To the Point
Will the Recession Force State Government Shutdowns?
Six states failed to pass spending plans last night in time for the new fiscal year, which started today. The biggest state in the union plans to pay its bills with IOU's. Others barely made the deadline by cutting services and raising taxes and fees. Are bloated expenditures being brought under control or are states balancing budgets on the backs of the poor? Also, Al Franken's win gives Senate Democrats a super-majority. On Reporter's Notebook later on, should the painkillers Vicodin and Percocet be banned?
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenSix states failed to pass spending plans last night in time for the new fiscal year, which started today. The biggest state in the union plans to pay its bills with IOU's. Other states barely made the deadline by cutting services and raising taxes and fees. Are bloated expenditures being brought under control or are states balancing budgets on the backs of the poor? Also, Al Franken's win in Minnesota gives Senate Democrats a super-majority. On Reporter's Notebook, an advisory body takes aim at popular pain killers. Should Vicodin and Percocet be banned? Why not Tylenol and Excedrin which have the same troubling ingredient?
Banner image: Senator Al Franken (D-MN) (2 L) celebrates with his wife Franni Franken (L) in front of their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Jeffrey Thompson/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesAl Franken's Senate Win Gives Democrats a Super-majority
Yesterday, eight months after November's election, the Supreme Court of Minnesota ruled that Democrat Al Franken unseated Republican Senator Norm Coleman by 312 votes. Dismissing partisan politics and his win as providing Democrats a super-majority, Franken instead stressed his role as Minnesota's second senator.
Read the story8 minWill the Recession Force State Government Shutdowns?
States all over the country are losing revenue. Last night, North Carolina and five other states failed to resolve disputes over taxes and spending in time for the start of the new fiscal year. Without balanced budgets, Pennsylvania and Illinois face partial shutdowns; Connecticut and Ohio are barely limping along.
Read the story37 minFDA Targets Painkillers
Some of America's most popular painkillers contain an ingredient that's hard on the liver in large doses. Disputes about Vicodin, Percocet, Tylenol and Excedrin have raged for years. Now an advisory panel has recommended that Vicodin and Percocet be banned. Alice Park reports on health and medicine for Time magazine.
Read the story6 min
