to allies, as well as for how long a no-fly zone would be enforced if Gadhafi remains in power over coming weeks and months.

With congressional budget battles in high gear, Boehner also asked if Obama anticipated seeking additional funding from Congress to pay for the Libyan mission.

Citing what he called "conflicting messages" on the issue, Boehner summed up his questions by asking: "What is your benchmark for success in Libya?"

Boehner also complained that Obama didn't properly consult with congressional leaders. However, he took part in a conference call Friday with other congressional leaders and Obama discussed the Libyan mission.

According to one source, Boehner raised no questions during the call, but the source attributed that to difficulty hearing due to the large number of participants including some who failed to mute their lines.

CNN's Tom Cohen and Dana Bash contributed to this story

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_allpolitics/~3/Gqj0gK0ZPU8/index.html

fox news hamid karzai barak obama hillary clinton george w bush

Barbary War III: The Case for Congressional Authorization (The Atlantic)

Why wouldn't Barack Obama seek Congress's approval to intervene in Libya? Doing so would be good for the war effort, good for the nation, and good for Obama. Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/67117394?client_source=feed&format=rss

harry reid john mccain al gore bill clinton newt gingrich

Foreign Policy: Libya Is Too Big To Fail

Though opinions vary on whether the attacks led by U.S. and allied forces on Libya are necessary, Jason Pack of Foreign Policy argues that the American and Western interests in Libya are far too great to allow a potential Libyan civil war to unfold.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/03/21/134730661/foreign-policy-libya-is-too-big-to-fail?ft=1&f=1057

al sharpton bill oreilly fox news hamid karzai barak obama

U.S. Official: Nuclear Crisis Close To 'Stabilizing'

The executive director of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says Japanese workers are making progress at the troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant. Smoke forced workers to temporarily evacuate Monday ? one sign that the situation is far from resolved.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/03/21/134726779/nuclear-plant-workers-evacuated-as-smoke-rises?ft=1&f=1004

newt gingrich sarah palin al sharpton bill oreilly fox news