Romney offers deficit-reduction plan

EXETER, Mass., Nov. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney outlined a deficit-reduction plan he said would slash federal spending and make government smarter.

The former Massachusetts governor said in New Hampshire he would cut federal spending by about $500 billion during his first term by eliminating programs and services he doesn't like, such as healthcare reform, and those he does like but doesn't think the country can afford, such as Amtrak, The Washington Post reported Friday.

Romney said he would turn over responsibility for expensive entitlement programs, such as Medicaid, to state governments so states could "draft programs in a way they think best to care for their own poor."

Texas Gov. Rick Perry visited a seed-production company near Des Moines, Iowa. He spoke of his jobs record, hoping to regain traction in the two months remaining before Iowa Republicans head to party caucuses, the Post said.

Perry also hawked his plan for an optional flat income tax at 20 percent and promised to go to Washington "with a sledgehammer" to challenge the status quo, the report said.

Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania also stumped in Iowa.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Friday shows Romney ahead of Georgia businessman Herman Cain 25 percent to 23 percent. Perry was third at 14 percent. Bachmann and Santorum were polling in single digits.