All Politics
First LookWhy did Mississippi lawmakers pass its largest state income tax cut?Mississippi lawmakers passed the largest-ever state income tax cut on Sunday to spur economic growth and make the state “work friendly.” Opponents say the cuts will benefit the wealthy the most and could lead to significant budget shortfalls.
First LookWhy support for Biden's leadership remains low among AmericansAlthough President Biden successfully forged a united front to punish Russia with sanctions, polls show Americans feel no better about his leadership as the war continues.
First LookIdaho abortion law sparks constitutionality debateOn Wednesday, Idaho followed Texas and enacted a law that bans abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy. Family members can enforce the law by filing lawsuits against doctors who perform abortions.
First LookSecretary Madeleine Albright remembered as diplomatic but toughMadeleine Albright, who died on Wednesday, was a trailblazer as the first U.S. female secretary of state. She was an avowed internationalist who pushed for diplomatic solutions throughout her career. President Obama awarded Ms. Albright the Medal of Freedom in 2012.
First LookVeto power: Utah governor stalls transgender sports banUtah’s Gov. Spencer Cox vetoed a bill that would ban transgender students from playing on girls’ sports teams. The majority Republican state legislature has already called for an override session, prolonging the debate about what constitutes inclusion and fairness.
Senators decried lack of civility. Then the Jackson hearings began.Can the Senate restore luster to the confirmation process that it has battered over the past five years?
First Look'Don't Say Gay': How is Disney embroiled in Florida bill debate?The Walt Disney Co. is feeling pressure on both sides of a dispute over a Florida bill that would bar instruction on sexual identity in younger grades. The company has long supported Republican lawmakers in Florida but some employees are planning walkouts.
FocusOhio’s Senate race highlights Republican divide on UkraineRepublican voters in Ohio reveal an American mindset that far predates Trumpism: a wariness of engaging in foreign conflicts.
Biden’s high-wire act on UkraineWhere supporters tout Biden the coalition builder, critics say his response has been weak. A rousing Zelenskyy speech to Congress complicates the challenge.
First LookTennessee GOP uses Texas as a model, introduces anti-abortion billOn Tuesday, Republicans in Tennessee introduced a bill modeled after the Texas law that allows private citizens to sue doctors who perform abortions. However, the Tennessee bill would ban all abortions, not just those that occur after the six-week mark.
First LookPresident Biden to visit Europe for NATO summit on UkraineIn a bid to increase support for Ukraine, President Joe Biden will travel to Brussels to attend a NATO summit next week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday. Mr. Biden’s trip comes as Western nations present a largely united front in backing Ukraine.
First LookUS Senate votes to make daylight saving time permanentThe U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act by a unanimous voice vote on Tuesday. The bipartisan bill would make daylight saving time permanent in November of 2023. One poll suggests 71% of Americans prefer to no longer switch their clocks twice a year.
First LookMind the gender pay gap: Disparity persists, but it's shrinkingPresident Biden expects to sign an executive order on Equal Pay Day, March 15, to discourage federal contractors from considering a hire’s previous salary. In 2020, women on average earned 83 cents on the dollar compared to men doing the same work. The pay gap in the U.S. is at its smallest ever.
Gun sales: More diverse buyers shift firearm cultureThe view of gun owners as older, conservative, white, and male isn’t wrong, but it’s shifting. First-time gun buyers are more diverse, and they’re changing gun culture.
First LookGrand jury indicts Colorado election clerk for data breachTina Peters, a Republican election clerk, was indicted by a grand jury in Colorado for seven felony and three misdemeanor counts. The indictment alleges that Ms. Peters and a deputy clerk were involved in a security breach of confidential county voting data.
First LookHow risky is crypto? Biden signs executive order for discovery.As cryptocurrency gains momentum, the federal government is taking precautions. In a new executive order, President Joe Biden asked the Treasury Department and other agencies to study a central bank cryptocurrency to assess financial stability and national security.
Russia ‘canceled’: Is this an effective new way of waging war?The speed and breadth of sanctions have stunned Russia. Yet big questions remain about what they’ll achieve, and about unintended consequences.
First LookBipartisan deal: Congress finalizes $1.5T bill, including Ukraine aidOn Wednesday, members of Congress agreed on the details of a bipartisan bill to send $13.6 billion to help Ukraine and other European countries. A vote on the total $1.5 trillion package to finance federal agencies is expected this week.
‘They seem so like us’: How bias creeps into war reportingThe world has been stunned by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But journalists’ shock has been accompanied by comments that media critics say reveal a Western bias.
First LookTrump engaged in 'criminal conspiracy', Jan. 6 panel saysA House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection suggested evidence of criminal activity by Donald Trump and his associates Wednesday. The panel alleged Mr. Trump spread false information about the election and pushed officials break federal laws to overturn results.
