B Media Network Political News Editor’s Home Page: June 2014

Monday, June 30, 2014

Obama accuses Republicans of being indifferent to Americans struggles

Our eNewspaper network was founded in 2002 to provide stand-alone digital news sites tailored for the most searched-for locations for news.

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Ron Paul: Celebrate Independence By Opposing Tyranny

This week Americans will enjoy Independence Day with family cookouts and fireworks.

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Monday, June 30, 2014,AP News in Brief at 5:58 a.m. EDT

Seeking to turn around a troubled agency, President Barack Obama will nominate former Procter & Gamble executive Robert McDonald to lead a Veterans Affairs department gripped by reports of treatment delays and cover-ups.

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10 Things to Know for Today

In this June 25, 2014 photo, graphic illustrations in the document, center, of the box on the bottom right show a zoomed-in image of the two ships Ohamana, at diagram left, and Orange Sky crashing at the moment of collision on February 17, 2007.

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Gay Pride Parades Across US Draw Large Crowds

Gay pride parades held around the nation Sunday drew huge crowds of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their supporters who celebrated after a year of numerous same-sex marriage victories.

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Benghazi case unfolds against political backdrop

The first prosecution arising from the Benghazi attacks is playing out in the federal courthouse blocks from both the White House and Capitol Hill, an appropriate setting for a case that has drawn stark lines between President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress.

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Trial of Benghazi Suspect Could Shape Hillary Clinton's Presidential Bid

Despite the grousing, voters rarely fire lawmakers

In fact, two-thirds of Americans want their own House member booted. And the tea party is dogging longtime Republican lawmakers.

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The Loneliest Hawk

For a guy who was shot down in Vietnam-and endured five years of hell as a POW in a lost war-John McCain sure is enthusiastic about the use of American air power.

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Hillary Clinton is Humpty Dumpty

If Hillary Clinton runs for President, she's still the odds-on favorite because she has the Democratic machine behind her.

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The long road to John Boehner slawsuit against Obama

House Speaker John Boehner has been quietly preparing to sue President Obama for months.

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GOP bucking business priorities on Capitol Hill

Traditional ties between the business community and the Republican Party are fraying on Capitol Hill, where the House GOP has bucked corporate interests on a series of priorities this year, from immigration to highway funding to trade.

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Tea party leader Mark Mayfield suicide:A sign of politics beyond the pale ?

Tea party leader Mark Mayfield suicide: A sign of politics A beyond the paleA ? Christian Science Monitor, by Patrik Jonsson ATLANTA - Mark Mayfield, a respected lawyer and tea party operative in Mississippi, has died after being accused of taking part in an unseemly, Watergate-like conspiracy to undermine long-time Sen. Thad Cochran's campaign.

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Next 25 Articles

Fort Meade, MD - The newly installed director of the National Security Agency says that while he has seen some terrorist groups alter their communications to avoid surveillance techniques revealed by Edward J. Snowden, the damage done over all by a year of revelations does not lead him to the conclusion that "the sky is falling."

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Blasts kill officer near Egypt presidential palace

New Orleans police continue searching for two men who exchanged gunfire on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, leaving nine people shot in the crossfire, including two who are in critical condition.

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Analysis: Gov. Bobby Jindal makes mark on session with vetoes

Gov. Bobby Jindal proposed a light agenda to lawmakers, but he put a strong stamp on the 2014 legislative session through his vetoes, many of which struck down bills that had received overwhelming support in the House and Senate.

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Cochran-McDaniel mess keeps 'Ol Man Mississippi in the Muddy

On Tuesday night, long time incumbent U.S. Senator Thad Cochran defeated Tea Party challenger Chris McDaniel in the GOP Senate primary by a mere 6,800 votes.

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Do You Believe in the Separation of Powers?

President Obama was hailed in the 2008 campaign as a constitutional scholar and yet he has gone a long way towards destroying the separation of powers, the cornerstone of our Constitution.

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Courtney solicits support for freight rail upgrade

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney is pressing federal officials to back a freight rail project extending north from the port of New London through New England and to the Vermont-Canadian border.

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You'll never guess where the latest Medicaid relief is coming from

If you are a long-term care provider relying on Medicaid dollars to make ends meet, Illinois is probably one of the last places where you'd want to be doing business.

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Man charged with conspiracy in photographing of Senator's wife in nursing home found dead

The Mississippi attorney charged with helping a political blogger gain access to the nursing home room of a U.S. Senator's wife was found dead of a gunshot wound Friday.

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When It Comes To Throwing The Bums Out, We Don't Practice What We Preach

In fact, two-thirds of Americans want their own House member booted. And the tea party is dogging longtime Republican lawmakers.

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How Will The Benghazi Trial In D.C. Impact This Election Year - And 2016?

Stop trying to reorder the Mideast

Syria's civil war has washed over Turkey's border, flooding the latter with hundreds of thousands of refugees.

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Why are 6,000 reporters keeping a U.S. nonsecret?

I know a "secret." I know the identity of the man who was CIA chief of station in Kabul until one month ago.

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A breed apart: liberal hawks who buoyed Bush

Frank Rich's "Iraq Everlasting: We are still stuck in 2003, and it isn't George W. Bush's fault" is a laundry list, however partial, of those in "the liberal Establishment" who "enlisted in the stampede" that would slaughter many hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in the next decade.

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The Tea Party Should Split From Republicans and Form America's Third Political Party

In 2010, Tea Party backer Dick Armey stated, "This is a leaderless movement. That is its strength."

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Gillibrand endorses O'Donnell judgeship nomination

Add Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to the growing list of leaders lobbying on behalf of Denise O'Donnell , who has been nominated to serve as a federal judge in the U.S. District Court, Western District of New York.

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Failed US politician claims opponent was executed and replaced by a ROBOT

Timothy Ray Murray lost out to opponent Frank Lucas in the Oklahoma Republican Primary and rather than take defeat gracefully he, well, he claimed Licas wasn't human.

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Arrest made in Academy Sports theft case in north Nashville

An arrest was made late Sunday night in a shoplifting case at Academy Sports when an employee was pepper sprayed.

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Obama taps business exec to oversee troubled VA

Despite the grousing, voters rarely fire lawmakers

This June 19, 2014 file photo shows House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., with Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., left, and Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, right, on Capitol Hill in Washington just after McCarthy was voted new majority leader, replacing Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., who was defeated in the primary election.

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Faith offers valuable connection for Southern Dems

In this photo taken Sunday, June 8, 2014, Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jason Carter, left, sits with his grandparents Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter during a church service in Plains, Ga.

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Laws on guns, Medicaid expansion set for July 1

During the most recent legislative session, lawmakers proposed 615 pieces of legislation.

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Good morning! It's 70 degrees in Louisville, and your Sunrise to Go is ready to read

Wednesday night Carpenter's car was found abandoned. Police knew he had to be nearby.

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Would it kill you to add a little gold to your portfolio?

A tag is a way to search for this diary. If someone is searching for "Barack Obama," is this a diary they'd be trying to find? Use a person's full name, without any title.

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10 Things to Know for Today

Oscar Pistroius arrives at court in Pretoria, South Africa, Monday, June 30, 2014.

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Hillary Clinton isna t in Mitt Romney territory. Yet.

Although D.C. gossiped endlessly about Hillary Rodham Clinton's "inartful" comments on her wealth, most Democrats don't seem to have paid attention - or just don't care.

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Tim Skubick: Jennifer Granholm's star rising in California?

One California pundit says former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm "has been adored by the party's progressives since her speech" at the last Democratic Convention.

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Laura Bush: Citizens should hold government accountable

Provo a Laura Bush got used to seeing her family caricatured and criticized during the eight years she spent in the White House with her husband.

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Despite the grousing, voters rarely fire lawmakers

Congressman speaks to seniors

June 27, 2014 at 1:16 pm Jim Jordan, U.S. Representative for Ohio's 4th district, is shown speaking to seniors at the Union County Agricultural Center this morning. Jordan was asked to speak by members of Union County Senior Services. (Journal-Tribne photo by William Channell)

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Why Hillary Clinton Wants The Big Speaking Fees

Hillary Clinton is making gobs of it these days. UCLA paid her $300,000 for a speech in March.

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Faith offers valuable connection for Southern Dems

"How many of you have the Bible on your phone? I bet all of you do," Carter said to laughs from the crowd.

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Benghazi case unfolds against political backdrop

U.S. Marshalls guard the area outside of the federal U.S. District Court in Washington Saturday, June 28, 2014, after security was heightened in anticipation of a possible court appearance by captured Libyan militant Ahmed Abu Khattala later in the day.

