Mystery Disease Kills Thousands
Gay Marriage Vote Puts Heat On Christie
Republicans take Solyndra message to Obama
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican groups are pointing to the Solyndra solar company as a way of targeting President Barack Obama's re-election campaign. GOP-leaning independent groups have aired advertising highlighting Obama's ties to the bankrupt, California-based solar energy manufacturer. The company received more than $500 million in federal loans before going bankrupt last year and shedding 1,100 jobs.
Progress in talks on payroll tax, jobless benefits
WASHINGTON (AP) — Aides to participants in House-Senate talks on renewing President Barack Obama's signature payroll tax cut say negotiators have made significant progress and that an agreement could come as early as Tuesday. A Democratic aide said there are just a couple of "lingering issues" and that negotiators are "getting closer and closer." The aide required anonymity to assess the private negotiations.
GOP critics hit Obama's $3.8 trillion budget
WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told Congress Tuesday that the president's new $3.8 trillion spending plan would impose new taxes on only 2 percent of the nation's wealthiest families and the alternative would be to seek more painful cuts in other government programs such as defense, Social Security and Medicare. Geithner defended the new budget plan in the face of intense attacks from GOP members of the Senate Finance Committee. Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah told Geithner that the administration's spending plan would give the country a "permanently larger, European-inspired government."
Transportation boosted to top of political agenda
WASHINGTON (AP) — After years of procrastination, the White House and Congress have suddenly boosted a long-term plan to improve the nation's roads, bridges and transit systems to the top of the political agenda. This week, the House and Senate are set to take up vastly different bills providing a blueprint for shoring up the nation's aging transportation system. Lawmakers are driven in part by a desire to show voters a major accomplishment in an election year when regard for Congress is at rock bottom. They are pitching the bills as jobs generators, although it may be more accurate to say they preserve jobs that might otherwise be lost if Congress doesn't find a way to keep highway and transit programs solvent.
Santorum revels in sudden support — but how deep?
BOISE, Idaho. (AP) — The latest Republican to surge in polls, Rick Santorum is trying to turn his newfound strength into something lasting. Curious Republicans now pack his rallies. Supporters have funneled nearly $4 million to his formerly empty campaign account over the past seven days. And his staff is plotting an aggressive strategy to challenge Mitt Romney in Romney's native Michigan and beyond.
Obama's proposed tax hikes at odds with GOP rivals
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama proposed tax increases on wealthy individuals and some corporations Monday, setting the stage for an ideological battle that won't be resolved until after the November election — if then. Obama's proposed tax hikes put him at odds with the Republican presidential hopefuls. They have all called for tax packages that would lower taxes but possibly add to the federal deficit.
Military leaders insist Obama budget is right plan
WASHINGTON (AP) — Brushing aside congressional opposition, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the nation's top military leader insisted on Tuesday that President Barack Obama's trimmer, $614 billion defense budget will ensure the U.S. advantage worldwide with acceptable risks to the force and missions. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, defended the blueprint that would slash the size of the Army and Marine Corps, cut back on shipbuilding and delay the purchase of some fighter jets and weapons systems. Overall, the budget for 2013 would provide $525.4 billion in base spending and another $88.5 billion for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Obama to tout American manufacturing in Wis. visit
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Barack Obama will try to use his Wednesday visit to a Milwaukee padlock manufacturer to highlight an improving economy and showcase companies that are bringing jobs back to the U.S., even though the Wisconsin company's success isn't reflective of the state. Master Lock, which Obama mentioned in his State of the Union address, is a good story for the president — especially in Wisconsin. It's a unionized company that recently brought back 100 jobs from China, and the state's Republican governor is being targeted for recall largely because of his proposal that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most public workers.
Romney, under-funded rivals in hunt for cash
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney and his under-funded opponents are taking advantage of a weeklong lull in the Republican presidential nomination fight — no debate or primary is slated — to raise the money needed to carry out Super Tuesday strategies and compete in states beyond. Romney is the wealthiest candidate in the race with a big bank account and a personal fortune he could tap. Yet, even he is spending the bulk of this quiet campaign week largely courting donors from California to New York as he looks to ensure that he can swamp his opponents on the TV airwaves in upcoming contests.
Gingrich says he's in the race to stay
SOUTH EL MONTE, Calif. (AP) — Republican Newt Gingrich on Monday dismissed calls to drop out of the presidential contest in order to set up a direct contest between rivals Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. The former House speaker insisted that his ideas and a new determination to stay positive would help him once again resuscitate his flagging candidacy. "I think my ideas are much bolder than Santorum or Romney's. I think my ideas are much clearer and more specific and I have to focus on communicating those ideas. Let's see how it plays out," Gingrich told reporters after addressing a Hispanic leadership event near Los Angeles. He is spending most of the week in California attending fundraisers.
