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Tuesday

No Easy Path For Senate Dems Despite Franken Win

Al Franken's victory in the long-running battle for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat gives Democrats the 60 votes needed to defeat a filibuster. But it may not be that easy. There are a dozen Democrats who may not toe the party line.

No Easy Path For Senate Dems Despite Franken Win

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Franken Declared Winner Of Minnesota Senate Race

Minnesota's Supreme Court has declared Democrat Al Franken the winner of the state's disputed U.S. Senate race. Republican Norm Coleman conceded the race soon after the decision.

Tom Weber Of Minnesota Public Radio Reports On Franken's Win

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Assessing The State Of The (Republican) Nation

Fresh Air

Washington Post reporter Dan Balz sizes up the state of the Republican party — including how the GOP is preparing for 2012 and how it has been affected by recent sex scandals.

Assessing The State Of The (Republican) Nation

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Franken Wins Minn. Race After Coleman Concedes

The concession by the incumbent Republican came after the state Supreme Court ruled in Franken's favor in a long-standing dispute over a recount in last November's Senate election.

Tom Weber Of Minnesota Public Radio Reports On Franken's Win

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National

Marijuana Vendors Lobby To Pay Higher Taxes

Voters in cash-strapped Oakland, Calif., will soon decide whether to approve a 15-fold increase in the taxes imposed on medical marijuana dispensaries. Dispensary owners support the measure because they see it as a way of legitimizing their businesses.

Marijuana Vendors Lobby To Pay Higher Taxes

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Monday

Law

Supreme Court Sides With White Firefighters

The Supreme Court on Monday wrapped up its term with a long-awaited decision, ruling in favor of white firefighters who had complained that the city of New Haven, Conn., had discriminated against them on the basis of race by refusing to certify promotion exam scores. The ruling reversed a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge.

NPR's Nina Totenberg Reports On The Ruling

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Money And Influence

A Painless Way To Hold Down Health Costs?

While opponents of the overhaul proposals currently under consideration warn of long waits for care or draconian cuts in payments to doctors and hospitals, some experts say slowing the growth of health spending doesn't have to hurt. "You can deliver high-quality care for far fewer resources if you organize your processes right," says one expert.

A Painless Way To Hold Down Health Costs?

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Saturday

Gov. Sanford Latest Star In Infidelity Parade

When South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford announced this week he'd had an extramarital affair, he joined several other high-profile politicians admitting infidelities, including Eliot Spitzer, John Ensign, David Vitter and John Edwards.

Gov. Sanford Latest Star In Infidelity Parade

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House Narrowly Passes Climate Change Measure

The U.S. House voted 219-212 for a sweeping bill to combat global warming. It would put gradually stricter caps on the total national output of heat-trapping gases, based on a system of permits that can be bought and sold.

House Narrowly Passes Climate Change Measure

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Friday

Law

Proposal Offers Specifics On Preventive Detention

A proposal works through many of the difficult questions the Obama administration has skirted about a potential law. It provides restrictions on who can be held and requires regular review by the courts. The proposal's author acknowledges that it's controversial but says the system already allows indefinite detention.

Proposal Offers Specifics On Preventive Detention

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World

U.S. Readies Missile Defense Before N. Korea Test

A possible North Korean missile test that may be aimed in the direction of Hawaii has prompted the U.S. to deploy missile defense systems. Despite problems and test failures over the years, the Obama administration and the military seem confident that missile defense is up to the task.

U.S. Readies Missile Defense Before N. Korea Test

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National

New U.S. Cyber Command Raises Privacy Concerns

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has created a new cyber command in the Pentagon that will be headed by the director of the secretive National Security Agency. Privacy advocates worry about the role of the NSA and the militarization of the Internet.

New U.S. Cyber Command Raises Privacy Concerns

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Economy To Dominate Obama, Merkel Discussions

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has her first White House meeting with President Obama Friday. The two are expected to discuss big issues, including some that divide them sharply. Most prominent are the global economic crisis, what to do about climate change and whether Germany will increase its military commitment to the war in Afghanistan.

Economy To Dominate Obama, Merkel Discussions

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Providers

The Role Of Hospitals In Fixing Health Care

Chip Kahn is president of the Federation of American Hospitals. He is involved in high level negotiations to overhaul health care. Kahn talks with David Greene about how hospitals can help fix the health care system since nearly 50 million people lack basic insurance coverage.

The Role Of Hospitals In Fixing Health Care

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Money And Influence

Budget Office Works Powerfully Behind The Scenes

The Senate Finance Committee has crafted a health care bill that won't add to the federal deficit, even though it's expected to cost a trillion dollars over the next 10 years. The senators went back to the drawing board after an even higher price tag was predicted by the Congressional Budget Office. The CBO is playing a powerful role in shaping the health care debate.

Budget Office Works Powerfully Behind The Scenes

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