Snyder, Legislative leaders agree to state income tax break

Gov. Rick Snyder and Republican legislative leaders have agreed to work out an early reduction in the income tax as part of the budget deal that’s shaping up for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

Romney to propose voucher-like education overhaul

New York— Shifting from the economy to education, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was proposing a voucher-style system that could significantly alter the public school system and revive the debate over school choice.

Obama campaign criticizes Romney on bankrupt auto supplier

Washington -The Obama re-election campaign says Republican Mitt Romney's tenure at private equity firm Bain Capital resulted in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs at a Michigan auto supplier.

Primary sweep has Romney 1 win from GOP nomination

Washington — Mitt Romney has swept all the delegates in the Kentucky and Arkansas primaries, putting him within one win of claiming the Republican nomination for president.

Military leaders, Clinton push for sea treaty

Washington — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the nation's top military leaders pleaded for Wednesday for Senate approval of a long-spurned high seas treaty, arguing that the pact will boost U.S. national security and create much-needed American jobs.

Election law bills advance to House floor despite loud protests

Lansing — Armed guards escorted Republican lawmakers out of a House committee room Tuesday after unruly protests by citizens critical of legislation that would tighten election laws.

Obama airing ads on veterans, seniors

Washington — President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is airing two new ads, one focusing on his work with veterans returning home from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and another aimed at seniors dependent on Medicare.

Bill lets workers with reduced wages, hours receive unemployment benefits

Lansing— Workers who have had their wages and hours reduced will be able to continue working while receiving unemployment benefits under a bill that passed unanimously in the Senate Wednesday morning.

Michigan Senate OKs dropping beach grooming rules

Lansing— The Michigan Senate has passed a bill to abolish a state program that regulates maintenance of beaches by property owners along the state's Great Lakes shorelines.

Romney’s playbook on Bain unclear as attacks grow

New York— The core of his presidential candidacy under attack, Mitt Romney has yet to shape a playbook to defend a quarter-century in the business world that created great riches for him and great hardship, at times, for some American workers.

Senate not wedded to June 1 budget deadline, Richardville says

Lansing— Budget negotiations between the House and Senate are perking along, but lawmakers could miss their June 1 deadline, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville of Monroe said Tuesday.

Loud protests interrupt House meeting on voter bills

Lansing— Armed guards escorted Republican lawmakers out of a House committee room Tuesday morning after a meeting broke out in unruly protests by citizens upset over legislation seeking to tighten Michigan's election laws.

Romney looks to pad delegate lead in 2 primaries

Washington — Mitt Romney swept the Kentucky and Arkansas Republican presidential primaries Tuesday, inching closer to the GOP nomination he is certain to win.

House panel debating fix for teacher pension cost

Lansing — New teachers in Michigan would continue to get hybrid pensions and the state would use more money from the school aid fund to pay down future school employee retirement costs under changes made Monday to a school employee benefits bill.

Revived focus on regulation after JPMorgan loss

Washington— Federal regulators and lawmakers are renewing the focus on financial regulation in the wake of a multibillion-dollar trading loss at JPMorgan ...

Powell not ready to endorse Obama for re-election

Washington— Former Secretary of State Colin Powell declined Tuesday to renew the presidential endorsement he gave Barack Obama four years ago, saying he ...

Catholic dioceses, groups sue on Obama birth-control rule

New York — The Michigan Catholic Conference, Roman Catholic dioceses, schools and other groups sued the Obama administration Monday in eight states and the ...

CMU event honors former Gov. Engler for boosting charter schools

Mount Pleasant — Charter school advocates gathered here Monday to honor former Gov. John Engler’s contribution to their movement while looking to the future of ...

Marriage equality a civil right, NAACP head says

Baltimore — NAACP President Benjamin Jealous said Monday he hopes the group’s resolution supporting same-sex marriage will encourage blacks to support marriage ...

Dems see a chance to win House

Lansing — House Democrats hope to pick up an additional 12 seats in November, more than enough to win back the majority in the lower chamber.

New Obama ad challenges Mitt Romney’s economics

Washington— President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is keeping up its effort to paint Mitt Romney as a job-destroying corporate raider at Bain ...

Conservative donors slow to back Romney

Washington — Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney and his party raised a sizable $40 million last month from donors who want him to replace President ...

22 states join campaign finance fight

Helena, Mont.-- Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are backing Montana in its fight to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ...

Gay marriage critics battle on

When President Barack Obama announced his support for gay marriage, supporters and pundits declared it symbolic of a historic shift in American attitudes. But ...

Romney, U.S. Sen. Brown play down past connections

Boston — Massachusetts Republicans Mitt Romney and Scott Brown have a history of supporting each other throughout their political careers.

Party leaders refuse to budge on debt positions

Washington — Republicans and Democrats aren't budging when it comes to their already hardened positions on spending cuts versus tax increases to deal ...

Personal experiences shape thinking for gay marriage opponents

When President Obama announced his support for gay marriage, supporters and pundits declared it symbolic of a historic shift in American attitudes. But as the ...

NAACP backs same-sex marriage as civil right

Miami — The NAACP passed a resolution Saturday endorsing same-sex marriage as a civil right and opposing any efforts "to codify discrimination or hatred ...

Paul backers pick up delegate slots to GOP convention; negate Romney sweep

Detroit— A handful of backers of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul were elected to represent Michigan Republicans at the national party convention, eking out some slots ...