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HHS secretary asks insurer to justify rate hike
The Obama administration on Monday asked California’s largest for-profit health insurer to justify plans to hike customers’ premiums by as much as 39 percent, a move that could affect some 800,000 people.
Criminal probe is launched in Conn. plant blast
Authorities launched a criminal investigation Monday into the cause of an explosion that killed five people at a power plant under construction, saying they couldn’t rule out negligence.
GOP wary of pitfalls in Obama’s health care summit
Even as Republicans publicly welcome President Barack Obama’s call for a bipartisan confab on health care, some privately worry that he might be laying a trap to portray their ideas as flimsy.
Uncertainty in search after deadly Conn. blast
A power plant explosion that killed at least five people left a section of the building too unstable for rescue crews to determine whether everyone was accounted for, a fire official said Monday.
Experiment takes aim at genetic learning disorder
A pill to ease a type of mental retardation? An experiment is under way to develop one, aimed at a genetic disorder that might unravel some of the mysteries of autism along the way.
A Presidential run for Sarah Palin?
Sarah Palin said Sunday she might run for president in 2012 if she decides it’s good for her family and country.
Judge Alito objected to Obama’s history claim
Still wonder exactly why Justice Samuel Alito shook his head and mouthed the words “not true” during President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address? He objected to the president’s saying the ruling reversed a century of law.
Obama seeks to rally glum Dems amid GOP challenges
Just a year after celebrating Barack Obama’s inauguration, despondent Democrats on Saturday heard from their party leader who urged optimism in the face of Republicans’ strong challenge to their congressional dominance.
Pizzerias face insurance risks in crush of big-game deliveries
For pizza fans, Super Bowl Sunday rates up there with Halloween and the day before Thanksgiving as one really big day. For the pizzerias that deliver, it’s also a big reason for insurance coverage.
Government examining brakes on Toyota’s Prius
Toyota faced mounting pressure Thursday as the government opened a probe of brake problems with the Prius, a crown jewel of its lineup. The beleaguered automaker said it was “too soon” to decide whether to add the hybrid to the millions of cars it has recalled.
Obama admits health care overhaul may die on Hill
No, maybe he can’t.
President Barack Obama, who insisted he would succeed where other presidents had failed to fix the nation’s health care system, now concedes the effort may die in Congress.
Law official: Airline bomb suspect flips on cleric
The Nigerian suspect in a failed Christmas Day airliner bombing turned against the cleric who claims to be his teacher and has helped the U.S. hunt for the radical preacher, a law enforcement official said Thursday.
Job losses from Great Recession about to get worse
Job losses during the Great Recession have been huge and they’re about to get bigger.
Analysis: Obama-Dalai Lama meeting only option
Just a week after enraging China with an arms sale package for rival Taiwan, President Barack Obama risks more damage to this crucial relationship by agreeing to meet with the Dalai Lama in two weeks.
The truth is, he has little choice.
Brown’s independence could face Senate test
Scott Brown says he’s a different kind of Republican, a centrist willing to work with Senate Democrats to fix health care and the ailing economy.
Analysis: US may shift on gays in military
A cultural shift in the 17 years since Congress passed a legal ban on gays serving openly in the military had changed the debate even before it was reopened by President Barack Obama.
Obama’s words fail to bridge health care divide
President Barack Obama exhorted Democrats to “finish the job” on a health care overhaul Wednesday, but his comments failed to bridge deep divisions within his party.
Congress looks at foreign influence in U.S. elections
In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling that ended most restrictions on corporate funding in elections, a congressional panel was asked Wednesday to enact greater limits on the influence of foreign companies in U.S. elections.
Brown taking over the late Sen. Kennedy’s seat
Republican Scott Brown is poised to take over the late Sen. Edward Kennedy’s long-held seat a week earlier than he had planned, ending the Democrats’ Senate supermajority and giving the GOP 41 votes they can use to block President Barack Obama’s agenda.
House faces tough vote on $1.9 trillion more debt
Facing a politically excruciating vote, House Democratic leaders are counting on new budget deficit curbs to help smooth the way for a bill allowing the government to go $1.9 trillion deeper into debt over the next year — or about $6,000 more for every U.S. resident.
Dems plan jobs bill, challenging GOP’s acts
Scuffling over jobs and taxes, congressional Democrats began refining their election-year jobs package Tuesday in a challenge to Republicans to balance their party’s complaints about big spending with action to help unemployed Americans.
Lawmakers upset over Obama’s 2nd anti-Vegas remark
Nevada lawmakers lashed out at President Barack Obama on Tuesday after he made another reference to Las Vegas while explaining how people should make tough choices on spending.
Top uniformed officer: Gay ban should be lifted
The military’s top uniformed officer on Tuesday made an impassioned plea for allowing gays to serve openly in uniform, telling a Senate panel it was a matter of integrity and that it is wrong to force people to “lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens.”
Rep. Rangel: Bargainers start compromise health bill
Leading lawmakers hoping to revive President Barack Obama’s stalled health care overhaul have started writing a compromise bill, but it’s unclear when the legislation will be ready for votes, a top House Democrat said Tuesday.
