Reuters: Politics

Obama greets China's Xi with friendly words, firm stance

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:37:17 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama told Chinese leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping on Tuesday that Beijing must play fair in international trade and vowed to keep pressing China to clean up its human rights record.

Obama "hopeful" on payroll tax cut extension

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:39:13 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he had seen "hopeful signs" that Congress would pass a payroll tax cut extension for the full year, as he kept pressure on lawmakers to take action he said was needed to keep the U.S. recovery on track.

U.S. clarifies Iran sanctions bill enforcement

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:39:06 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Tuesday clarified how it would enforce recently passed Iran sanctions legislation, including how the United States would determine if another country has significantly reduced oil purchases from Iran.

Republican Santorum catches Romney in U.S. polls

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:10:09 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum has surged into a virtual tie in opinion polls with Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, setting up a tough fight in the party's primary in Michigan on Feb 28.

Obama plan will end dozens of business tax

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:28:33 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration's corporate tax reform plan will end "dozens and dozens" of tax breaks, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Tuesday as he defended the White House's election-year call for higher taxes on the wealthy.

Republican senator sees short-term Medicare "doc fix"

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:31:03 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers are close to a deal that would stave off steep cuts in Medicare reimbursements for physicians for the next 10 to 24 months, a top Republican senator said on Tuesday.

One in 8 U.S. voter registrations faulty: survey

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:21:11 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One in eight U.S. voter registrations is invalid or markedly inaccurate, the result of an outdated and inefficient registration system, a Pew Center on the States report said on Tuesday.

For Gingrich, "Super Tuesday" looms as turning point

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:15:51 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - His campaign is running low on money, he's falling behind in voter surveys and he has begun to aim his biting criticism at the leadership of his own political party.

Senators launch new push for cybersecurity bill

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:50:59 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leading U.S. senators plan to introduce a cybersecurity bill on Tuesday aimed at safeguarding the nation's water and power systems, which experts have warned often only have the most rudimentary protections against hackers.

Obama budget sets up election-year tax fight

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:34:10 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama called on Monday for new spending to boost growth and higher taxes on the rich, laying out an election-year vision for America in a budget that drew heavy fire from Republicans for failing to curb huge deficits.