Collective bargaining's fate in Michigan, another NPR imbroglio, and a tribute to David Broder, on this week's Talking Michigan Politics podcast with Press editors Jeff Cranson and Ed Golder.

Gearing up for fight

1. Is the emergency financial manager legislation the opening salvo in a Wisconsin-like assault on collective bargaining?

Democrats and union leaders say the package of bills adopted in both chambers and destined for a Gov. Rick Snyder signature are the beginning of a broader attack on organized labor. MSNBC's Rachel Maddow weighed in Tuesday night with a screed that painted Snyder, a moderate, as a union opponent comparable to Wisconsin's Scott Walker and Ohio's John Kasich.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Is NPR biased?

Is NPR exposed as a biased news agency because of one executive's secretly recorded comments? Another controversy for public broadcasting surfaces at a terrible time with federal funding already in many lawmakers' sites.

Tweaking the budget

What changes would you make in the state budget. Is eliminating the Earned Income Tax Credit negotiable?

What about modifications in the pension tax proposal?

Conversation starters:

• Ed on David Broder, longtime Washington Post political reporter/columnist who died Wednesday at 81.

• Jeff on people faking illnesses in on-ine health forums -- Münchausen by internet.

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• Theme music for podcast by Kevin MacLeod

E-mail comments on the podcast to jcranson@grpress.com. Please stipulate in your e-mail if you don't want your comments quoted by name in a later podcast.