Politics

State Legislature Continues Its Session This Week

Kelly Connelly — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:30:00 +0000

The Louisiana state legislature continues its session this week. Kelly Connelly from our partner WRKF brings us this update from Baton Rouge.

On Friday the Senate Finance Committee continued to comb through the budget, and discovered there’s a lot left to fund this session.

To get a summary, Senator Fred Mills asked Legislative Fiscal Officer John Carpenter to detail the five top worries that keep him up at night.

Card-Carrying Cajuns? Louisiana Lawmakers Weigh ID Change

Bill Chappell — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:17:59 +0000

A bill making its way through the Louisiana Legislature would let Cajun citizens celebrate their ancestry by customizing their driver's license, adding the phrase "I'm a Cajun" below their photograph.

It would cost $5 to add the message; the money would go toward "scholarships distributed by the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, a program promoting French language and culture in the state," reports NOLA.com.

The Senate has already LPB's website.

Mayor Landrieu Pushing 3 Bills in State Legislature

Eileen Fleming — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

The Louisiana legislature is starting a two-month session today in Baton Rouge. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has three proposals for changes he says the city needs.

Bobby Jindal One Of The Most Unpopular Governors In The Country, Poll Says

Jason Saul — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:33:30 +0000

Bobby Jindal, once one of the most popular governors in the country, has seen his approval ratings slide over the past two-and-a-half years to just 37 percent, according to a report released today by the Public Policy Polling organization.

How The Labor Movement Did A 180 On Immigration

Don Gonyea — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:57:50 +0000

The AFL-CIO begins a big push this week to build momentum for comprehensive changes to the nation's immigration laws.

But it wasn't long ago that organized labor viewed illegal workers in the U.S.

Where Have All the Hip-Hop Politicians Gone?

Michel Martin — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:20:00 +0000

Less than a decade ago, some young African-American men tried to leave a mark on the political map. Dubbed as 'hip-hop' politicians, a few rose to national prominence, while others faded from view. Host Michel Martin talks with political science professors about the past, present and future of so-called 'hip-hop politicians.'

In Talking To Their States, Governors Keep An Eye On Washington

Greg Henderson — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 23:22:00 +0000

From Superstorm Sandy to gun laws to the fiscal cliff, national issues are on the minds and the lips of the nation's governors setting their state agendas this week.

Some want Congress and President Obama to act; others urged state legislators to do what Congress hasn't.

"No one hunts with an assault rifle. No one needs 10 bullets to kill a deer. End the madness now," an impassioned New York Gov.

LISTEN LIVE: Fiscal Cliff Special Coverage

Jason Saul — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:55:00 +0000

http://npr.ic.llnwd.net/stream/npr_live24?ext=.mp3

Listen to live special coverage from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. of talks between President Obama and congressional leaders regarding impending automatic spending cuts and tax increases.

Election Study: Black Turnout May Have Surpassed That Of Whites

Corey Dade — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:28:28 +0000

African-Americans voted this year at a higher rate than other minorities and may have topped the rate for whites for the first time, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.

Blacks make up 12 percent of all eligible voters but contributed 13 percent of the votes in the presidential election — duplicating their record turnout in 2008, according to exit polls analyzed in the study.