Rep. James Lower (R-Cedar Lake), chair of the Local Government Committee, wants to see reform of the state's municipal employee retiree health care system pass the House before Christmas. He said he doesn't see a package include state-mandated cuts to retiree benefits in local communities. Lower also talks about the House Republican candidate recruitment efforts and the GOP leadership race.

Also, Bob McCann of Cover Two Strategies, says that he doesn't see a way out for U.S. Rep. John Conyers in his sexual harrassment controversy outside of resignation. The Democratic Party needs to lead on the issue of protecting women in the workplace regardless of whether Conyers become a casualty in the process, he says.