NPR News

Melissa Block talks with Charles Stewart of the Voting Technology Project at MIT about Election Day 2012, how it compared to past Election Days, and how the process could improve for 2016 and beyond.

The wheels of democracy turn slowly in Arizona. The state is still counting ballots from Election Day in a number of counties — and a number of races hang in the balance.

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Now to Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, known as the SEIU. She was at the White House meeting today. Welcome to the program.

MARY KAY HENRY: Thanks, Audie. Glad to be here.

CORNISH: Now, we heard from the AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka today. He said that the meeting was very, very positive, and it sounds like labor leaders and President Obama are essentially on the same page when it comes to extending the middle-class tax cuts.

Compromise is suddenly the watchword in Washington, as negotiations over taxes, spending and entitlements begin in advance of another self-imposed deadline, popularly known as the "fiscal cliff."

Automatic tax increases and deep spending cuts are slated for the first of the year, unless the president and Congress take action.

Leaders on both sides say they are willing to meet in the middle, but that makes their constituents worry about what any compromise will cost them.