Romney Leads Obama by Seven Points, DOMA Struck Down, Annual Welfare Spending Tops $1T: P.M. Links

• Gallup now has Romney leading Obama by seven points nationally among likely voters, though that doesn't necessarily address big regional variations (guess who is leading by a lot in the deep South).

• The anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act was slapped down as a violation of the right to equal protection by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
• The U.S. ambassador to Turkey spilled the beans about an American offer to help with efforts against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party. Is there some kind of prize for meddling in the internal affairs of volatile countries? (H/T: Paul Scott)
• Greek police are skeeving out their co-citizens by developing close ties to the nativist, bigoted Golden Dawn party.
• The federal government and the various state governments spent a combined $1.03 trillion on welfare programs in 2011. No, that doesn't include Social Security and Medicare.
• San Antonio police officers responding to a call went to the wrong door and … shot the family dog. The pooch lived, though it's suffering. 
• Now that planets have been discovered there, a private group wants to send a probe to Alpha Centauri.

Have a news tip for us? Send it to: [e-mail]

Don't forget to sign up for Reason's daily AM/PM updates for more content.