Topic: Bill Clinton

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Playing the IRS card: Six presidents who used the IRS to bash political foes

Since the advent of the federal income tax about a century ago, several presidents – or their zealous underlings – have directed the IRS to use its formidable police powers to harass or punish enemies, political rivals, and administration critics. Here are six infamous episodes.

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Robert Reich Stop subsidizing sky-high CEO salaries.

Taxpayers are paying for CEOs to receive huge salaries, as corporations deduct executives' compensation from income taxes. What's the solution?
Opinion For Obama, Bush, Reagan, no vacation from politics

President Obama doesn’t have his own ranch or summer compound as a vacation retreat, so he stays in rental properties, which seem high-end. Obama has also spent much less time on vacation than his predecessor. In truth, presidents don't get a real break from their job – or from politics.
Decoder Wire Political redemption in the Big Apple: It's up to you, New York

Ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer joins ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner in apology tours asking New York voters for another shot at public trust, after sex scandals knocked them out of office.
After DOMA ruling, few fighting words from congressional GOP on gay marriage

One by one, leading Republicans offered statements after the Supreme Court's DOMA ruling that showed they were ready, by and large, to leave the gay marriage fight to the states.
Decoder Wire Battleground Ohio: The [early] polls are in, showing a Clinton-Christie tie

It's never too early to poll test presidential prospects, it seems. So, a new Ohio poll finds Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie dead even, at 42 percent. Clinton beats Rand Paul, Joe Biden doesn't.
Teacher training: 'Industry of mediocrity,' says controversial report

Quantity over quality? Teacher training programs are turning out too many teachers, says a new review from the National Council on Teacher Quality, and they're poorly equipped to face the classroom.
Did Bill Clinton goad Obama into stepping up in Syria?

Former President Clinton told a private forum this week that President Obama would look like 'a total fool' if he followed public opinion too closely on Syria. Now the US is sending small arms to the rebels.
USA Update Syria crosses 'red line' on chemical weapons. How will Obama respond? (+video)

US officials say the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has used chemical weapons 'multiple times' to kill at least 100 rebel fighters and civilians. Obama had warned Syria of 'enormous consequences' if it crossed that 'red line.'
Decoder Wire Hillary Clinton makes a splash in Chicago, but not an overtly political one

In her first policy speech since leaving the State Department, Hillary Clinton made no firm declarations of political intentions. But she did laud the role of women in politics.
Backchannels Wusses, US foreign policy, and the horrific death toll in Syria

Former President Bill Clinton suggested President Obama was being a 'wuss' over intervention in Syria as the UN reported the death toll has reached 93,000.
Decoder Wire Did Hillary Clinton just drop a presidential hint on Twitter?

Hillary Clinton said on Twitter that her next role is 'TBD,' prompting a flurry of interest in her debut on the social networking site.
Cover Story Return of the Rocky Mountain high

Towns in the Mountain West, once held back by their isolated geography, are luring a new generation because of their scenic beauty. The hub of the 'Green Coast' movement: Bozeman, Montana.
How Madeleine Albright discovered she was on Myanmar's blacklist

The former secretary of State earned the 'badge of honor' for her role in crafting sanctions against the former military government. She finally made an official visit to Myanmar this week.
Obama turns tables on GOP: no compromise on judicial nominations

Obama slams Republicans for 'unprecedented' obstruction of his judicial nominees, and Sen. Harry Reid vows no compromise on a student loan deal, as Democrats take a page from the Republican playbook.
Why IRS investigation is already Obama's Watergate – and Benghazi, too (+video)

Since Watergate, every two-term president has had a second-term scandal. First-term mistakes and hyperpartisanship make probes – like those into Benghazi and the IRS – almost inevitable.
'Obamagate' danger for the GOP: political overreach

Republicans are jumping all over what they see as major scandals in the Obama administration, including Benghazi, the IRS, and checking journalists’ phone records. But some in the GOP are warning against the perception of overreach for partisan purposes.
Playing the IRS card: Six presidents who used the IRS to bash political foes

Since the advent of the federal income tax about a century ago, several presidents – or their zealous underlings – have directed the IRS to use its formidable police powers to harass or punish enemies, political rivals, and administration critics. Here are six infamous episodes.
Robert Reich The problem with Obama's second term

President Obama is allowing the controversies that typically arise in a second term dominate his presidency because he has failed to define his core agenda. Is it a grand bargain on the budget deficit, gun control, jobs, or immigration reform? It's hard to tell.
USA Update Barbara Walters announces retirement: How she changed TV news (+video)

Barbara Walters was America's TV's first evening news anchor, but in addition to that, she set a standard for television journalism though her tireless work ethic.
Chapter & Verse Maya Angelou: 'Mom & Me & Mom' explores a powerful mother-daughter dynamic

Maya Angelou's latest memoir tells of getting to know the mother whom she first called 'Lady' rather than 'Mom.' Maya Angelou is famous for her other autobiographical works, including 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.'
O.J. Simpson in court to fight robbery, kidnapping conviction

O.J. Simpson in court Monday to seek a new trial in his conviction for armed robbery and kidnapping. O.J. Simpson has served four years of a 33-year sentence. The latest court case is seen as a legal 'Hail Mary.'
Global News Blog Dennis Rodman to Kim Jong-un: 'Do me a solid' and free Kenneth Bae (+video)

US basketball star Dennis Rodman recently hung out with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un - now he's tweeted a request that the American sentenced to 15 years' hard labor be released.
Boycott of Israel is small for now, but gets higher profile with Hawking

Many celebrities have ignored boycott appeals, such as Elton John, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Paul McCartney. Some academics say that the impact of the movement has been overstated.
Hawking snubs Israeli conference in protest

Advice from Palestinian academics guided Stephen Hawking's decision not to attend a June conference in Israel. The prominent British scientist is protesting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, according to Cambridge University.
Venezuela's Maduro globe trots: building regional ties or a domestic distraction?

On his first official trip abroad, Venezuela's new leader is visiting Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. But a domestic dispute over the legality of Maduro's presidential victory drags on at home.