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Juan Williams: GOP has lost O-Care fight

After a four-year feast criticizing ObamaCare, Congressional Republicans are now left picking at the crumbs of minor complaints.

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Facebook defends secretly manipulating users, says experiments 'improved our service'

Social network researched the power 'emotional contagion' by altering users' News Feeds to display either mostly positive or negative emotional content James Vincent is Science and Technology Reporter for The Independent online, and his work appears in print too.

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Water breaks will bring soccer to USA

Just a theory so it won't be a long diary. Everyone wonders why soccer hasn't taken off in the United States.

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Obama taps business exec to oversee troubled VA

The Challenges of Investing in Real Estate Development by Shearin Group Realty, Inc.

Not everyone has the capability to invest in real estate development big-time at the start.

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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Obama to seek border aid; Pelosi visits Texas

President Barack Obama speaks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, in this June 13, 2014 file photo.

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Cameroon, Ghana to investigate World Cup failures

President Barack Obama will seek more than $2 billion to respond to the flood of immigrants illegally entering the U.S. through the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas and ask for new powers to deal with returning immigrant... The Columbus Crew rescheduled their game against FC Dallas for Sunday afternoon as an off-duty firefighter remains hospitalized ... (more)

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Pardon me for not being all broken up over Hillary being 'dead broke'

This column was going to be about the pressing needs of food banks during the summer months.

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Iraqi forces clash with militants in northern city

U.S. plans to curb land mines, join global treaty

After two decades of waffling, the United States on Friday announced its intention to join an international treaty banning land mines, without setting a time frame while working through possible complications on the Korean Peninsula.

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Right-wing radio host who failed to shut down D.C. now wants to shut down the border

An extreme right-wing radio host is calling upon his listeners to shut down the U.S.-Mexico border crossing south of San Diego on July 5, 2014.

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Majority of Americans want U.S. to focus more on home and less overseas

Most Americans want the United States to do less overseas, with the question of the country's global role divisive across the political spectrum, a survey said Thursday.

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53 percent of Americans oppose 'Hobby Lobby' contraceptive ban: Reuters poll

A majority of Americans oppose letting employers, based on their religious views, exclude certain contraceptives from workers' insurance coverage, says a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court decision expected on Monday.

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Pols of the week

The "Three Amigos" - the nickname for Sens. John McCain , Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte - have been right about a lot of things lately.

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Abbreviated Pundit Round-up: History making, making history edition

Leonard Pitts pays tribute to the Civil Rights Act at 50... Ross Douthat joins the chorus of conservatives opining on campus rape... Juan Cole calls timeout on those ready to declare the Arab Spring ended... but first... "Rarely has a U.S. president been so wrong so much at the expense of so many," the former vice president huffed in a Wall Street ... (more)

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Nationwide tea party wins fuel effort to unseat Michigan Republicans

U.S. Rep. Kerry Bentivolio of Milford, right, shown with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is facing a backlash in Michigan for his tea party roots.

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So they said

"Not a chance." - former Obama Cabinet member Kathleen Sebelius , asked Friday whether she'd run for office again in Kansas "I congratulate Thad Cochran on winning the Democratic primary in Mississippi."

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The Columbus Crew rescheduled their game against FC Dallas for Sunday afternoon as an off-duty firefighter remains hospitalized after going into cardiac arrest following a lightning strike.

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Increased consumer demand brings Linden a huge windfall in development

Rendering of one of the warehouses that development company Goodman Birtcher plans to build on the former GAF site in Linden.

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Soutbridge chess master makes move to be youngest-ever in US

Armine Sevian said she doesn't want her 13-year-old son Sam solely focused on chess.

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Obamas dine out, attend Marine Corps parade

Obamas dine out, attend Marine Corps parade President Barack Obama is taking in a Marine Corps parade with his family.

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Horsford calls sight of young immigrants heartbreaking

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Whacked out politics: Hypocrisy, lies and more lies

About the writer John Archibald is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group. His work appears in the newspaper on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and online at AL.com all the time.

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Washington Digest Senate revamps job training strategy

Our eNewspaper network was founded in 2002 to provide stand-alone digital news sites tailored for the most searched-for locations for news.

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Obama to seek border aid; Pelosi visits Texas

President Barack Obama will seek more than $2 billion to respond to the flood of immigrants illegally entering the U.S. through the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas and ask for new powers to deal with returning immigrant children apprehended while traveling without their parents, a White House official said Saturday.

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Is a New York Times picture worth 1,000 polls?

President Barack Obama's poll numbers have been terrible lately, hitting a low of 41 percent approval in the most recent Gallup and Wall Street Journal-NBC polls.

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Calls of carpetbagging in 3 House races

When Kevin Strouse moved to Bucks County last year to launch his campaign as a Democrat for Congress, national Republicans sent mocking welcome gifts, including a Phillies hat, tourism brochures, and a street map.

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Obama To Seek $2 Billion For Border Control

President Barack Obama will seek more than $2 billion to respond to the flood of immigrants illegally entering the U.S. through the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas and ask for new powers to deal with returning immigrant children apprehended while traveling without their parents, a White House official said.

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HOH: Roll Call Engagements: Assad Akhter, Saira Hussain

Assad Akhter planned his proposal before he ever even met the girl of his dreams.

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Would You Buy Hillary Clinton's Book for $0?

Aggressive pricing strategy, or the worst fundraising gimmick ever? You make the call.

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Next 25 Articles

NASA's "flying saucer" device made a hard landing in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, ending what the space agency deemed a successful test after attempts earlier in June were cancelled due to high winds.

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Saturday Night Funny Video: Clinton vs Biden 'Poor-Off'

From the end of Wednesday's Special Report with Bret Baier on the Fox News Channel, a condensed version of Jon Stewart's "poor-off" between Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, a comedy bit from the June 24 Daily Show on Comedy Central.

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Ruben Navarrette Hillary Clintona s immigration misstep

We already knew the immigration issue was a tough one for Republicans. They have a hard time opposing legal status for the undocumented without sounding anti-Hispanic.

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We've come a long way since the Civil Rights Act, but not nearly far enough

It was the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and its "oppression," "threat" and "evil," at least in the eyes of those conservative men, were that it outlawed racial discrimination in public places.

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Search proposed for Great Lakes marine sanctuaries

Several U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would require a search of the Great Lakes for sites that could be designated as federal marine sanctuaries.

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Eyes on defence deals, Western powers court Modi

Western governments are rushing to visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawn by the prospect of multi-billion-dollar deals as the Indian government prepares to open the nascent defence industry to foreign investment.

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Libyan suspected in Benghazi attack pleads not guilty to terrorism charge

Flames engulf parts of the U.S. Consulate in the Benghazi attack on Sept. 11, 2012; suspected attack ringleader Ahmed Abu Khattala .

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Fear of Voting Grips Senate Democratic Chiefs

A fear of voting has gripped Democratic leaders in the Senate, slowing the chamber's modest productivity this election season to a near halt.

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Briefs

Stephanie Wogan of Tewksbury was one of seven members of Wilkes University's chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science honor society, who traveled to Washington, D.C., recently to hear the Supreme Court case Clark v.

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Don't Americans care?

Theodore Roosevelt said that at times, chaos in a small country could necessarily lead to the intervention of a great power, and in the Western Hemisphere, that great power would always be the United States.

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Review: VA a struggling agency beset with ills

In this May 21, 2014, file photo, President Barack Obama speaks in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, about veterans health care.

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'Documented' review: CNN's eloquent look at immigration issue

Jose attends a Mitt Romney presidential campaign rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. in "Documented," a CNN documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas.

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Poll: Should the U.S. Have Paid Maternity Leave?

By Brian Slupski President Obama said the U.S. should offer paid maternity leave to new mothers.

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Cochran's Mississippi magic a win for political consultants

If you are a Republican political strategist, pollster, or shaman and you were thinking about buying a summer home or knocking out the wall in the kitchen to make a breakfast nook, you can go ahead.

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Biden and Clinton should not feign poverty

On Monday morning, at a White House summit on policies to help working families, Vice President Joe Biden reflected on his wealth.

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Mayor Walsh to Appoint Jascha Franklin-Hodge as Chief Information Officer

Today, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that Jascha Franklin-Hodge will serve as the City's new Chief Information Officer.

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5 questions on health care, contraception

The Supreme Court on Monday will rule on a politically-charged appeal involving a requirement of the Affordable Care Act that certain, for-profit businesses provide contraceptive coverage to their employees.

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New report: VA health system leadership inept

The Veterans Affairs health care system needs to be overhauled because of unresponsive leadership and a "corrosive culture" that affects the delivery of medical care, said a report delivered Friday to President Barack Obama.

