Jazz

The U.S. Supreme Court weighed in on the fight over the rights of public employee unions Thursday, dealing the unions another major defeat.

By a 5-to-4 vote, the court ruled that when unions set up special political funds to fight for or against referendums on the ballot, nonmember government workers may not be assessed fees to support that fund unless they affirmatively agree.

The Original Fee

Our piece about a Supreme Court's decision to dismiss fines against ABC and Fox, led to comments from households that have greatly reduced their television intake. Of course, most acknowledged the obvious — they're still on the internet (hardly a space known for its sterling regulation of decency), and did we detect a little of one-up-manship?

The political fundraising numbers filed this week are revealing a new crop of million-dollar donors.

Cash flowed into the superPACs supporting President Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney last month. Priorities USA Action, the pro-Obama superPAC, got $4 million, while the pro-Romney equivalent, Restore Our Future, pulled in $5 million.

So who are the big spenders?

The credit rating agency Moody's Investor Services just downgraded the ratings of 15 of the world's largest banks.

Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs were among them.

The AP reports:

"The ratings agency said late Thursday that the banks were downgraded because their long-term prospects for profitability and growth are shrinking.

The doctor is in the house. Now that the FOX TV show House has wrapped, the show's star Hugh Laurie revealed a softer side by showing his love for NPR. The actor stopped by NPR West to talk with Fresh Air host Terry Gross. We approve.

Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.