Obama would change No Child Left Behind
President Barack Obama is proposing to overhaul the No Child Left Behind education law, replacing the school accountability system that has slapped a failing label on more than a third of schools, including many that made big gains but just missed their annual targets.
Gates to announce review of military gay ban
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is tapping two seasoned Pentagon officials to lead the military’s first in-depth study on allowing openly gay service members, promising to try to spare more troops from being dismissed in the meantime.
Toyota gears up for recall
Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday its dealers should get parts to fix a sticky gas pedal problem by the end of this week as the automaker apologized to customers and tried to bring an end to a recall that has affected 4.2 million vehicles worldwide.
FACT CHECK: Obama budget a leap of faith on growth
President Barack Obama’s proposed budget relies on a commission without teeth to help his administration wrestle the deficit out of the danger zone. It forecasts stronger economic growth than most economists expect and calls on Congress to cut programs that lawmakers cherish.
Obama pitches aid for struggling small businesses
President Barack Obama’s bid to sell his economic agenda and re-energize voters picks up in politically significant New Hampshire, where he will again promote an idea to free up money for small businesses that are hurting.
Taliban: Terrorist or not? Not always easy to say
Once considered so entwined that they were twin targets of a U.S. invasion, al-Qaida and elements of Afghanistan’s Taliban are now being surgically separated — one careful stitch at a time.
Obama export goals doable, job creation tougher
President Barack Obama says he wants to double exports over the next five years, supporting 2 million American jobs. The doubling is doable; the job increase is debatable.
Gaps emerging in US census outreach to immigrants
The government is fumbling some efforts to assure immigrants that U.S. census data won’t be used against them, including gaps in outreach and foreign language guides that refer to the decennial count as an investigation.
Obama unveils $3.83T budget with massive deficits
President Barack Obama sent Congress a $3.83 trillion budget on Monday that would pour more money into the fight against high unemployment, boost taxes on the wealthy and freeze spending for a wide swath of government programs.
Toyota tells dealers parts on way to fix pedals
Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday its dealers should get parts to fix a sticky gas pedal problem by the end this week as the automaker apologized to Toyota owners and tries to bring an end to a recall that has affected 4.2 million vehicles worldwide.
Personal incomes, consumer spending up in December
Personal incomes rose more than expected in December and consumer spending increased for the third straight month, helping the economy slowly recover from the worst recession in decades.
US announces $6.4 billion in arms sales to Taiwan
The United States is planning to sell $6.4 billion in arms to Taiwan, a move that will infuriate China and test whether President Barack Obama’s efforts to improve trust with Beijing will carry the countries through a tense time.
Critics raise specter of foreign campaign spending
The Supreme Court’s decision on campaign finance has jumbled a seemingly simple rule of American politics — foreigners should play no role in U.S. elections.
GOP: Obama has ’blind spot’ on terror war
The Obama administration’s handling of a Nigerian student who allegedly attempted to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day exposed its “blind spot” when it comes to the war on terrorism, a Republican lawmaker said Saturday.
Obama: Cutting deficit as important as job growth
President Barack Obama said Saturday that trimming budget deficits is as important as creating jobs, his top domestic priority this year, to continue the economic recovery that appears under way.
Swift murder conviction in abortion doctor’s death
An activist who confessed to gunning down one of the only U.S. doctors to offer late-term abortions faces a sentence of life in prison after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder.
Southeastern US stares down icy, snowy weekend
A thick band of heavy snow, freezing rain and cold temperatures was spreading across southeastern states early Saturday, promising a messy weekend of slick roads, power outages and prime sledding for kids out of school.
Pentagon to propose way forward on gay ban
The Defense Department next week will propose for the first time a “way forward” on lifting the military’s ban on gays from serving openly, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said Thursday.
President Barack Obama has vowed to work with Congress this year to repeal the 1993 law, ...
Senate votes to impose even more sanctions on Iran
The Senate voted Thursday night to strengthen existing sanctions against Iran and impose new ones aimed at its gasoline supplies as part of the U.S. effort to dissuade Tehran from pursuing nuclear weapons and cracking down on internal dissent.
Analysis: Bernanke’s Senate fight may undercut Fed
Ben Bernanke survived a Senate battle, bruised. The question is whether the Federal Reserve was scarred, too.
Economy likely grew faster in Q4, but fears remain
At the end of last year, the economy likely grew for the second straight quarter — possibly at the fastest pace in nearly four years.
Administration considers changing terror trial
Officials say the Obama administration is considering moving the trial of the accused 9/11 mastermind out of lower Manhattan.
Analysis: Humbled Obama checks boxes
Humility. Check.
Bipartisanship, debt reduction, populist anger. Check. Check. Check.
More jobs? On it. President Barack Obama checked every political box needed to restart his troubled presidency Wednesday night, but that may not be enough to consider his State of Union address a success.
Senate Democrats face painful votes on debt limit
Senate Democrats are counting on their soon-to-expire 60-vote majority to raise the federal debt ceiling by $1.9 trillion so they don’t have to take more politically painful votes on government borrowing until after the fall midterm elections.

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