Editorials Jul 15, 2013
As the Upper House election nears, some political parties propose setting up several administrative regions for Japan and abolishing prefectural governments.
World / Politics Jul 14, 2013
Passage of strict abortion bill highlights Democrats' uphill fight in Texas
by Dan Balz
The politically charged battle over whether to restrict abortions in Texas ended late Friday night when the state Senate passed legislation and sent it on to Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, for his signature. In the end, the fight underscored the challenges Democrats face ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Jul 13, 2013
Democracy hits the Web, but are the 'real' voters listening?
by Philip Brasor
The Wall Street Journal posted an interesting article on its Japan Real Time blog regarding the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP's) beef with broadcaster TBS, whom it accused of bias against the ruling party on its "News 11" program. Reporter Toko Sekiguchi didn't go into detail ...
World / Politics Jul 9, 2013
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in the state's history, announced Monday that he will not seek re-election in 2014 amid speculation that he will run again for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. "I remain excited about the future and the ...
World / Politics Jul 7, 2013
Wave of state abortion laws returns issue to national prominence
by Juliet Eilperin
As a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly years ago, Republican Scott Walker pushed two key measures to limit abortions. Neither was successful. But as governor on Friday, Walker signed legislation requiring that women get an ultrasound before having an abortion and mandating that doctors ...
World / Politics | FOCUS Jul 7, 2013
Egyptian secularists get a second chance
by Abigail Hauslohner
Egypt's liberal and secularist groups, long plagued by infighting and poor organization, say the coup that ousted the Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi, has given them a second wind and a fresh chance to unite. For the second time in 2½ years, young liberal activists ignited ...
World | ANALYSIS Jul 6, 2013
U.S. has spotty record on aid cuts after coups
by Max Fisher
The Foreign Assistance Act, a U.S. law first enacted in 1961, is pretty clear: It says, in Section 508, that the United States must cut aid to any country "whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree." Whatever popular sentiments ...
World / Politics Jul 1, 2013
Clinton super PAC attracts donors — as well as worries
by Philip Rucker and Matea Gold
The campaign has a flashy website and official logo T-shirts and signs. Prominent Democrats have endorsed it and written $25,000 checks. Its paid operatives and volunteers have set up shop in a suburban strip mall office that last housed the regional campaign headquarters for ...
World / Politics Jul 1, 2013
The Hillary hype: Buzz about possible campaign is double-edged sword
by Chris Cillizza
There is a super PAC to support her and another one that is trying, at least in part, to stop her. Every word she utters is parsed by cable television commentators, bloggers and anyone with a political pulse for indications of which way she ...
World / Politics Jun 26, 2013
A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday invalidated a crucial component of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, ruling that Congress has not taken into account the nation's racial progress when singling out certain states for federal oversight. The vote was 5 to 4, with ...
World / Politics Jun 24, 2013
Is Rand Paul going mainstream, or is mainstream going Rand Paul?
by Karen Tumulty
Rand Paul seems to be crossing over to the mainstream — or maybe it's the other way around. When Kentucky's junior senator arrived in Washington just over two years ago, he seemed destined to inhabit the role of perpetual outlier. But now, he's in ...
Editorials Jun 24, 2013
Hassan Rowhani's victory in Iran's presidential election was a surprise, but don't expect this "moderate" to radically alter the country's course.