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Election year a drag on productivity in Senate

With control of the Senate at risk in November, leaders are going to remarkable lengths to protect endangered Democrats from casting tough votes and to deny Republicans legislative victories in the midst of the campaign.

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Travel Community Praises Heller's Work on Government Meetings

The U.S. Travel Association today lauded Sen. Dean Heller for his legislative efforts to promote productive travel and meetings by federal employees under common-sense guidelines and oversight.

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Supremes to weigh in on birth control fight

The Supreme Court is poised to deliver its verdict in a case that weighs the religious rights of employers and the right of women to the birth control of their choice.

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Book best-sellers

"Top Secret Twenty-One " by Janet Evanovich 2. "Mr. Mercedes " by Stephen King 3. "Written in My Own Heart's Blood " by Diana Gabaldon 4. "The Silkworm" by Robert Galbraith 5. "All Fall Down" by Jennifer Weiner 6. "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt 7. "The Matchmaker" by Elin Hilderbrand 8. "Unlucky 13" by Patterson/Paetro 9. "The One & Only" by ... (more)

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Vermont's Leahy pushes transparency as Shumlin protects single-payer secrets

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., introduced legislation earlier this week that would make it harder for government officials to conceal information from the public.

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How the legal process may unfold in Benghazi case

Saturday, June 28, 2014

GOP runoff shows new angle to minority voting

Sen. Thad Cochran's GOP primary victory, thanks in part to black Mississippians who turned out to vote for him, exemplifies a new math that politicians of all persuasions may be forced to learn as this country's voting population slowly changes complexion.

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States poaching businesses from other states

The billboards that have become ubiquitous along Chicago expressways carry a blunt message.

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Global warming will cost us dearly

This week the Daily Herald ran a story about global warming , but not the usual stuff.

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Tears, joy at vote to fund bridge suicide barrier

A teary-eyed Dana Barks was almost speechless after officials for the San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge approved a $76 million funding package for a suicide barrier that could prevent people from jumping to their deaths.

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Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Former President Bill Clinton; White House adviser Valerie Jarrett; Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

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White House review of VA finds 'corrosive culture,' reprisals and little accountability

A White House review of the Veteran Affairs Department uncovered layers of problems that led to extended wait times for veterans to get medical care, including a "corrosive culture," little transparency or accountability and a system that encouraged the manipulation of wait times.

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President Barack Obama's administration has taken the U.S. gay rights revolution global, using American embassies across the world as outposts in a struggle that still hasn't been won at home.

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Government Gunships Hit Jihadist-Held Tikrit

Chief Iraqi military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi says the air raids targeted Sunni insurgents attacking army troops, who have established a bridgehead at a university campus on the city's northern outskirts.

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Iraqi PM rejects calls to form emergency government amid spiraling violence

Iraq plunged deeper into crisis as Syrian army aircraft bombed Sunni militant targets inside Iraq even as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki rejected calls for forming an emergency government to help the country counter a surge by Sunni Islamist militants.

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Review: VA a struggling agency beset with ills

Citing "significant and chronic system failures" in the nation's health system for veterans, a review ordered by President Barack Obama portrays the Department of Veterans Affairs as a struggling agency battling a corrosive culture of distrust, lacking in resources and ill-prepared to deal with an influx of new and older veterans with a range of ... (more)

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VA review finds 'significant and chronic' failures

In a scathing appraisal, a review ordered by President Barack Obama of the troubled Veterans Affairs health care system concludes that medical care for veterans is beset by "significant and chronic system failures," substantially verifying problems raised by whistleblowers and internal and congressional investigators.

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Chamber to Lee: If you want BRT, you'll be riding solo

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM has had it that the Cobb Chamber of Commerce is pushing hard behind the scenes for Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee to put a $100 million down payment for a Bus Rapid Transit line down the Cobb Parkway corridor on the SPLOST ballot for this November's referendum vote.

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US takes gay rights global, despite unsure welcome

GOP runoff shows new angle to minority voting

In this June 24, 2014 file photo, supporters of Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., break into cheer as he is declared the winner in his primary runoff for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate at his victory party at the Mississippi Children's Museum in Jackson, Miss.

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Sen. Dick Durbin says Obama 'will borrow the power' to solve...

The Hill reports: The Obama administration is "not bluffing" in its intent to take executive action on immigration policy if House Republicans don't act soon, top Democratic leaders warned Thursday.

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AP News in Brief at 5:58 a.m. EDT

Tikrit is the hometown of former dictator Saddam Hussein and one of two major cities to fall in recent weeks to the al-Qaida breakaway Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and allied Sunni militants.

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High court poised to decide birth-control dispute

In this May 22, 2013, customers enter and exit a Hobby Lobby store in Denver. The Supreme Court is poised to deliver its verdict in a case that weighs the religious rights of employers and the right of women to the birth control of their choice.

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Obama: Congress obstructs, so I act alone

An American rower who set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean in honor of his brother has reached the Caribbean island of Saint Martin.

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Calls in US Congress for refugee status for Central American kids : June 28, 2014,

WASHINGTON, United States Some leading members of the US Congress are calling on the Obama administration to consider launching an emergency refugee programme for Central American children as one way to address a rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis at the southern border with Mexico.

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GOP: Keystone wrapped in 'red tape' by Obama

Rep. Bill Cassidy on Saturday said President Obama is more interested in "rolling out the red tape than the red carpet" when it comes to the Keystone XL pipeline.

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Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Former President Bill Clinton; White House adviser Valerie Jarrett; Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

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U.S. congress delegation to visit Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia, June 28 By Nana Kirtzkhalia - Trend: A delegation of the U.S. Congress will visit Georgia on June 29. The U.S. Embassy in Georgia told Trend that the U.S. lawmakers will meet with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and other government members.

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Wis. GOP Candidate: Marriage Equality Will Lead to Sibling Marriages

A candidate seeking the Republican nomination for a Wisconsin congressional seat is invoking the argument that marriage equality will lead to incest, saying siblings will try to marry each other if bans on same-sex marriage are lifted.

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More than 900 N.J. high school students converge on Rider campus for annual Boys State

LAWRENCE - Andrew Chen, 17, a rising senior in West Windsor Plainsboro South High School, had no idea what to expect last Sunday, as he arrived at Rider University for the 69th annual American Legion Boys State program.

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Obama: Congress obstructs, so I act alone

President Barack Obama says he'll keep acting on his own as long as congressional Republicans block his economic agenda.

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In the Loop: Obama judges confirm numbers way up in 'post-nuclear' world

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid talks to reporters after the weekly Senate Democratic Policy Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on May 20. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's triggering of the "nuclear option" on Nov. 21 - which reduced the number of votes needed to end filibusters on most nominees - has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of ... (more)

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Former Hayes Lemmerz CEO wins U.S. House seat in Florida

The former CEO of wheel supplier Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. is headed to Congress to replace a Florida representative who resigned in January after being busted for possession of cocaine.

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GOP runoff shows new angle to minority voting

Report: Boehner Promised Latino GroupAmnesty Legislation Last Year

House Speaker John Boehner reportedly promised a prominent Latino group last summer that Republicans would try to pass an amnesty bill last fall, just months after the Senate passed its comprehensive immigration bill that would give a pathway to citizenship to all of the countryA s illegal immigrants.

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Here s the backstory behindChuck Grassley and Lois Lerner

By the time Lois Lerner suggested auditing Sen. Chuck Grassley in a Dec. 4, 2012, email, the Iowa Republican had spent five years scrutinizing LernerA s IRS division.

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Is Russia Replacing U.S. in Iraq?

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday told BBC Arabic that he was buying used fighter jets from the Russian Federation and from Belorussia.

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Guest editorial: By going it alone, EPA does damage

The Environmental Protection Agency could set its own mission back for decades if it pushes through the proposed "Waters of the United States" rules, which dissenters say will bring canals and ditches under the same regulatory magnifying glass as natural rivers.

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Guest column: Fundamental fairness

The minimum wage should be a living wage. This is a matter of fundamental fairness and economic justice.

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Simpson supports sheep station

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has joined Oregon Congressman Greg Walden and other western members of Congress in asking the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture to stop the closure of the U.S. Sheep Experimental Station in Dubois.

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Conservationists seek nonlethal wolf controls

The groups recently filed a petition asking the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to require that livestock producers first exhaust nonlethal measures to prevent wolf depredations before any wolves are killed.

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Obama's immigration dilemma

President Obama faces a wrenching dilemma over immigration that has significant implications for the 2014 midterm election and his legacy.

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High court poised to decide birth-control dispute

The Supreme Court is poised to deliver its verdict in a case that weighs the religious rights of employers and the right of women to the birth control of their choice.

