For millions of working Americans, calling in sick isn’t an option. That’s because 40 million employees in the United States do not have paid sick leave. This will no longer be the case for food service or day care workers in Connecticut by May 2012, because of a newly passed law requiring businesses with 50 or more employees to give their workers one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked.

Yesterday, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announced that he will retire next year. From his public shaming of President Clinton after the Lewinsky affair in 1998, to his Vice Presidential bid with Al Gore in 2000, to his endorsement of John McCain for President in 2008, Joe Lieberman has had a career full of surprises. What is Lieberman's legacy?

All this week, we're reflecting on the major issues of 2010. Immigration remained one of the biggest stories out of southwestern states, like Arizona. But immigration has become a serious issue even in smaller states along the East Coast, like Connecticut. Latino residents of East Haven, Connecticut, have filed a federal lawsuit against their local police department, claiming police have targeted Latinos with violence, harassment and intimidation.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's expected announcement of billions of dollars in federal grants for high speed rail today is beginning on a sour note. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced yesterday that he is stopping construction of an $8.4 billion Hudson River rail tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York. Citing billions of dollars of expected cost overruns, Christie says his "decision is final." This comes after LaHood made a personal appeal to Christie, and negotiations between the Obama and Christie administrations.

With Republicans running against President Obama's stimulus, an issue that's resonated with voters, LaHood's announcement comes at a questionable time. There will be events in Iowa, Michigan, California. There's also money for Connecticut and Florida. These are all states with close races. How is this going to affect the midterm elections?

With November's mid-term elections only weeks away, many candidates have begun rounds of debates in a final effort to win over voters. In California's gubernatorial race, Republican Meg Whitman lost some points in polls when her opponent, Democrat Jerry Brown, accused Whitman of employing an illegal immigrant. Hours before last night's debate between Republican Linda McMahon and Democrat Richard Blumenthal in Connecticut, McMahon released an attack ad telling voters Blumenthal lied about his war service.

Yesterday, former President Bill Clinton traveled to New Haven to campaign for Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. Blumenthal, a Democrat, is running against Republican Linda McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, in a tight race for Christopher Dodd's U.S. Senate seat. Anna Sale, editor of WNYC's new political site, It's a Free Country, traveled to the rally in New Haven to speak with the voters and protestors in attendance.

Voters in Colorado and Connecticut head to the polls today to vote in primary elections. In Colorado, incumbent Democratic Senator Michael Bennet, who was endorsed by President Obama, is facing a surprisingly hard primary battle. A loss could bring insight into how voters feel about Washington and President Obama. Kirk Johnson, Denver bureau chief for The New York Times, joins us with the latest from the Centennial State.

Many states across the country are struggling with billions of dollars in budget gaps and several of them are considering expanding some form of gambling to generate much needed revenue. Lawmakers in Massachusetts today are expected to begin debating a bill to license two resort-style casinos in the state and to introduce slot machines at the state's racetracks. Proponents of the plan say expanded gambling in Massachusetts could create as many as 15,000 jobs and reduce the state's buget deficit.

Two big drug-related stories have made headlines this week. The first was the killing last Saturday of two American government employees in Ciudad Juarez. The violence is believed to be related to an ongoing turf-war between rival drug cartels in Mexico. The other event could provide a good story line for Ocean's 14. One of the biggest pharmaceutical heists in history took place in Connecticut last weekend when thieves stole $75 million worth of drugs from an Eli Lilly warehouse. But they weren't recreational painkillers, but rather mostly antidepressants.

Eight states are implementing a radical new program in high schools for next year that will allow students to graduate early and enter into two-year community colleges, if they pass the right tests. We speak to a top education official and a high school teacher involved in the program to find out how the program will work.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Senate, will announce today that he won't seek re-election for a sixth term. Colin McEnroe joined us from WNPR to talk about the decision.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release November's unemployment numbers this morning; most observers expect unemployment to rise once again. Millions of Americans are either un- or under-employed, and many are making ends meet with unemployment checks. Some of the state unemployment funds paying those checks, however, are going bone dry. Carl Guzzardi, tax director for the Connecticut labor department, says the state is having to borrow billions of dollars. The Ford Foundation is helping many states overhaul their unemployment systems; Director of Quality Employment Helen Neuborne joins us to describe their efforts. And Georgia's Labor Commissioner, Michael Thurmond, discusses Georgia's attempts to overhaul their unemployment system.

President Obama hits the campaign trail this week, stumping for some vulnerable Democrats. He starts his trip fundraising among Wall Street bankers, a group the White House is simultaneously chastising. Also, with his overall approval rating down to 51 percent, how much will the president's appearances help other candidates? We speak to New York Times Washington correspondent David Kirkpatrick; Bob Hennelly, who covers New Jersey for WNYC; and Ted Mann, political reporter for New London Day in Connecticut.

This week may end with a new playbook for the credit card industry in America. President Obama summoned representatives from 14 banks that issue credit cards to the White House for talks today. But the legislative engine behind these changes is Senator Chris Dodd, Democrat from Connecticut, who has been pushing credit card regulation for a long time. He joins The Takeaway now to discuss the proposed changes to credit card accountability, responsibility and disclosure that he hopes to push through Congress. This bill would offer new consumer protections, including banning practices such as “any time, any reason” interest rate increases.