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The so-called "Bridge to Nowhere" came to symbolize all that's wrong with earmarks in Congress. But during the past few weeks, as Speaker John Boehner struggled to rally support for his alternate tax plan, some said earmarks could have helped him convince fellow Republicans to push legislation through the House.

A number of cities have launched gun buyback programs to reduce the number of firearms in circulation, but it may not be very effective in reducing street crime. Host Scott Simon speaks with Santa Fe Sheriff Raymond Rael about his city's program. Simon also speaks with Johns Hopkins associate professor Jon Vernick about the efficacy of such schemes.

If President Obama and Congress can't make a deal this month, the economy could fall into recession while tax bills go up for nearly every American. On the other hand, it would do a lot to erase the nation's deficit.

Baltimore's population has been declining for decades. Now the city is reaching beyond its borders for growth, courting immigrants with new programs and laws. The big question: Will it work?

The former leader is from the most powerful family in Greek politics, the third man in his family to be prime minister. But Greece's debt crisis brought down his government, his party and his family's dominant role in running the country.

Tea Party conservatives say they have been re-energized by recent events in Washington, D.C. And far from the nation's capital, Arizona has become a rallying point for those who are focused on the election-year issues of immigration and health care.

If you want to sell something to little girls right now, just put a princess on it. Disney princesses alone fuel a $4 billion industry, and Pixar's movie Brave is sure to give that a boost. But it isn't all singing birds and sunshine — some wonder if the princess trend is becoming too niche.

These five books will give you literary jet lag — a yearning to linger in the world of the author's imagination, and a reluctance to return to your own. The research is so deep it becomes invisible, and these writers are trusted guides, gently nudging and leading you through each tale.

The supercommittee, charged with cutting federal deficits by at least $1.2 trillion over the next decade, is down to the final days before its Nov. 23 deadline, and the group appears to be at an impasse. NPR's Tamara Keith and Mara Liasson talk with host Audie Cornish to explain both the economic and political consequences of supercommittee success or failure.

The former House speaker began his career as a history professor at West Georgia College. "He thought he could have some kind of impact, to get kids to think," says a friend and former colleague. "But he really wanted to get into politics."