Topic: The White House

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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.
Briefing
IRS 101: Seven questions about the tea party scandal

The Internal Revenue Service is under the microscope now, as revelations have emerged that the agency wrongly targeted conservative groups seeking nonprofit status. Here’s an accounting of what has happened, along with the ramifications.
Briefing
Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile

President Obama said Assad's use of chemical weapons would be a 'red line' for US. Did he use sarin or any other chemical weapon against his own people?
Who handled Major League Baseball’s ceremonial first-pitch honors in 2013?

One of the most anticipated moments of any baseball season occurs when ceremonial first pitches are thrown at each of 30 major-league ballparks. Often the identity of the persons or persons doing the honors is kept a secret until the last minute. Here’s the lineup of the 2013 VIPs:
Think you know the White House? Take our quiz.

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is one of the most famous addresses in the world, but how much do you really know about America's executive mansion and its presidential inhabitants?

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Obama and 'terrorism': why he hesitated to use that word

On Tuesday, President Obama referred to the bombings at Monday's Boston Marathon as 'terrorism,' after declining to do so right after the incident. His hesitation was classic 'Obama caution.'
Boston Marathon bombing: Feds raid apartment, police seek rental van (+video)

Federal authorities late Monday removed several bags from an apartment in a nearby suburb. Police investigating the Boston Marathon bombing have also issued an alert for a rental van and for a hooded man who left the area before the blasts.
Boston bombing: Obama says culprits will feel 'weight of justice'

"We will find out who did this. We'll find out why they did this," President Obama said in his brief statement after the Boston bombing. "Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice."
Boston Marathon bombings: What could the motives have been?

The investigation into the Boston Marathon bombings is just beginning and motives are not known. But the date and location of the attack suggest some possibilities.
Decoder Wire North Korea nuclear talks: Did John Kerry soften conditions? (+video)

North Korea nuclear talks are possible if the North gives up its nuclear program, Secretary of State John Kerry said this weekend. That's not new, but Kerry's tone has worried some analysts.
Decoder Wire Obama's tax rate is 18.4 percent. Is that too low for a millionaire?

The release of President Obama's tax returns last week showed that his tax rate has gone down. Of course, his income went down and he gave a lot to charity, but critics are still chirping.
USA Update Are your taxes fair? Increasingly, Americans say no.

On Monday, both sides in the ideological battle over spending and taxes are seeking to reinforce the divide – with a 'red tape tower' and a federal taxpayer receipt.
Rebel Wilson of 'Perfect Pitch' hosts MTV Movie Awards (+video)

Rebel Wilson was the comedic host of the MTV Movie Awards Sunday. Rebel Wilson also won two awards for her performance in 'Perfect Pitch.'
The Monitor's View: Looking for Obama's agenda in Syria

As killings in Syria worsen, more people look to Obama for action. But the mental preparation for action doesn't start with the White House.
Obama budget 'compromise?' No way, says the GOP (+video)

In the Republican radio address Saturday, Rep. Jackie Walorski (R) of Indiana called President Obama's proposed budget for 2014 'a blank check for more spending and more debt.'
Voices of Newtown: How gun violence victims became effective lobbyists (+video)

The testimony of Newtown parents and others who have lost loved ones to gun violence has become a potent political force on Capitol Hill as lawmakers debate stronger gun safety measures.
USA Update Obama, like everyone, must face the tax man. Here are his numbers.

President Obama is wealthy, but his income has been dropping in recent years, mainly due to a decline in book revenues. In releasing his 2012 return, the White House again pushed for tax reform.
Tax VOX Obama budget: the plan to cap retirement savings benefits

President Obama's 2014 budget would limit tax benefits for workers with high-balance retirement saving accounts. The plan is a smart way to roll back the billions in tax breaks that go to investors who don’t need tax incentives to save for retirement, Harris writes.
How liberal anger at Obama budget helps the president, Democrats

The president's budget, with its cost-saving measures in Social Security and Medicare, has infuriated the left. That positions Obama more to the center and could help him achieve other goals – and save some Democratic seats in 2014.
For former Iranian 'terrorists,' a warm Washington welcome

With Washington luminaries in attendance, the Iranian dissident group NCRI and its formerly armed wing MEK inaugurated their sleek new offices Thursday, within sight of the White House.
Social Security proposal from Obama: How would it affect you?

'Chained CPI,' a leading idea for how to keep Social Security solvent for the decades ahead, is part of President Obama's budget proposal. Here's what it would mean for benefits.
Who handled Major League Baseball’s ceremonial first-pitch honors in 2013?

One of the most anticipated moments of any baseball season occurs when ceremonial first pitches are thrown at each of 30 major-league ballparks. Often the identity of the persons or persons doing the honors is kept a secret until the last minute. Here’s the lineup of the 2013 VIPs:
Friend or frenemy? For China, key issue is how US really views it

Both the US and China want to tamp down the North Korea crisis. But as Secretary of State John Kerry visits Beijing this weekend, an underlying issue is mutual suspicion over strategic aims in the Pacific.
Robert Reich Obama budget: Why entitlement cuts are a 'grand bargain' we don't need

President Obama's willingness to negotiate on Social Security – which Democrats have protected from Republican assaults for almost eighty years – doesn’t bode well, Reich writes.
Obama budget changes Social Security: Are Republicans on board?

President Obama proposed changes to entitlements including Social Security in his new budget, prompting hopes of a 'grand bargain.' Republicans mixed qualified approval with skepticism.
New cybersecurity bill: Privacy threat or crucial band-aid?

The cybersecurity bill was a flash point for privacy advocates a year ago. Now, changes have been made to the bill, which was the focus of a closed hearing Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee.
Obama’s budget gambit: Return of the 'grand bargain'?

President Obama is for the first time proposing a budget that includes changes to Social Security and Medicare. This infuriates the left but could open the door to compromise with Republicans.
Opinion: Senate deal on background checks aside, outdated tracing system hurts gun control

Though Sens. Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey have reached a deal on background checks, a key piece of the White House’s gun control plan is still at risk of failure. The federal government is using 1960s era technology to trace guns used in crimes. The system must be updated.
Chapter & Verse David Axelrod will publish a memoir in 2014

David Axelrod, former Obama advisor and strategist, will release his memoir through Penguin Press. Bids for the book went as high as $1.5 million.
Joan Baez returns to Vietnam after 41 years. Why? (+video)

Joan Baez is back in Hanoi for the first time since December 1972, when American B-52s were raining bombs on Vietnam. Joan Baez visited a bunker in Hanoi and sang "Oh Freedom," a song she often sung during civil rights rallies in the 1960s.