Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Sen. Roger Wicker says GOP colleague John Cornyn of Texas will win his primary
Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn's bid for re-election got a boost this week from a GOP colleague and one of the top newspapers in his state. Published February 18, 2014
Former U.S. Rep. Melvin Jay Reynolds arrested in Zimbabwe
Former Rep. Melvin Jay Reynolds has been arrested in Zimbabwe on allegations he possessed pornographic material and violated immigration laws, an immigration official in the African country told The Associated Press. Published February 18, 2014
Billionaire donor to spend $100 million in Koch-style bid to fight climate change: report
A billionaire who spent $11 million to help put Terry McAuliffe in the governor's mansion in Virginia plans to spend up to $100 million during this year's election cycle to press for climate change measures, a new report said. Published February 18, 2014
Obama’s stimulus package, 5 years later: Dems defend, Republicans ridicule
Though its political bite has faded compared with Obamacare and other fights, the $800 billion-plus stimulus still divides the two major parties five years after it was signed, with Democrats saying it prevented a worse collapse and Republicans saying a still-sluggish economy is proof that President Obama wasted much of the money. Published February 17, 2014
Genius! Apple Store model helps Conn. reach Obamacare goals
Connecticut easily reached its Obamacare enrollment goals by taking a page from the Apple company and opening up storefronts that allow people to drift in and get the skinny on the labyrinthine law, according to Forbes. Published February 17, 2014
Obama to Charles Barkley: I’m cool with the term ‘Obamacare’
President Obama says he's OK with the term "Obamacare" to describe his signature, yet controversial, health care law. Published February 17, 2014
Kentucky tea partiers to McConnell: Step aside for Matt Bevin
The United Kentucky Tea Party on Monday said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell should drop out of the Republican primary in their state so conservatives can rally around Matt Bevin, the GOP candidate who is challenging Mr. McConnell from the political right. Published February 17, 2014
FDA says it’s not too late to get a flu shot
The FDA wants Americans to know it isn't too late to get a flu vaccine, as virus activity typically peaks in January and February and can circulate well into May. Published February 17, 2014
N.Y. voters support medical marijuana; slimmer margin wants recreational use
A majority of New Yorkers support the legalization of small amounts of marijuana for personal use and, by a much larger margin, would support a medical marijuana program in their state, a new poll said. Published February 17, 2014
Sen. John Cornyn marks five-year anniversary of Obama’s stimulus with harsh words
Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn on Monday marked the five-year anniversary of President Obama's economic stimulus, but it was hardly a laudatory toast to the 2009 bid to restart America's infrastructure and workforce. Published February 17, 2014
Radical group in Syria even too brutal for al Qaeda, report says
A new report says radical Islamist group ISIS is "so brutal that even al Qaeda keeps its distance," and it left a trail of violence as they were driven out of the Syrian town of Addana. Published February 17, 2014
Eleanor Roosevelt ranked the top first lady; Michelle Obama fifth, Hillary in sixth
Eleanor Roosevelt kept the top spot in a new survey that ranks American first ladies — her fifth No. 1 ranking over the last 32 years — while Michelle Obama edged out Hillary Clinton to come in fifth. Published February 17, 2014
Americans give border security, dealing with illegal immigrants in U.S. equal weight, poll shows
Americans now assign equal weight to border security and a plan to deal with illegal immigrants who are in the United States, the top two aspects of immigration reform up for debate on Capitol Hill, a new poll says. Published February 17, 2014
Obama’s executive actions can backfire on Democrats if GOP takes the White House
President Obama's repeated use of executive powers to ease the rollout of his health care law could be setting the stage for Republicans to roll back the overhaul's most controversial parts if they retake the White House in 2016, say analysts who have tracked the law's shifting landscape. Published February 16, 2014
Bill Nye ‘the Science Guy’ and Rep. Marsha Blackburn don’t see eye to eye on climate change
Bill Nye "the Science Guy" and a Tennesssee congresswoman went toe-to-toe over climate change Sunday, a topic that's heating up as much of the United States suffers from either fierce winter storms or intense drought. Published February 16, 2014
Romney again dismisses any talk of another presidential run
In case there was any doubt, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney reiterated on Sunday he is not gunning for the White House ever again. Published February 16, 2014
Romney: Will take a long time to gauge impact of same-sex marriage
Former Gov. Mitt Romney said Sunday if gay couples want to live together, then "that's their right," but he still feels marriage should be defined as a relationship between a man and woman. Published February 16, 2014
Mitt Romney: Sochi games are safe, but the concerns weren’t overblown
The Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, have gone without a major incident so far, but security concerns ahead of the event were not overblown, former presidential nominee Mitt Romney said Sunday. Published February 16, 2014
Extreme weather heats up climate change debate
Fierce winter storms in the South and drought in the West have reignited the debate about climate change, with America’s politicians still in disagreement over the cause of extreme weather and whether the country has the cash or political will to try to fix it. Published February 16, 2014
Sen. Lee: If Obama can rewrite law, ‘almost no limit to his authority’
Sen. Mike Lee argued Sunday that "any high school civics student can tell you" President Obama is stretching his executive authority by ameliorating the effects of his health care law with numerous tweaks and delays to its mandates on employers and individuals. Published February 16, 2014
