Politics

 Reginald Stanley and Rocky Galloway are all smiles after exchanging vows at the Human Rights Campaign office near Dupont Circle Tuesday. Galloway and Stanley became the second same-sex couple legally married in Washington, D.C.: Photo by Juan Pawiroredjo

Demonstrators were noticeably absent Tuesday, as the first same-sex marriages in the history of the District of Columbia took place following months of controversy and legal wrangling.

American University professors Jane Hall and Matthew Nisbet listen to a question from the audience.: Photo by William W. Cummings, American Observer

In the wake of a survey that found young Americans increasingly disconnected from the debate over climate change, journalists and academics gathered at American University’s American Forum Monday to discuss why those who would be most effected by global warming seem to care the least. The roughly 200 students in attendance took advantage of the opportunity to question the panelists and assert their own thoughts on how well the news media have covered the topic.

Expanding treatment-based options in jail and prison is one of the recommendations by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse to reduce substance-involved inmates crowding prisons. Photo by Mike Bitzenhofer, courtesy of Creative CommonsThe United States might be wasting money by not effectively treating incarcerated substance abusers, according to a 10-year study released Friday. It suggests that investing money more wisely in treatment could save taxpayers in the long-run.

Reagan National Airport has used full-body scanners since last year. TSA recently used $15 million of stimulus money for another security measure: hand swabs, which will detect residue from explosives.: Photo by Kristin McGrath"Your Safety is Our Priority" is the Transportation Security Administration's motto. And in the midst of the Obama Administration's order of 500 full-body scanners for $240 million, another security measure has been added: "explosive trace detection" or ETD. 

A booth sponsored by the American Conservative Union invited CPAC attendees to answer the question, "Why are you Conservative?": Photo by Kristin McGrathAt the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), 10,000 people wore badges displaying their credentials, which granted them admission to speeches from the likes of governor Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Glenn Beck. Roughly half of those badges in the crowd bore a gold stripe—which identified the wearers as students.

A year after a huge youth turnout helped to elect President Barack Obama, young activists from all over the country came in droves to hear CPAC speakers blast his administration and to attend panels with names such as “Saving Freedom from a Big Government Agenda.” Workshops about grassroots organizing and using technology to grow the Conservative movement filled out the conference’s three-day schedule.

On the day before President Obama's health care summit, more than 100 people gathered to remember a cancer patient and ask for health reform to prevent more deaths like hers.

Congress has historically low approval ratings. President Obama's signature campaign promises of universal health care, immigration reform and climate change legislation are far from becoming law. With midterm elections looming, it seems the gridlock on Washington’s snow-stormed streets is only matched by the gridlock on Capitol Hill. 

Billions of dollars in sales and use tax sit idle while states run short on funds, a few tax analysts and lawyers said. Photo by Photo8.com, courtesy of Flickr, Creative Commons.Businesses without a physical presence in a state they sell their goods to might not know if they have to abide by state sales and use tax rules. The easiest way to solve this dilemma is for the business to set up an office in the state they do business. Then, the guidelines are easier to follow.

The GOP Blue Book: "Better Solutions: a Compilation of GOP Alternatives" outlines the Republican Party's ideas on everything from fiscal responsibility to national security.Anyone watching the political events of last week had to notice one publication constantly appearing in the hands of Republican politicians.

As President Obama grapples with a struggling economy and a gridlocked Congress, experts and politicians are weighing in on whether Obama can juggle debt reduction, an economic recovery and his own campaign priorities.