http://www.abc12.com/category/213611/politics-and-elections en-us Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WJRT Political 15 politics-and-elections http://www.abc12.com/story/22284525/website-allows-tax-payers-to-submit-idea-for-tax-reform http://www.abc12.com/story/22284525/website-allows-tax-payers-to-submit-idea-for-tax-reform?t=2013-05-17T18:20:59Z WJRT Fri, 17 May 2013 18:18:00 EDT There have been more than 4,000 changes to the nation's tax code over the past decade. tax reform taxreform.gov Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/22261898/report-says-irs-discriminated-against-groups-because-of-political-affiliation http://www.abc12.com/story/22261898/report-says-irs-discriminated-against-groups-because-of-political-affiliation?t=2013-05-15T17:33:32Z WJRT Wed, 15 May 2013 17:33:00 EDT Wednesday, the White House once again called for accountability, after an inspector general's report claimed the Internal Revenue Service discriminated against groups applying for tax-exempt status because of their political affiliation. IRS IRS discrimination Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/22247217/senate-ag-committee-finalizing-latest-version-of-the-farm-bill http://www.abc12.com/story/22247217/senate-ag-committee-finalizing-latest-version-of-the-farm-bill?t=2013-05-14T13:01:34Z WJRT Tue, 14 May 2013 13:01:00 EDT The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee is finalizing the latest version of the Farm Bill. U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/22189624/mt-morris-township-residents-pass-police-and-fire-millages http://www.abc12.com/story/22189624/mt-morris-township-residents-pass-police-and-fire-millages?t=2013-05-14T16:52:55Z WJRT Wed, 8 May 2013 11:24:00 EDT Residents in a number of local communities went to the polls Tuesday to vote on various ballot issues from public safety millages, to school proposals, and even an open Senate seat. ABC12 News Team News http://www.abc12.com/story/22156593/bills-in-congress-aim-to-address-invisible-wounds-of-war http://www.abc12.com/story/22156593/bills-in-congress-aim-to-address-invisible-wounds-of-war?t=2013-05-03T17:24:27Z WJRT Fri, 3 May 2013 17:24:00 EDT As more American troops return home from overseas, there's an increasing demand to get them the care they need. Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/22090737/house-votes-to-end-furloughs-for-faa-air-traffic-controllers http://www.abc12.com/story/22090737/house-votes-to-end-furloughs-for-faa-air-traffic-controllers?t=2013-04-26T17:58:26Z WJRT Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:58:00 EDT The House of Representatives, Friday, followed the U.S. Senate's lead and voted to end air traffic controller furloughs following federal budget cuts. Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/22045150/some-lawmakers-still-seek-enemy-combatant-status-for-bombing-suspect http://www.abc12.com/story/22045150/some-lawmakers-still-seek-enemy-combatant-status-for-bombing-suspect?t=2013-04-22T17:32:31Z WJRT Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:32:00 EDT Lawmakers on Capitol Hill observed a moment of silence for the Boston Marathon bombing victims Monday afternoon - shortly after news broke that Djhokhar Tsarnaev had been charged. Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/21983500/dan-kildee-delivers-first-bill-to-house-of-representatives http://www.abc12.com/story/21983500/dan-kildee-delivers-first-bill-to-house-of-representatives?t=2013-04-15T18:11:11Z WJRT Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:11:00 EDT Only on ABC12, Mid-Michigan's newest congressman has introduced legislation he can call his own. Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/21911266/congressman-dan-kildee-visits-afghanistan http://www.abc12.com/story/21911266/congressman-dan-kildee-visits-afghanistan?t=2013-04-08T17:24:00Z WJRT Mon, 8 Apr 2013 17:23:00 EDT Congressman Dan Kildee flew into Afghanistan on Thursday, where he spent two days meeting with U.S. and Afghan military leaders, officials at the U.S. embassy, and the troops. Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/21872760/democrats-republicans-still-fighting-over-federal-spending-cuts http://www.abc12.com/story/21872760/democrats-republicans-still-fighting-over-federal-spending-cuts?t=2013-04-03T17:32:39Z WJRT Wed, 3 Apr 2013 17:32:00 EDT It's been one month since $85 billion in federal spending cuts went into effect, and Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill continue to fight over the issue. Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/21810015/day-2-of-supreme-court-hearings-on-the-issue-of-same-sex-marriage http://www.abc12.com/story/21810015/day-2-of-supreme-court-hearings-on-the-issue-of-same-sex-marriage?t=2013-03-27T17:21:11Z WJRT Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:21:00 EDT It's day two of Supreme Court hearings on the issue of same-sex marriage. same-sex marriage Defense of Marriage Act DOMA United States v. Windsor Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/21769170/vote-a-rama-being-seen-in-the-senate http://www.abc12.com/story/21769170/vote-a-rama-being-seen-in-the-senate?t=2013-03-22T17:24:29Z WJRT Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:24:00 EDT As lawmakers in Washington continue to debate a budget, we're seeing a phenomenon in the Senate known as "vote-a-rama." Ted Fioraliso News http://www.abc12.com/story/22289129/first-lady-to-high-school-grads-live-your-dreams http://www.abc12.com/story/22289129/first-lady-to-high-school-grads-live-your-dreams?t=2013-05-18T17:13:02Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 17:13:00 EDT First lady Michelle Obama has some advice for some Tennessee high school graduates: Strike your own path in college and life and work to overcome inevitable failures with determination and grit. News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22287626/activists-rebel-groups-kidnap-in-syrias-aleppo http://www.abc12.com/story/22287626/activists-rebel-groups-kidnap-in-syrias-aleppo?t=2013-05-18T17:03:03Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 17:03:00 EDT Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a newspaper interview Saturday he won't step down before elections and that the United States has no right to interfere in his country's politics, raising new doubts about a... News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22287961/a-look-at-why-the-benghazi-issue-keeps-coming-back http://www.abc12.com/story/22287961/a-look-at-why-the-benghazi-issue-keeps-coming-back?t=2013-05-18T13:52:52Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 13:52:00 EDT The night of smoke, chaos, gunfire and grenades that killed four Americans in Benghazi, Libya, is well-documented. Eight months later, it is the decisions made back in Washington that remain murky and in perpetual dispute. News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22288624/obama-takes-cabinet-secretaries-out-to-play-golf http://www.abc12.com/story/22288624/obama-takes-cabinet-secretaries-out-to-play-golf?t=2013-05-18T13:02:51Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 13:02:00 EDT President Barack Obama has taken two Cabinet secretaries out for a round of golf - in the rain. News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22287431/obama-agenda-seems-to-be-weathering-controversies http://www.abc12.com/story/22287431/obama-agenda-seems-to-be-weathering-controversies?t=2013-05-18T12:12:50Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 12:12:00 EDT Despite Democratic fears, predictions of the demise of President Barack Obama's agenda appear exaggerated after a week of cascading controversies, political triage by the administration and party leaders in Congress and... News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22287795/irs-probe-ignored-most-influential-groups http://www.abc12.com/story/22287795/irs-probe-ignored-most-influential-groups?t=2013-05-18T11:42:49Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 11:42:00 EDT There's an irony in the Internal Revenue Service's crackdown on conservative groups. News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22287614/hard-line-afghan-mps-block-law-protecting-women http://www.abc12.com/story/22287614/hard-line-afghan-mps-block-law-protecting-women?t=2013-05-18T11:32:51Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 11:32:00 EDT Conservative religious lawmakers in Afghanistan blocked legislation on Saturday aimed at strengthening provisions for women's freedoms, arguing that parts of it violate Islamic principles and encourage disobedience. News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22288123/politics-bribery-charges-swirl-around-ugandan-oil http://www.abc12.com/story/22288123/politics-bribery-charges-swirl-around-ugandan-oil?t=2013-05-18T11:22:46Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 11:22:00 EDT Even before the first drops flow, Uganda's oil sector is beset by bribery allegations against officials, tax-related cases abroad that cost the government millions in legal fees, and the alleged interference of a... News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22288120/spin-meter-gop-raps-dems-for-irs-union-cash http://www.abc12.com/story/22288120/spin-meter-gop-raps-dems-for-irs-union-cash?t=2013-05-18T10:42:48Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 10:42:00 EDT Seeking maximum political gain from the string of controversies swirling around the White House, Republicans are on the attack against Democratic lawmakers who accepted donations from the union that represents Internal... News - AP-National http://www.abc12.com/story/22287593/obama-talks-jobs-says-politics-misplace-focus http://www.abc12.com/story/22287593/obama-talks-jobs-says-politics-misplace-focus?t=2013-05-18T06:12:36Z AP Sat, 18 May 2013 06:12:00 EDT President Barack Obama is calling attention to his economic proposals and efforts to expand the middle class. News - AP-National