To the Point

The rulers of the Arab world are watching and so are their subjects, as an unprecedented revolution plays itself out in Tunisia. We get the latest. Also, "Baby Doc" Duvalier is taken into custody in Haiti, and the battle over health reform begins again in the Congress.

As President Hu Jintaou arrives tomorrow for a White House visit, the US and China are being compared to two aircraft carriers that can only be moved from the very top. We hear how both countries have been preparing.  Can personal connections resolve the increased tensions of recent years? Also, "Baby Doc" Duvalier returns to Haiti, and Martin Luther King, Jr., then and now.

US consumers scaled back in the first years of the Great Recession, but now they're buying again and getting extended credit. Are the laws written to encourage debt? Are Americans born to shop, even when they can't afford to? Also, Tunisia's president flees the country amid mounting protest, and John Paul II on a fast track to sainthood.

President Obama delivered an emotional tribute last night to the victims of Saturday's shooting in Tucson. Will he succeed in changing the tone of America's public discourse? Also, the rising foreclosure rate, and a new look at Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Mentally ill people may threaten violence. Most never come through. But should laws protecting their privacy and their freedom be changed, just in case? Would that mean treating sick people like criminals before they've done anything wrong? Also, the first anniversary of Haiti's earthquake.

In the aftermath of Saturday's shooting, Arizona is a state divided. Should gun laws be strengthened or made more permissive?  Have the economy and illegal immigration created a "toxic atmosphere" for political dialogue? Also, the Presidents oil spill panel recommends tighter rules, and Verizon gets the iPhone.

There's been no change in the condition of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, two days after she was shot while conducting a townhall on Saturday. Doctors in Tucson say that's good news. In Washington, Congress has suspended business for this week, including the vote on repealing the President's healthcare reform. But in print, on TV and on the Internet, debate rages over what led to a shooting rampage that killed six, including a 9-year old girl, and wounded 18 others. Did vitriolic political rhetoric play a role? Is a tragedy being used to make political points? Also, more on 22-year-old suspect Jared Laughner.

Republicans now controlling the House claim the Constitution demands reductions in the size of government. Is America’s founding document all that clear?  We get a variety of opinions reflecting how open it is to different interpretations. Also, Obama's economic team and unemployment, and "citizen scientists" outclass computers.

Tracking consumers on the Internet and selling detailed profiles is a $400 million business expected to double this year. Advertisers have real-time access to whatever you're doing on-line. Will new privacy laws be needed to restore consumers' confidence? Is there any good news about this kind of intrusion? Also, a historic reading of the Constitution in the Congress, and shake-ups at the White House.

The new House majority wants to reduce federal spending, and every commission on the deficit has called for cuts in the Pentagon. So, why are they off the table? How much could be saved without endangering national security? Also, Mark Twain and the "N" word.