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High court poised to decide birth-control dispute

The Supreme Court is poised to deliver its verdict in a case that weighs the religious rights of employers and the right of women to the birth control of their choice.

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US takes gay rights global, despite unsure welcome

Kasich or tea party for GOP?

If the Republican National Convention is an advertisement for its brand, then the GOP must choose: Is the face of that brand Texas Sen. Ted Cruz or Ohio Gov. John Kasich? Republicans this week pared down their 2016 convention sites to Dallas and Cleveland, with a final decision expected later this summer.

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Obama: Congress obstructs, so I act alone

From left, Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos, President Barack Obama, Sasha Obama, and first lady Michelle Obama look on during the Marine Barracks Evening Parade, on Friday, June 27, 2014, in Washington.

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Calls in US Congress for refugee status for Central American kids

Some leading members of the U.S. Congress are calling on the Obama administration to consider launching an emergency refugee program for Central American children as one way to address a rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis at the southern border with Mexico.

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Egypt: Bomb blast kills girl, wounds mother

An American rower who set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean in honor of his brother has reached the Caribbean island of Saint Martin.

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U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, of Hazleton, heading to Mexican border

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, said he is heading for the Mexican border "to see with my own eyes what's going," according to a media release.

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Obama sharpens criticism of GOP

President Obama used his weekly address Saturday to sharpen his case that Republicans are standing in the way of his ideas to help the middle class.

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US takes gay rights global, despite unsure welcome

Participants of the Christopher Street Day parade through Berlin, Saturday June 21, 2014, with a float depicting the Statue of Liberty.

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Georgians must be united on water issue

Recently the Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta, in conjunction with the Georgia Association of Water Professionals and the Council for Quality Growth, hosted a luncheon to discuss the Army Corps of Engineers' role in determining metro Atlanta's and Georgia's future water supply.

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Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Former President Bill Clinton; White House adviser Valerie Jarrett; Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

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Boston Kossacks - A little help here...

Summer has arrived, and with that the associated shifts in time & availability that accompany the change of seasons: some areas of home & work shift into high gear, others shift into low, some park until the next seasonal change while others shake off the dust and begin to return to a regular routine.

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A Citizen Kidnapped: The Silence of the President

Almost two weeks since the abduction of American citizen Naftali Frenkel, President Barack Obama has yet to publicly say a word.

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Friday, June 27, 2014

Explaining the Sinclair demotion

The case of Jeffrey Sinclair, the former deputy commander of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division involved in a sordid sex scandal, has been a lightning rod in the controversy over sexual assault in our armed forces.

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Hard lesson

What Kentucky's Sen. Mitch McConnell promised would be his and his party's career goal is now House Speaker John Boehner's cause to pursue. ...

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10 Things to Know for Today

In this June 8, 2014, photo, workers carry a Macy's banner during the gay pride parade, in Salt Lake City.

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Spying drop-off in Iraq preceded fresh insurgency

CIA officers in Iraq have been largely hunkered down in their heavily fortified Baghdad compound since U.S. troops left the country in 2011, current and former officials say, allowing a once-rich network of intelligence sources to wither.

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Allegation fatigue

By REG HENRY In recent news from the hog wallow of politics, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., basically accused IRS Commissioner John Koskinen of ly ...

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US looks to resume cyber talks with China

The United States next month will urge China to resume discussions on cybersecurity that were suspended abruptly after the U.S. charged five Chinese military officers with hacking into U.S. companies to steal trade secrets, a U.S. official said Thursday.

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Menendez to visit Long Branch today

It's Friday, June 27th, 2014 -- shaping up to be a slow day in New Jersey politics, although U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez will be hopscotching the state for multiple events.

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Kirk Dillard: 'I'm ready to move on' from elected life

As Republican state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale steps aside, he says he's doing more looking forward than back.

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Iraq helicopters fire on university campus in Tikrit

Militants from the Al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria with captured Iraqi soldiers wearing plain clothes after taking over a base in Tikrit, Iraq June 14, 2014.

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How About Washington Oklahomans?

"Humma" means red. "Okla" means people. Those two words are attributed to the Choctaw Indians.

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Moolenaar is a problem-solver, not a politician

In light of the many important issues facing our nation, the gridlock in Washington D.C., and the retirement of Congressman Dave Camp, I am very concerned about who our next U.S. representative is going to be.

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Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier up for vote

Two surfers ride a wave near Fort Point below the Golden Gate Bridge in this May 3, 2014 file photo in San Francisco.

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Hillary Clinton's wealth a fresh talking point

Hillary Rodham Clinton is a hardworking champion of women, children and the poor.

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High court rules against Obama on recess appointments

The Supreme Court dealt a blow to the powers of the presidency Thursday, ruling decisively that President Obama violated the Constitution by going around the Senate to name key labor relations watchdogs.

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Syria opposition sacks rebel command over graft allegations

Rebels fighter stand on the images of the late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad and his son present Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Kasab border crossing with Turkey, in the northwestern province of Latakia.

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Sodexo cafeteria workers to regain health benefits

Many employees who already have health insurance worry they'll pay a price for President Barack Obama's overhaul.

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A year from Senate passage, foes, advocates of immigration reform battle on

Proponents of a comprehensive overhaul vow a weekend of activities trying to put pressure on the House, which has not followed the Senate's lead, while opponents of that bill are promising to keep up their fight.

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Obama seeks $500M to arm select Syrian rebels

President Barack Obama is seeking to bolster U.S. efforts to train and arm select members of the Syrian opposition, a move that comes amid increased U.S. concern that the conflicts in Syria and Iraq are becoming an intertwined fight against the same Sunni extremist group.

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Court ruling comes as Obama's use of power tested

Before a unanimous Supreme Court weighed in, the White House had brushed off claims that President Barack Obama was exceeding his executive authority as just so much grousing from frustrated partisans.

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Rand Paul: Republicans Are "Too Eager for War"

That's what he said a year ago-before entering into a full-scale battle with Dick Cheney for the soul of the GOP On the Sunday morning television shows this past weekend - against the backdrop of an Iraq in flames - former Vice President Dick Cheney and Sen. Rand Paul continued their ongoing feud and the battle for the soul of the Republican Party.

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Iraqi Shiites pushing for al-Maliki's removal

Prominent Shiite leaders pushed Thursday for the removal of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as parliament prepared to start work next week on putting together a new government, under intense U.S. pressure to rapidly form a united front against an unrelenting Sunni insurgent onslaught.

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Ruling limits president's recess appointments

The Supreme Court on Thursday limited the president's power to fill high-level administration posts with temporary appointments, ruling in favor of Senate Republicans in their partisan clash with President Barack Obama.

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'Look at me now!': Woman who piled on weight after being dumped by...

Ultra-religious former college football star locked one of his ten children alone in a basement with blacked-out windows for TWO YEARS because the boy, 13, had 'sinned' by stealing a DVD player Oprah doesn't like Michelle Obama because the first lady is 'constantly one-upping the president and anybody else around her' tell-all book alleges 'My name ... (more)

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Groups Attack CarMax Over Selling Recalled Cars

Used car sales company CarMax is under intense scrutiny over the safety of cars it sells, as auto safety and consumer organizations have filed a petition to the Federal Trade Commission .

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U.S. Senate Republican Candidates Debate Addresses Resource Development, Government Overreach

All three candidates vying for the Republican nomination in August's senatorial primary election squared off over a variety of issues in Anchorage on Thursday.

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President Obama seeks $500M to arm select Syrian rebels

This Aug. 21, 2013 file photo shows a Syrian military soldier holding his AK-47 with a sticker of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Arabic that reads, "Syria is fine," as he stands guard at a check point in Damascus, Syria.

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Motorola's Brown: Keep immigration reform alive to keep businesses competitive

Motorola Solutions Chairman and CEO Greg Brown charged up business leaders Thursday at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting luncheon in Chicago regarding the importance of immigration reform, despite reports such reform is dead until President Barack Obama leaves office.

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Obama Pitching Economic Priorities In Minnesota Jun. 27

President Barack Obama is pitching his ideas to boost the American middle class in Minnesota, a state that has already embraced a key component of the president's economic agenda by raising its minimum wage.

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U.S. Mideast policy crumbles

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry thinks Iraq can be saved with a new prime minister to take the place of Nouri al-Maliki.

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Supreme Court Limits Presidential Appointment Power

The Supreme Court has limited a president's power to make temporary appointments to fill high-level government jobs.

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Justices go against Obama on recess jobs

If you are interested in this story, you might be interested in others from The Journal Gazette.

