Politics : NPR

Ham Radio Volunteers Worry About Spectrum Plan

April 30, 2011 • Amateur radio operators are helping to restore emergency communication in some of the areas hardest hit by the tornadoes in the South. But those volunteers say their ability to provide that help is threatened by a new bill in Congress.

The Federal Budget Crunch

April 30, 2011 • The debate over the federal budget and how much to cut has pitted the Republicans and the Democrats against each other.

A 'Radical' Plan To Cut Military Spending

Defense Secretary Robert Gates talks with troops during a visit April 7 at Camp Victory in Baghdad. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A 'Radical' Plan To Cut Military Spending

April 30, 2011 • As Congress and the White House set a higher priority on cutting the budget deficit, a retired military man sees ways to reap major savings. In a plan he acknowledges as "somewhat radical," former Army Col. Douglas Macgregor proposes slashing the defense budget by 40 percent in just three years.

Medicare Math Problem: Taxes - Benefits = Trouble

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., right, hears from a constituent during a "listening session" Tuesday at Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, Wis. Ryan's plan to fundamentally restructure Medicare and cut social safety net programs has proved to be a tough sell to many Republican voters the last few weeks. Jeffrey Phelps/AP hide caption

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Jeffrey Phelps/AP

Health Care

Medicare Math Problem: Taxes - Benefits = Trouble

April 30, 2011 • An average 66-year-old couple kicks in about $100,000 in Medicare taxes over the course of their lives. They've paid in, so they expect Medicare to pay out. — and it does, to the tune of $300,000, on average. So how did the system become so unbalanced?

World

Sanctions Follow Syria's Deadly Crackdown

April 30, 2011 • The Obama administration has imposed new sanctions against key officials in Syria. The move comes after more than 60 people reportedly were killed during demonstrations Friday against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. NPR's Kelly McEvers is monitoring the situation from nearby Beirut and speaks with guest host Linda Wertheimer.

Rep. Tim Walz Vows A Hard Vote On The Debt Ceiling

April 30, 2011 • When it comes to the debt ceiling, most lawmakers would rather take a salary cut than vote to raise it. But Democratic Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota is not one of them. True, he's among the dozen House Democrats the GOP considers most beatable next year. Walz is back in his swing district trying to keep his balance, and NPR's David Welna travels with him.

How Log Cabin Republicans Keep Out Of The Closet

April 30, 2011 • This weekend, the Log Cabin Republicans are holding their annual convention in Dallas, Texas. The group bills itself as the nation's only organization of Republicans that supports gay and lesbian rights. Guest host Linda Wertheimer speaks with the group's executive director, R. Clarke Cooper.

GOP Candidates Flirt With N.H. Voters

April 30, 2011 • Five potential Republican candidates for president shared a stage Friday night in Manchester, N.H. Their agenda was jobs, the economy and courting core GOP activists before the state holds its first-in-the-nation primary early in 2012. Josh Rogers of New Hampshire Public Radio reports.

Wis. Political Split Hardens Into Great Divide

A Tea Party supporter, left, argues with a critic before a rally where former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spoke at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison on April 16. Darren Hauck/Getty Images hide caption

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Darren Hauck/Getty Images

National

Wis. Political Split Hardens Into Great Divide

April 30, 2011 • No state may be more polarized right now than Wisconsin. That follows the effort by Republican Gov. Scott Walker to eliminate the collective bargaining rights of most public workers there. The gap is most apparent between Wisconsin's biggest cities and its smallest towns.

U.N.-Led Syria Probe A Win For U.S. Diplomacy

Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-Wha Kang of Korea speaks during a special session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva Friday. The council agreed to launch an urgent investigation into Syria's bloody crackdown on protests. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images