Reuters: Politics

Romney, in comeback, has narrow Maine caucus win

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:21:35 -0500

PORTLAND, Maine (Reuters) - Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney grabbed back some momentum after midweek losses in three states, scoring a narrow win in Maine's caucuses on Saturday, hours after winning a straw poll of Republican conservative activists.

Romney wins 2012 straw poll of conservative activists

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:11:11 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mitt Romney won a presidential straw poll of Republican conservative activists on Saturday in a boost to his suddenly hard-fought battle against Rick Santorum.

Exclusive: Pentagon budget eyes $178.8 bln for R&D, procurement

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:23:56 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon's fiscal 2013 budget plan calls for spending of $178.8 billion to develop and buy new warships, fighter jets and other major weapons, a 7.5 percent drop from the level initially projected for the coming year, according to a detailed budget document obtained by Reuters.

Obama shift seeks to defuse birth-control fight

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:25:29 -0500

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama, in an abrupt policy shift aimed at quelling an election-year firestorm, announced on Friday that religious employers would not be required to offer free birth control to workers and the onus would instead be put on insurers.

Obama budget signals election-year tax battle

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:58:07 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will seek billions of dollars for jobs and infrastructure in his 2013 budget, an appeal to voters that draws election-year battle lines over taxes and spending as Republicans slammed him for "debt, doubt and decline."

Exclusive: Obama to pitch lower corporate tax

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:47:48 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) President Barack Obama will call for cutting the top 35 percent corporate tax rate as early as this month, according to two sources close to the administration.

Obama administration defends healthcare Medicaid law

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:09:50 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Administration attorneys defended on Friday the part of President Barack Obama's healthcare law that expands the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled and said Congress has the power to set the terms under which it will disburse funds to the states.

Republican contenders hash out Super Tuesday strategy

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:12:23 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A fight is brewing in the U.S. South between Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, and Mitt Romney's priority right now is winning Arizona and Michigan while keeping an eye on Ohio.

For China's Xi, near-summit treatment and "Iowa Nice"

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:54:10 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - From the power centers of Washington to a soybean farm in Iowa and on to sunny Southern California, China's president-in-waiting, Xi Jinping, will sample diverse slices of America during a major visit next week.

Next U.S.-Russia arms talks to move in challenging direction

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:49:59 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The next round of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms talks is likely to focus on the delicate task of reducing a much broader range of atomic weapons, U.S. negotiators said on Friday as they discussed the first anniversary of the New START treaty.