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From NCPR Blogs:

Was NPR’s portrayal of NY Sen. Gillibrand sexist?

  Ailsa Chang’s NPR profile of New York Senator — and former North Country congresswoman — Kirsten Gillibrand is getting panned on-line and apparently edited by NPR’s on-line crew. Chang’s report cast Sen....

Rent a ‘copter to prevent frost, and other good reads of the week

It was a newsy week in the world of agriculture, so here are seven good reads to keep you busy this weekend: The Farm Bill passed both the House and Senate Agriculture committees this week, and are likely to get hearings on the floors of their...

What are the Great American Scandals we ignore?

I’ve been as captivated as anyone by the sudden burgeoning of scandal in Washington. Until this month, the Obama administration seemed to skate almost effortlessly above the morass that eventually sucks up most White Houses, from Richard...

Farm Bill shaping up to be a food fight

The Senate Agriculture committee passed a nearly $100 billion a year Farm Bill this afternoon, 15-5. One of the Senators who voted against it was New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, who’s leading a fight to restore all of the $400 million...

How Benghazi will test Republicans

Let me outline what we know so far about the attacks on US embassy staff last September that led to the deaths of four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. First, it’s a big deal. There are strong indications — and the US...

Politics

Supreme Court Takes Case On Prayer At Government Meetings

May 20, 2013 — Prayers said before meetings of the town board in Greece, N.Y., have predominantly been Christian. A lower court ruled that officials hadn't done enough to seek out prayers from other faiths. That violates the Constitution's Establishment Clause, the court said. Now the Supreme Court will weigh in.

Why Congress Has Reasons Not To Be Bipartsan

May 20, 2013 — Some political columnists say President Obama needs to exercise more "leadership" to bend a divided Congress to his will. But congressional Republicans have little incentive to cooperate with the president. And the more he "leads," the harder it may be for them to follow.

Is There Really A Second-Term Curse?

May 20, 2013 — Whether it's Richard Nixon's resignation or Bill Clinton's impeachment, presidents tend to have a tough time during the back half of an eight-year presidency.

Political Takeaways: Headaches For The White House

May 19, 2013 — Controversies dominated this past week's political headlines, leaving the Obama White House on the defensive, trying to contain any lasting damage. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mara Liasson.

Nonconservative Groups Say IRS Scrutinized Them, Too

May 19, 2013 — The IRS has admitted it flagged tax-exemption requests from groups with "Tea Party" or "Patriot" in their names starting in 2010. But some liberal groups and journalism organizations say their applications also faced long delays during the same period.

Voter Resources

Project Sunlight: Track lobbying activities, member item spending and other legislation in New York. An initiative of the NYS Office of the Attorney General.

League of Women Voters DemocracyNet: Great one-stop election resource.

NYS Board of Elections Campaign Finance Database: Enter the last name of any candidate in New York to find out where the money comes from and where it's going.

Open Secrets: Campaign finance information broken down by industry, region, etc., for mostly federal politicans. An excellent starting point for following
money in politics.

Special Reports

Audio Slideshow:
Adirondack teens talk democracy
Face of Democracy is a national program that gives students an inside view of the democratic process by sending out to polling places to interview and photograph voters and officials. Sue Halpern, project organizer, talks with Brian Mann

Cartoon Special:
Editorial cartoonist Mark Wilson Covers the NYS Party Conventions
Mark Wilson, aka Marquil, is a political cartoonist covering the 2006 New York State party conventions for NCPR. His sketches and caricatures bring the arcana of state politics to life.