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Safelink Wireless Is Offering Free Cell Phones

Even though people did not rely on cell phones until very recently, it is now a must have device for any member of our society.

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GM poised to call back Cruze cars

General Motors is preparing to recall about 33,000 Chevrolet Cruze compact cars because the air bags might not inflate properly in a crash.

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Stiglitz: From "The Myth of America's Golden Age" to Geithner's, Summers' and Obama's "Culpability"

Columbia University economist and Nobel Laureate Joe Stiglitz-the person who, six years after the markets crashed, still gets my vote for "most important living person on the planet"--is at his stunningly concise best, once again, over at Politico's "Magazine" , in a piece published there over the past 24 hours: " The Myth of America's Golden Age ... (more)

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Iraq helicopters fire on university campus in insurgent-held city

Shi'ite volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant , take part in a parade on a street in Kanaan, Diyala province, June 26, 2014.

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Congress must act to bolster Voting Rights Act

"Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet."

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Would Hillary Clinton's Wealth Be An Issue In The 2016 Presidential Campaign?

Hillary Rodham Clinton is a hardworking champion of women, children and the poor.

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Obama's Use Of Executive Power Gets Smacked Down By The Supreme Court

After A Record Year, San Francisco Considers $76 Million Suicide Net For Golden Gate Bridge

For John Brooks, the years of waiting for officials to come up with money for a suicide barrier on San Francisco's majestic Golden Gate Bridge have been agonizing.

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How immigration reform died

President Barack Obama paused for what felt like an eternity to the immigration reform activists seated around the Roosevelt Room.

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World laughs

It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a 'depraved electorate' willing to have such a man for their president.

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Ikea increases hourly pay by 17 per cent, the most in 10 years

Ikea's U.S. division is raising the minimum wage for thousands of its retail workers, pegging it to the cost of living in each location, instead of its competition.

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Chicago wins George Lucas museum

The force was with Chicago. The Windy City beat out other cities, including a contentious battle against San Francisco, winning the bid to build an interactive museum for "Star Wars" creator George Lucas.

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Rhode Island Cliff Walk, damaged by Sandy, reopens

Newport's Cliff Walk, which runs between the Atlantic Ocean and some of the city's most spectacular Gilded Age mansions, reopened Tuesday, 20 months after Superstorm Sandy washed away whole sections and millions were spent to restore it.

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Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier up for vote

For John Brooks, the years of waiting for officials to come up with money for a suicide barrier on San Francisco's majestic Golden Gate Bridge have been agonizing.

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WRAPUP 1-Iraq helicopters fire on university campus in insurgent-held city

Iraqi helicopters fired on a university campus in Tikrit on Friday to dislodge insurgents who overran the city in an onslaught that has given them control of most majority Sunni regions and brought them close to Baghdad.

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What would you have done differently?

Lisa Falkenberg remembers the Wendy Davis filibuster and complains about what has and hasn't happened between then and the one-year commemoration of it.

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OSC: Philippines VA clinic used unapproved drugs

A Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in the Philippines wasted money and violated agency policy for two decades by dispensing medications not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to federal investigators.

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Obama revs up Dems ahead of tough election

President Obama gave a pep talk to Senate Democrats over drinks at the White House this week, telling them a rising economy and ObamaCare's healthy numbers should give them optimism about keeping their majority in November.

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Dems to Obama: Forget GOP on immigration, stop deportations now

The president has delayed any executive action on the issue to allow House Speaker John Boehner more time and political space to move immigration reform legislation this summer.

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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Michigan health insurers propose higher 2015 rates

State insurance regulators said Wednesday that dominant insurers Blue Care Network and Blue Cross Blue Shield want to raise rates by an average of 9.3 percent or 9.7 percent in 2015.

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Boehner says House plans to sue Obama

The House will vote next month on legislation authorizing a campaign-season lawsuit accusing President Barack Obama of failing to carry out the laws passed by Congress, Speaker John Boehner announced on Wednesday.

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IKEA to hike hourly pay in U.S. by 17%, the most in 10 years

IKEA's U.S. division is raising the minimum wage for thousands of its retail workers, pegging it to the cost of living in each location, instead of its competition.

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Viewpoint: Put our abundance of natural gas to work in the export market

Reading through the federal government's list of Colorado's top exports is like watching the state's history and future come together - and natural gas is making for a vibrant path ahead.

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Did Lois Lerner Seek IRS Audit Of Sen. Chuck Grassley?

Fox News runs with they headline that she did, and Rep. David Camp thinks she did, but, Grassley thinks she was targeting a Tea Party group. Some news orgs follow along with the Grassley targeted meme, others go with group targeted

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The GOP's Attempt To Set An Iraq Trap For The Dems

One of the things we have admired about those who represent us in Congress is their willingness to stand by their convictions and our best interests and vote accordingly.

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Boehner says House plans to sue Obama

FIFA bribed with beer over 2022 World Cup

The controversial brewery today unveiled a new beer entitled 'Vote Sepp' in an attempt to "sweeten the deal" and convince the FIFA President to host the 2022 World Cup in their native Scotland rather than Qatar.

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'We need respect': Meet the new Rosie the Riveters

From the cashier at the Pentagon Dunkin' Donuts to the greeter at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, these working women are walking off their jobs as hourly employees in federal buildings. They're calling for increased wages and the right to unionize in a protest directed at President Obama.

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Obamaa s claim on Syrian opposition fighters

"Oftentimes, the challenge is if you have former farmers or teachers or pharmacists who now are taking up opposition against a battle-hardened regime, with support from external actors that have a lot at stake, how quickly can you get them trained; how effective are you able to mobilize them."

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EPA tells Congress it lost emails too

One day after focusing on lost e-mails at the IRS, the House Oversight Committee learned Wednesday that the Environmental Protection Agency is also having trouble recovering e-mails the committee wants as part of a separate investigation.

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Obama aims to put human face on economic struggles

President Barack Obama, in an attempt to put a human face on the economic policies he and Democrats are championing, is spending a day with a Minneapolis mother who wrote the White House about her struggles to make ends meet.

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Mayor touts World Basketball Festival benefits

Occasionally seen sitting courtside at Chicago Bulls games, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a basketball fan.

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'Going Washington' a balancing act

Spend too much in Washington and they risk being labeled insiders, accused of losing touch with their constituents and 'Going Washington.'

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Tea party, police clash in western Wisconsin town

A pedestrian bridge over Interstate 90 has linked the two sides of a western Wisconsin burg for decades, providing a test of courage for bike-riding children and a symbol of home for travelers returning from Minnesota.

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Democrats have an enthusiasm problem. Big time.

The history-making coalition that delivered the presidency to Barack Obama in 2008 and reelected him in 2012 has a distinct attitude toward the 2014 election: Meh.

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Former Senate leaders to Congress: Hang out more

Rep. Marcia Fudge , Rep. John Lewis , Sen. Carl Levin House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi , Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , and Speaker of the House John A. Boehner Three former senators, two who served as majority leaders, a former Clinton cabinet secretary and a former governor worked a year and a half ... (more)

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Sen. Begich faces tough reelection challenge in GOP-friendly Alaska

Sen. Mark Begich defied political odds to get to Washington, but can he do it again while facing even more inhospitable terrain? That's the hope of Democrats who privately say that, among the quartet of their most endangered red-state incumbents, they feel best about the Alaska senator.

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Tea Party's path forward uncertain

In the Mississippi Senate runoff, the Oklahoma Senate primary and a handful of New York House districts, conservative challengers fell to establishment-branded candidates, sometimes in stunning fashion.

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US bishops: - great concern' about upcoming executive order on -...

Four bishops who chair committees or subcommittees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have expressed "great concern" about President Barack Obama's upcoming executive order on "sexual orientation or gender identity."

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Will There Be a Consequence?

It was the Republicans in Washington and their allies in Mississippi who distributed fliers to Democrats in Mississippi calling conservatives racists, klansmen, Nazis, etc.

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BrewDog launches beer in attempt to bring World Cup to Scotland

Scottish craft brewery, BrewDog has launched a beer attempting to 'convince' FIFA President Sepp Blatter to select the brewery's native Scotland as hosts for the 2022 World Cup.

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GOP official resigns over Clinton quote

A Republican Party of Arkansas official resigned Wednesday after making controversial comments about former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton just days before she's scheduled to make an appearance at a Little Rock store.

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In the news

Shimon Peres, 90, the Israeli president, who is departing office next month, lunched at the White House with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden before holding talks about Iraq, Iran and peace in the Middle East.

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Guest editorial: The Democratic opportunity

Idaho Democrats emerged from their state convention at Moscow last weekend having accomplished everything they had set out to do.

