Politics from Newser

How Smoking Ban Increases Bowling Shoes Lawsuits

John Johnson — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:52:05 CDT

It has to be the granddaddy of unintended effects of New York state's 10-year-old ban on indoor smoking: more lawsuits from clumsy bowlers. As the Albany Times-Union explains, bowling centers have seen a spike in lawsuits in recent years from bowlers who step outside for a smoke while wearing their...

Holder Backed Fox News Probe

Kevin Spak — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:41:05 CDT

Eric Holder has deftly sidestepped accountability for the Justice Department's spying on the AP by saying he recused himself from the case , but he can't pull the same trick in the Fox News case . The attorney general personally signed off on the search warrant targeting Fox reporter James Rosen, NBC...

IRS's Lerner Placed on Leave

John Johnson — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:00:52 CDT

The IRS official at the center of the recent scandal has been placed on administrative leave, reports the National Review . Lois Lerner had been in charge of the agency's tax-exempt unit, which singled out conservative groups for added scrutiny. Her immediate boss already has been forced into early retirement , and...

Obama Sees an End to 'Perpetual' War on Terror

John Johnson — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:58:53 CDT

In his big policy speech today, President Obama did indeed promise to rein in drone strikes —a higher threshold for targets will be required, along with a "near certainty" that no civilians will be killed—and to push once again for Gitmo's closure. The full text is here . Some highlights:...

Conservative Economists Praise the New Immigration Bill

Kevin Spak — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:32:21 CDT

Conservative economists appear to have gotten the memo about the GOP's new immigration-friendly stance. More than 100 of them today signed a letter praising the reform bill coming to the Senate floor, saying it would have a "positive impact on population growth, labor force growth, housing, and other markets," the...

In Major Shift, Obama Will Clamp Down on Drone Strikes

Matt Cantor — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:49:34 CDT

President Obama will today outline a new course against terror, including two big goals: cutting down on drone strikes and attempting, once again, to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. The speech comes after the administration yesterday admitted killing four US citizens with drones. Under new drone rules, strikes on foreign...

Tesla Pays Off US Loan 9 Years Early

Matt Cantor — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:03:27 CDT

Tesla has come a long way since Mitt Romney labeled it a "loser" in the presidential debates. The company has paid off its $465 million 2010 loan from the Department of Energy—plus interest—nine years before it was due, Businessweek reports. With yesterday's payment for $451.8 million, "Tesla...

Apple Case Clinches It: We Need Tax Reform Now

John Johnson — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:52:04 CDT

So what can we take away from Apple chief Tim Cook's testimony on Capitol Hill yesterday about the company's byzantine tax strategy ? Not that Apple did anything illegal, only that it's savvy enough to employ "smart accountants and tax lawyers," says the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal...

IRS Honcho Defiant in 9-Minute House Appearance

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:36:05 CDT

The IRS official at the center of the storm over the agency's targeting of conservative groups told Congress today that she had done nothing wrong in the episode, and then invoked her constitutional right to refuse to answer lawmakers' questions, as expected . In one of the most electric moments since...