Paige Winfield Cunningham
Articles by Paige Winfield Cunningham
Lugar in danger for first time in years
Locked into a fierce GOP primary fight that has Democrats dreaming of an unexpected chance to pick up a U.S. Senate seat, Sen. Richard G. Lugar of Indiana is struggling to deflect an onslaught of attacks by tea-party sympathizers trying to oust him in favor of state Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Published April 9, 2012
Report: Obamacare mandate isn’t really an issue
It's been squarely at the center of the policy and constitutional debates over President Obama's health care law, but some are arguing that the mandate to buy health insurance — and the penalties for people who don't — aren't hefty enough to matter in the real world anyway. Published April 8, 2012
Obama softens attack on Supreme Court’s impending health-care decision
President Obama on Tuesday narrowed his attack on the Supreme Court's pending health-care ruling, giving a more nuanced take on the process constitutional scholars said he failed to do the previous day. Published April 3, 2012
Justices ‘took off their chains’ in health care questions
The past - case law, legal precedent and prior decisions - is usually a critical element of Supreme Court deliberations. But last week's oral arguments on President Obama's health care law indicate this court's nine justices are focused on another factor altogether: the future. Published April 1, 2012
Supreme Court split over scrapping entire health care law
Wrapping up a three-day marathon of oral arguments about President Obama's health care overhaul, the Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether the rest of the law can stand on its own if the justices were to strike down the individual mandate requiring Americans to purchase insurance. Published March 28, 2012
Supreme Court justices challenge health insurance mandate
Getting to the crux of challenges to President Obama's health care overhaul Tuesday, the Supreme Court spent the second day of oral arguments grappling over whether the government can require Americans to buy coverage — and making clear that they want the government to show limits to the newfound power it seeks. Published March 27, 2012
Supreme Court looks at tax issue in Obama health law
Kicking off three days of highly anticipated oral arguments over President Obama's health care law, zealous demonstrators on Monday swarmed the streets outside the Supreme Court while inside the justices considered whether they have the power to decide the case at all. Published March 26, 2012
High court’s open-minded GOP appointees may give health care a chance
A curious thing about this week's Supreme Court hearings on President Obama's health care law is that while nobody doubts how the four Democrat-appointed justices will decide, there is no such certainty on how the Republican appointees will rule in the case, which will go a long way toward defining the scope and limits of government power in the 21st century. Published March 25, 2012
House repeals part of health care law
The Republican-controlled House voted Thursday to repeal a Medicare cost-cutting panel that was part of President Obama's health care overhaul, delivering a carefully-timed blow to his signature accomplishment one day before the two-year anniversary of his signing it into law. Published March 22, 2012
On second anniversary, health care divide grows
President Obama's health care overhaul marks its second anniversary this week, and from the way Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are talking about it, you would think they are looking at two entirely different laws. Published March 21, 2012
Ryan strikes Democrats with third plan for Medicare
A year after House Republicans misfired on their plan to overhaul Medicare, they're going right back at it in the budget they proposed Tuesday, tweaking the details but signaling their willingness to engage in a political battle over entitlement reform — even in an election year. Published March 20, 2012
At two-year mark, health law’s legacy is confusion
Two years after congressional Democrats squeezed out enough votes to pass President Obama's health care overhaul, confusion still reigns among the states, insurers and average Americans struggling to comply with the hundreds of pages in the law. Published March 19, 2012
Legal precedents to clash as health care law goes to high court
As President Obama's health care law heads for an epic Supreme Court showdown this month, the administration and its opponents are struggling to convince the court that it can rule in their favor without upsetting years of precedent or opening the door to all sorts of mischief. Published March 12, 2012
Feds release guidelines for ‘health exchanges’
The Obama administration released more than 600 pages of guidance on Monday outlining a flexible framework for how states should go about setting up insurance exchanges under the new health care law. Published March 12, 2012
Dropping symbolic votes raises a howl
Looking to clear space on the legislative calendar for more important work, House Republicans promised last year to ban purely commemorative legislation, like resolutions honoring sports teams or designating awareness days — but that seemingly innocuous move has left some groups frustrated. Published March 11, 2012
Stock Act remains stalled in Senate a month after House passage
Responding to a call by President Obama to ban insider trading for members of Congress, the House and Senate moved quickly last month to put together the legislation. But weeks later, lawmakers still haven't sent a bill to the president. Published March 6, 2012
Limbaugh apology garners bipartisan approval
Democrats and Republicans alike said Sunday that conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh was right to apologize this weekend for the inappropriate comments he made about a law school student who testified in support of the Obama administration's health care act. Published March 4, 2012
Limbaugh apologizes for making slurs about Georgetown student
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh apologized Saturday for sexual slurs he made on the air about a Georgetown student who has become a public advocate for President Obama’s new contraception coverage mandate. Published March 3, 2012
Obama phones student called a ‘slut’ by Limbaugh
President Obama Friday telephoned the Georgetown University law school student who spoke out about contraceptive policy to express his disappointment at the "crude" and "reprehensible" comments directed at her by Rush Limbaugh, the White House said. Published March 2, 2012
Senate narrowly defeats contraception amendment
Senators narrowly rebuffed a Republican-led attempt Thursday to undo President Obama's new contraception mandate as the culture wars and charges of religious freedom violations spilled out onto the chamber floor and both parties vowed to make the vote an issue in November's elections. Published March 1, 2012