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Iraq presidency calls on parliament to convene on Tuesday

The Iraqi Presidency called on the country's newly elected parliament to convene on Tuesday to start the process of the formation of a new government, official television reported on Thursday.

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Names and faces

This Jan. 4, 2014 file photo shows actor Gary Oldman speaking at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, Calif.

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Clark County employer likely closing down

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack recently informed Congress he was closing the Agricultural Research Service's U.S. Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois.

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Aid sought for Ill. students at for-profit college

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is calling on Illinois community colleges to do what they can to absorb students from a troubled for-profit education company.

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Ben Carson: Educational and political aspirations to help

Just as the Aesop Fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare" , we see Hillary Clinton just as she was leading up to the 2008 elections running hard and strong and making comments that she hasn't made a decision.

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Militants take Iraqi gas field town

Militants took a town an hour from Baghdad that is home to four natural gas fields on Thursday, another gain by Sunni insurgents who have swiftly taken large areas to the north and west of the Iraqi capital.

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Rain Storms Pummel Upper Midwest, Drowning Resources

Flooding across the Upper Midwest, including Iowa, over the last couple weeks has soaked homes and fields and left local governments scrambling.

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Chess, foreign affairs are too much to grasp

Watching the game played between Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., and Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., at the first Congressional Chess Match in Washington sure was fun .

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Opinion: Small political donations can have big impact in Super PAC fight

In two landmark decisions - Citizens United vs. FEC in 2010 and McCutcheon vs. FEC in 2014 - the Supreme Court changed the political landscape of the U.S. and, in the eyes of many, threatened our representative democracy.

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Scalise election could mean slim chance for immigration

Opponents of immigration reform think Rep. Steve Scalise will push his conference to the right on the issue, when he formally joins the House leadership - and those who support more liberal rules fear they might be right.

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Odds tilt toward GOP Senate

Over several months, the party has expanded its range of targeted seats, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee has helped defeat insurgents it didn't want representing the GOP in the midterm elections.

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US drone strikes set 'dangerous precedent': study

America's drone missile strikes could be imitated by other countries former senior US officials said in a report.

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Militants take Iraqi town near Baghdad

A member of Iraqi security forces stands guard in Baghdad. Army air strikes hit south Mosul overnight, killing one and wounding six people in one of the battles raging throughout the country between government forces and Sunni militants.

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Republicans hold the line on gay marriage one year after landmark ruling [uh, not so much...read on]

By and large, Republican lawmakers in Congress have maintained their opposition to same-sex marriage , although they are trying to talk about it in ways that are more in tune with the change in public opinion.

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Another agency tells Congress: File not found

The Environmental Protection Agency and the IRS share a problem: officials say they cannot provide the emails a congressional committee has requested because an employee's hard drive crashed.

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Gang of Eight Republican Admits: Amnesty Hopes Driving Border Deluge

The primary driver of the flood of unaccompanied minors across the southern border is the belief they will be allowed to stay and afforded legal status, according Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake.

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Tea party leader: Chris McDaniel should run as write-in candidate in November election

The head of tea party group said Wednesday that state Sen. Chris McDaniel should wage a write-in campaign in the November election after losing to Sen. Thad Cochran in a nasty Mississippi primary race.

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Militants take Iraqi gas field town, president calls parliament session

News Briefs: Livingston fire squads get nearly $230K in grants

Under the grants, the Unadilla Township Fire Department will receive $138,900 for vehicle acquisition.

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Ross K. Baker: Hillary Clinton's nomination not inevitable on Democratic horizon

While expressing regret for her vote in 2002 to authorize the use of force against Iraq's Saddam Hussein and candidly admitting that she often had to fight to stay awake on international trips, the book is a fighting document.

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Focus on refining ACA, not repealing it

It's been called worse than slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act, and "the worse thing that has happened in this nation since slavery."

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AP News in Brief at 5:58 a.m. EDT

Etc.

After the National Journal printed a lengthy profile of Montana's bolo-festooned ex-governor, the public exploded with outrage over a pair of indelicate remarks he'd made about Sen. Dianne Feinstein and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.… [ Read more ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

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Clinton hits back after wealth gaffe

Hillary Clinton sought on Wednesday to nuance her remark that she and her husband Bill were "dead broke" when they left the White House, insisting she was not out of touch.

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Iraqi cleric pushes for emergency government

Iraq's powerful Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has called for a national emergency government and promised to "shake the ground" under the feet of advancing Sunni rebels, a day after Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, rejected any attempts to undermine his rule, Al Jazeera reported.

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Benghazi Attack Suspect Captured By American Team, En Route To US

A suspected terrorist linked to the 2012 Benghazi terror attack that killed four Americans has been captured inside Libya by U.S. forces and currently is en route to the United States, Fox News has learned.

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Beyond cure? European courts rule on euthanasia

An 82-year-old steel truss bridge featured in the opening credits of "The Sopranos" and in Orson Welles' 1938 broadcast of "War of the Worlds" is now the second bridge for which Gov. Chris Christie's... An 82-year-old steel truss bridge featured in the opening credits of "The Sopranos" and in Orson Welles' 1938 broadcast of "War of the Worlds" is ... (more)

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The Problem With Hiring Millennials Is Their Age, Not Their Generation

If you haven't heard the gripes about millennials , you've haven't been paying attention.

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Dems raise dark money alarm

Democrats are sounding the alarm about spending by outside conservative groups, even as skeptics question whether their anxiety is genuine or simply a tactic to turbo-charge their own fundraising efforts.

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Clintons are in damage control mode

Team Clinton is doing damage control on a series of comments by Hillary Clinton about the former first couple's wealth.

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McCarthy presents himself as Mr. Right

Incoming House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has moved swiftly to bolster his conservative credentials after his election last week, aligning himself with the GOP's right flank on a pair of key issues.

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Michelle Obama to Deliver Keynote At Grammy Museum Luncheon...

First Lady Michelle Obama will be back in Los Angeles on July 16 as the keynote speaker for the Grammy Museum's first inaugural Jane Ortner Education Award Luncheon, which recognizes teachers who make outstanding use of music in their classroom instruction.

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Bill and Hillary Clinton Musical to Make U.S. Debut

The former president and first lady are the center of a production that is set to open for a week of performances in mid-July, as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

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Lawmakers propose naming street in front of Chinese embassy after imprisoned Nobel peace laureate

China on Wednesday dismissed as a "farce" and a "smear" a vote by a United States panel of lawmakers to rename a Washington road in front of its embassy after imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo.

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Tweet this: India gains on US in Twitterverse

An analysis of Twitter accounts - showing the emphasis some governments put on digital diplomacy as a 21st-century tool for statecraft - projects Modi, already the fifth most-followed world leader on Twitter with 4.95 million followers, will soon overtake the White House's 4.97 million.

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CEO: Malaysia Airlines needs radical change

Star Wars' Cretor George Lucas to Get Museum in Chicago

It still has to fight with Hawaii for the Obama presidential library. But if it fails at that, this won't be a bad consolation prize.

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Members of Congress Try Out Driverless Car

No driver? No problem. Members of Congress got the unique chance Tuesday morning to ride around the nation's capital in a prototype driverless car from Carnegie Mellon University.

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Katy Perry Visits Vice President Biden at the White House

Katy Perry has been in a political frame of mind lately. Just days after sharing a photo of herself with Hillary Clinton , the pop star on Tuesday posted onto Instagram a selfie with Vice President Joe Biden.

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10 Things to Know for Today

The Sunni militia, which supported the U.S. against al-Qaida years ago, could be a model for a similar resistance movement to ISIL.

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Rangel celebrates though primary too close to call

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., speaks at his primary election night gathering, Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in New York. Rangel is seeking his 23rd term against opponent state Sen. Adriano Espaillat.

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Primary Races for U.S. Congress: Zelden Defeats Demos in Dist. 1

It's a rematch. New York State Senator Lee Zelden will again challenge incumbent U.S. Congressman Tim Bishop to represent New York's 1st Congressional District in Washington.

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Lawmakers question federal water proposal

A coalition of more than three dozen lawmakers is raising concerns about a U.S. Forest Service proposal that would establish policies for managing and using groundwater resources on national forest land.

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Fancy freebies: Tycoon to treat homeless to lunch

The Republican establishment has delivered a punch to the gut of the tea party movement as six-term Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran narrowly turned back a challenge from state Sen. Chris McDaniel.

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Star Wars creator George Lucas picks Chicago for movie memorabilia event

Star Wars creator George Lucas has picked Chicago to host his much-anticipated museum of art and movie memorabilia, in a major victory for the nation's third-largest city.

