Top Political News: June 2&3, 2012 (Weekend Edition)

Obama has called for more federal spending on public works projects and local government, which might have prevented last month's loss of 28,000 construction jobs and 13,000 government jobs. But Congress never approved that spending.
Bernstein, who's now a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says lawmakers have added their own measure of uncertainty with their refusal to compromise on taxes, spending targets and the debt ceiling.
"I think the political gridlock, or dysfunction, if you will, has made things even worse. Now we're talking about going over this fiscal cliff and having another debt ceiling fight," he says. "That's obviously exactly the wrong medicine for the current economy. So it's not just that Congress isn't helping; it's that they're actively hurting."

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/02/154191028/analysts-smell-fear-after-lack-of-job-growth?ft=1&f=1014

Voters in Wisconsin will decide Tuesday whether or not to recall Republican Gov. Scott Walker. It's been one of the most expensive statewide races in American history, and the stakes in that election could have national implications, for unions, for deficit hawks, for businesses, even for President Obama's re-election.

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/03/154251865/wisc-recall-a-trial-run-for-the-presidential-race?ft=1&f=1014