To the Point

Families Feeling Financial Insecurity in a Richer America

What President Bush calls the "ownership society" is the product of decades of social-spending cuts and corporate restructuring. Though Democrats, as well as Republicans, have helped create a more efficient economy, a 40-year study of 5000 families concludes that the burdens of government and the risks of business have now shifted to individual workers and citizens. Are these the unintended consequences of economic transformation? Are new and better safety nets needed, or will all Americans ultimately be better off in a liberated, free market economy? As tonight's debate focuses on domestic issues, Warren Olney looks at America's economic transformation with journalists, a political scientist from Yale University, economist from the Cato Institute and the Wharton School. Making News: Stage Is Set for Third and Final Debate With polls still showing a virtual tie, President Bush and Senator Kerry face off in their final joint appearance of this year's campaign. If the first two were practice runs, they have now honed their strategies, according to Ron Brownstein of the Los Angeles Times and CNN. Brownstein expounds on the candidates' strategies which pit ideology and ideas -- and on tonight's second game of the American League Championship series! Reporter's Notebook: Blogs and Rumors over the Bulge under Bush's Jacket On Friday, Salon.com reported that a bulge under President Bush's jacket in the first debate could have been an electronic receiver feeding answers into his ear. When bloggers jumped on the story, it moved to the mainstream press and cable TV. After joking, the White House denied the allegation, even for security reasons. Howard Finberg of the Poynter Institute School says it's crucial for journalists to source rumors and verify facts.