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Could Elizabeth Warren become the go-to Democrat this cycle?

Senator Elizabeth Warren plans to stump for embattled Democrats in coal country, who have put President Obama at arm's length but are embracing Warren's stick it to Wall Street message in.

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Obama, Biden and Boehner celebrate Tiger Woods and U.S. golf squad

Only this time, they didn't actually hit the links. Boehner joined Obama and Vice President Biden at the White House on Tuesday evening to honor the members of the U.S. Presidents Cup golf squad -- including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson -- along with some members of the international team.

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Coburn report slams VA as a broken systema

Sen. Tom Coburn on Tuesday issued a scathing 119-page report describing a culture of crime, cover-ups, incompetence and coercion at the already-embattled Department of Veterans Affairs.

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Newspaper Publishes My Letter on Marriage Equality

The Scottsbluff Star-Herald printed my response to a letter to the editor. The text as it appears in the paper is below the orange creampuff.

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End carbon tax, but bring in ETS: Palmer

Clive Palmer's Senate team will back the repeal of the carbon tax only if key climate bodies are retained and a new emissions trading scheme with a zero-dollar starting price is put in place.

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3 Other Ways Entrepreneurs Can Use Crowdfunding

There's a lot more to the crowdfunding concept than just indiegogo and Kickstarter.

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Court tells France to keep paraplegic on life-support

Barack Obama is mulling a sheaf of rather problematic options as he faces demands in Washington and Iraq to check the brazen advance of Sunni extremist militants.

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Washington rethinks $1bn aid to Egypt amid 'descent toward despotism'

Soldiers guard outside of Tora Prison where al-Jazeera journalists are tried at a court in Cairo June 23, 2014.

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Press rivals claim victory over phone-hacking verdicts

Barack Obama is mulling a sheaf of rather problematic options as he faces demands in Washington and Iraq to check the brazen advance of Sunni extremist militants.

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Does Stewart Mills looks like Brad Pitt?

We've already outed Eighth District Republican U.S. Congress candidate Stewart Mills as a Packer-loving party animal.

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Russian lawmakers cancel OK for Ukraine force

Mississippi, New York highlight busy primary day

In Mississippi's often-bitter Republican contest, veteran Sen. Thad Cochran defeated state Sen. Chris McDaniel.

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Officials: Sanctions on Russia could be delayed

Sanctions aimed at key economic sectors in Russia because of its threatening moves in Ukraine might be delayed because of positive signals from Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Obama administration officials.

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Top Pompeo staffer to lead campaign in 4th Kansas

Congressman Mike Pompeo has picked his chief of staff to manage his run for re-election in his south-central Kansas district.

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For some world leaders, WWI is family history too

It's a shared chapter in the genealogies of President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Russia's upper house revokes resolution on military intervention in Ukraine

The upper house of Russia's parliament is to revoke a resolution on military intervention in Ukraine on Wednesday at the request of President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said Tuesday.

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Tea Party suffers two major primary losses

In Mississippi, six term Republican incumbent Thad Cochran narrowly beat out Tea Party challenger Chris McDaniel to secure his party's nomination for the state's U.S. Senate race this November.

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Inside the Big Push For a Voting Rights Act Fix

Holding signs with images of murdered Mississippi civil rights workers James Earl Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael 'Mickey' Schwerner, demonstrators rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court February 27, 2013 in Washington, DC as the court prepared to hear oral arguments challenging the legality of the Voting Rights Act.

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Cochran wins; Rangel claims victory

Two longtime members of Congress who went into Tuesday with their political fates hanging in the balance appear to have survived intra-party challenges, one with the help of the other party.

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5 things we learned from Tuesday's primaries

Two weeks after House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's primary loss to a little-known and underfunded tea party challenger rocked the Republican Party, incumbent and mainstream GOP candidates came out on top in several high-profile primary showdowns.

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Amendment could block DC pot decriminalization

Advocates for local autonomy in the District of Columbia are vowing to fight any effort by Congress to undo the District's recent liberalization of marijuana laws.

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So mixed up on immigration

Right-wing primary voters booted Eric Cantor over signs he might back "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, it is said.

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The state's highest court ruled Tuesday in favor of allowing a casino repeal referendum question on this year's statewide ballot, granting people in Massachusetts the right to vote on repealing the casino law.

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US Sen. Cochran defeats challenger in Mississippi runoff

Six-term Sen. Thad Cochran has defeated challenger Chris McDaniel in Mississippi's Republican primary runoff.

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Court moves closer to indicting Spanish princess

No Concession in McDaniel Post-Runoff Speech, Vows to 'Never Stop Fighting'

Tuesday from his campaign headquarters in Hattiesburg, MS, Chris McDaniel, a candidate for the Republican nomination of Mississippi's senate seat currently held by Sen. Thad Cochran, did not offer a formal concession in a speech following his apparent defeat in a runoff contest by a two-point margin to Cochran.

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China on proposed embassy address: 'sheer farce'

Beijing on Wednesday blasted as farcical a U.S. congressional panel's proposal to rename the street in front of China's embassy in Washington after an imprisoned Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

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UPDATE 2-Australian lawmaker Palmer wants to scrap carbon tax, seeks conditions

Key Australian lawmaker Clive Palmer said on Wednesday he would support a government plan to scrap a controversial carbon tax, while seeking to impose a range of conditions, including Australian participation in a global emissions trading scheme.

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15 medical professionals indicted in $25M scheme

Fifteen doctors, pharmacists and other medical professionals in Southern California have been charged in a $25 million workers' compensation scam that prosecutors say was linked to the death of a baby.

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Durbin Opposes Child Deportation

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is against deporting immigrant children who have come into the U.S. from Central America.

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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Cochran, Rangel face tough primary contests

Six-term Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran needs a comeback in a Republican runoff after trailing Tea Party-backed challenger Chris McDaniel in a June 3 primary.

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Driverless cars approach the starting line

Driverless cars might soon be ready for mass production, holding the potential to ease the nation's traffic problems and save lives.

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WRAPUP 2-Kerry urges Kurds to save Iraq from collapse

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held crisis talks with leaders of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region on Tuesday urging them to stand with Baghdad in the face of a Sunni insurgent onslaught that threatens to dismember the country.

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Guest column: Creating a sound fiscal plan

Congress must continue to address the nation's transportation infrastructure without adding to the nation's massive deficit, writes Sen. Mike Crapo.

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U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks: Our veterans deserve better

The word tragedy is overused in our society, but the word has perhaps never been applied more correctly than to describe what's been uncovered at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, also known as the VA.

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Supermodel Kate Upton covers up her famous curves in casual white...

Was toddler who died after father forgot him in hot car actually murdered? Police say dad's story is riddled with inconsistencies Grandmother's claim that disfigured three-year-old was thrown out of KFC is a HOAX, claims investigation after fast-food giant gave family $30,000 Las Vegas Nazi couple who shot dead two cops and a good Samaritan were ... (more)

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Amateur boxer Lance Ferguson-Prayogg collapses and dies after 'white-collar' bout

Kurdish leader cites 'new reality' in Iraq

The president of Iraq's ethnic Kurdish region declared Tuesday that "we are facing a new reality and a new Iraq" as the country considers new leadership for its Shiite-led government as an immediate step to curb a Sunni insurgent rampage.

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Can this government be saved?

The nation's increasingly bitter partisan politics has tied Congress in knots, embattled the White House and undermined Americans' faith in their government.

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Barbs fly in 42nd House race

One could argue a GOP primary race including a retired newspaper publisher and a Michigan Education Association member is destined for a spirited campaign, given Republican distrust of the media and unions.

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Morning report: Your traffic, weather and happenings for a terrific Tuesday

Highs will exceed 90 degrees today in most areas. CLICK HERE for the forecast. a- Collier County commissioners will hold their regular meeting at 9 a.m. in commission chambers, third floor, Collier County Government Center, 3299 U.S. 41 E. Among the items commissioners will discuss are a straw ballot question to ask voters about the division of the ... (more)

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Obama hosts golf greats at White House

So we can only imagine his excitement Tuesday as he goes throughout his day, meeting with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in the late afternoon, all the while awaiting his evening guests.

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UNC researcher, a pioneering academic, kept kinship to Obama to herself

She authored two books, had a doctorate from the University of Chicago and was a former research professor at UNC-Chapel Hill.

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John Kerry urges Kurdish leaders to be part of Iraqi government

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a news conference at the U.S. embassy in the International Zone in Baghdad June 23, 2014.

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5 primaries worth watching on Tuesday

It's judgment day for two of the longest-serving members of Congress, both of whom are fighting for their political lives.

