This morning on Political Roundtable we'll be discussing this week in Rhode Island politics.  Among this week's stories - the state's fiscal squeeze and Governor Don Carcieri's effort to close the state's deficit.  Here's WRNI's political reporter, Ian Donnis. 

The State of the State. Can Rhode Island recover?  And can President Obama bounce back?   That's part of the discussion this week on Political Roundtable.

A major upset in Massachusetts, the flat tax, and political money. That's some of what we'll talk about this week on political roundtable.

Steve Laffey stays out, John Robitaille gets in, and Gio's under fire. That's some of what we'll talk about during political roundtable.

Lincoln Chafee launched his gubernatorial campaign as an independent this week .  That's the starting point for our discussion this morning on Political Roundtable.   Here's WRNI's political reporter, Ian Donnis.

This week Governor Carcieri announced a package of spending cuts in an effort to close a 218-million dollar budget deficit.  Will that be enough to balance the state's book - or will tax hikes be part Rhode Island's future?  That's part of the discussion this week on Political Roundtable. Here's WRNI's Ian Donnis

Wind power, Republican divisions, and a big salary for a new state official. That's part of the discussion this week on political roundtable. Joining us are WRNI Political Analyst Scott MacKay and University of Rhode Island political science Professor Maureen Moakley. We're pleased to welcome our special guest, Glenn Loury, a social critic, public intellectual, and professor of economics and social science at Brown University.

President Obama's decision to send more troops to Afghanistan and Rhode Island's economic challenges are part of the discussion this week on Political Roundtable. Here's WRNI's Ian Donnis.

The Kennedy Tobin war, and Gordon Fox goes to Fenway Park. That's part of the discussion this week on Political Roundtable. Joining us are WRNI political analyst Scott MacKay and University of Rhode Island political science professor Maureen Moakley. We're pleased to welcome back our special guest, Justin Katz, administrator of and a leading contributor to the conservative blog Anchor Rising.

Gay rights in Rhode Island, including Governor Carcieri's tepid embrace of civil unions for same sex-partners is part of our weekly discussion on Rhode Island politics.  Here's WRNI's Ian Donnis with this week's Political Round Table.