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America's addiction to war

Two wars in the Middle East finally winding down ? Time to ramp up secret arms sales to a pair of pipsqueak insurgencies .

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IRS head says no laws broken in loss of emails

Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen testifies under subpoena before the House Oversight Committee as lawmakers continue their probe of whether tea party groups were improperly targeted for increased scrutiny by the IRS, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, June 23, 2014.

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U.S. should offer paid maternity leave, Obama says

Robin Roberts of ABC News and U.S. first lady Michelle Obama discuss proposals to make U.S. workplaces more women-friendly at the White House Summit on Working Families in Washington on Monday.

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The DNC shuts shoe designer Steve Madden down at LGBT gala

The Reliable Source has learned that shoe designer Steve Madden and President Barack Obama won't be co-starring on Instagram anytime soon - or ever, if the DNC has anything to say about it.

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10 Things to Know for Today

Congress is expected to hear from Jennifer O'Connor about Lois Lerner's lost emails after issuing a subpoena for her to appear.

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Ita s another big primary day! Here are the five things you need to watch.

Voters in seven states head to the polls on one most consequential primary election days of 2014.

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Our U.S. ties are fraying - as they should, perhaps?

Ottawa's relations with Washington are not good. "Frayed" is the operative adjective.

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Kurdish leader cites 'new reality' in Iraqvisit|article-5574259|mobile_home_category_body-1688|5

17 dogs found dead at kennel after air conditioning fails

In what's being described as a "tragic accident," 17 dogs were found dead at a Gilbert, Arizona, pet-boarding facility over the weekend.

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20 dogs die in Arizona dog kennel

Heat. There's been plenty of it to go around in Arizona these first days of summer -- literally and politically -- after the air conditioning went out at a dog kennel.

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Will Charlie Rangel follow Eric Cantor out the door?

For all of the public's dissatisfaction with Congress this year , voters have so far ousted just two incumbents -- 91-year-old Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.

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Chicago's Aviation Boss Stepping Down

Chicago's Airport Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino will be stepping down from that post in October, according to information from the office of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

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Poor care at VA hospitals cost 1,000 veterans their lives, report says

The problems at Veterans Affairs extend well beyond long wait lists, with a report Tuesday showing the department is plagued with poor care that has cost up to 1,000 veterans their lives and left taxpayers on the hook for nearly $1 billion in malpractice settlements since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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IRS chief denies telling White House about missing emails

Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen on Monday denied telling the White House about missing e-mails that could serve as evidence in the IRS targeting investigation.

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Kurdish leader cites 'new reality' in Iraq

Kurdish regional President Massoud Barzani, right, listens to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting at the presidential palace in Irbil, Iraq, Tuesday, June 24, 2014.

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Warsawgate Rocks PolandBy Andrew Nagorski

Leaked recordings of top Polish officials dissing the Obama administration have worked to Putin's benefit.

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Dems chafe under Reid's rules as well

Democratic senators have been sidelined in legislative debates because of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's tight grip on amendments.

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Will Mississippi mudslinging give Dems a chance in South?

If Chris McDaniel on Tuesday knocks off Sen. Thad Cochran , national Democrats will have a rare offensive opportunity in the Deep South.

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HOH: Vulnerable Members Hope Therea s a Next Year for Their Congressional Baseball Careers

Play every game as if it was your last," says every manager worth his weight in sunflower seeds.

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Supreme Court narrows rules on curbing greenhouse gases

A fractured Supreme Court on Monday limited, but didn't eliminate, the Environmental Protection Agency's power to regulate certain greenhouse gas emissions.

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Cochran, Rangel challenged on busy primary day

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right, listens as Republican Senator Thad Cochran responds to a reporter's question at a Cochran for Senate rally at the Mississippi War Memorial in Jackson, Miss., Monday, June 23, 2014.

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The 8 Primaries to Watch Tuesday

After House Majority Leader Eric CantorA s shocking defeat, political observers got some extra recovery time last week, when there were no primaries for the first time since April.

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Obama Blocks OfficersFrom Stopping - Dreamers'

President Barack Obama is blocking several simple actions that would quickly stop the rising flood of migrant youths and adults crossing the Texas border, according to border officials and immigration reformers.

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A Lame Duck Country?

Pundits are pointing to President Barack ObamaA s recent decline in public opinion polls, and saying that he may now become another "lame duck" president, unable to accomplish much during his final term in office.

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IRS head says no laws broken in loss of emails

You're rich enough, HillaryClinton ... or are you?

Back in 2000, David Brooks published a charming little book called "Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There."

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Hillary Clinton to announce youth jobs push

Hillary Rodham Clinton is making an economic pitch for youth employment, announcing a set of partnerships aimed at training and hiring young people.

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Virginia Democrat Grills IRS Commissioner,Discovers Democrats' 2014 Campaign Strategy

What a grand day for the Democratic Party Monday turned out to be. Their soon-to-be supreme empress, Hillary Rodham Clinton, began the day with a print interview given to the Guardian that Ed talked about, where she tried to say no, really, we're not rich, trust us.

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Sen. Toomey, Reps. Thompson, Perry, Barletta, Shuster: Latest EPA Overreach Will Devastate PA Farmers

Members of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation are working to protect Pennsylvania farmers by fighting back against another regulatory overreach by the Environmental Protection Agency .

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Egypt president won't interfere in court verdicts

Two universities in the nation's capital have agreed to a major energy deal to buy more than half their power from three new solar power farms that will be built in North Carolina, the schools announced Monday... Two universities in the nation's capital have agreed to a major energy deal to buy more than half their power from three new solar power ... (more)

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60 females, 31 boys abducted in northeast Nigeria

Not 'Truly Well Off'? Obama allies call Hillary an...

She certainly stepped in it with her complaint to Diane Sawyer that she was "dead broke" upon leaving the White House.

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Nation's ugliest primary enters final chapter

Lifelong Democrat Jackie Bland is doing something she never thought she'd do: Urge people to vote for a Republican.

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UNC researcher, a pioneering academic, kept kinship to Obama to herself

She authored two books, had a doctorate from the University of Chicago and was a former research professor at UNC-Chapel Hill.

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Port of Hueneme Hosts Coastal Trident 2014

Kristin Decas, Port of Hueneme CEO with US Coast Guard Captain of Port, Captain Jennifer Williams kick off Coastal Trident 2014 June 16, 2014 Today marks a day of real accomplishment.

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Monday, June 23, 2014

Read the "Totalitarian Collectivism" essay

In case you are a rabid partisan supporter of the Obama administration, or forgot your history, Richard Nixon was charged for ostensibly the same offense, that President Obama's loyal minion "endeavored to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, confidential information contained in income ... (more)

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What a GOP Senate Would Mean for Obamacare

A Republican Senate majority wouldn't be able to fully repeal Obamacare, but it could force some pretty significant changes to the health care law.

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EU sanctions 12 Syrian ministers for rights abuses

President Barack Obama is encouraging more employers to adopt family-friendly policies by hosting a daylong summit Monday, even though the U.S. government doesn't always set the best example.

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Incoming House majority leader would end export bank

Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California and the incoming House majority leader, said on Sunday he would allow the authorization for the Export-Import Bank of the United States to expire when it comes up for reauthorization in the fall.

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Obama encouraging family-friendly work policies

In this Oct. 27, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama, second from left, with first lady Michelle Obama, right, and their daughters Malia, left, and Sasha, walk from the White House in Washington to attend a church service.

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10 Things to Know for Today

In this, June 17, 2014 file photo, Jesus Aguaje Ramos, director and musician of the Cuban band, Buena Vista Social Club poses for a picture at his home in Havana, Cuba.

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Killing Kyoto softly

Page 1 of 2 Killing Kyoto softly By Peter Lee I suffered an attack of bulging eye/throbbing vein syndrome when reading presumptive presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's blithe account of a clever piece of business she pulled at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009.

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His Name Is Not On The Ballot, But Martin O'Malley Has A Lot At Stake In MD Governor's Race

Sure to be paying as much attention to the results in Tuesday's primary election in Maryland as Lt.

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Neo-cons, hawks fail to gain Iraq traction

Neo-cons, hawks fail to gain Iraq traction By Jim Lobe WASHINGTON - Despite their ubiquity on television talk shows and newspaper op-ed pages, neo-conservatives and other hawks who propelled the US into war in Iraq 11 years ago are falling short in their efforts to persuade the public and Congress that Washington needs to return.

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Kerry presses Maliki as Iraq loses control of Jordanian border

Shi'ite volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant , stand at attention during a military-style training in Najaf, June 22, 2014 REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani BAGHDAD, June 23 - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Iraq's prime minister in Baghdad ... (more)

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