Stories of the Week | PBS NewsHour Podcast | PBS

In his book "Spoiled Rotten" Jay Cost lays out historical context for why he says the Democratic Party has strayed from its founding principle: that all people were created equal, and the government's job is to ensure that equality. Cost explains to Judy Woodruff how Democrats have fallen off course, and what to do about it.

Boston College acted as a safeguard for the oral histories of former Northern Irish militants. Participants were promised their stories would remain private until their deaths. But new clues in an unsolved murder in Ireland triggered the U.S. Department of Justice to subpoena the tapes. Special correspondent Kira Kay reports.

Under Rep. Paul Ryan's 2013 budget proposal, Medicare recipients eventually could choose to opt for a private insurance plan. Judy Woodruff talks to American Enterprise Institute's Joe Antos and Urban Institute's Judy Feder to understand the presidential candidates' plans for Medicare and how this is affecting the campaigns.

When writing his new book 'Canada' about a boy whose parents rob a bank, Richard Ford blended the persuasive voice of a teenager with his own, that of a 65-year-old man with a lifetime of experiences. Jeffrey Brown talks to the Pulitzer Prize-winning author about his novel about morality, murder and coming of age.

As the worst whooping cough outbreak in more than half a century grips the U.S., health officials are saying that most adults and teens are woefully under-vaccinated. Health correspondent Betty Ann Bowers explores what's behind the resurgence and its potential consequence for those who can't be vaccinated: newborns.

Judy Woodruff talks to four journalists from swing states who are covering the election. Radio Iowa's O. Kay Henderson, Face to Face's Jon Ralston, Tampa Bay Times' Adam Smith and Ohio Public Radio and Television's Karen Kasler discuss reaction to Paul Ryan, Akin's remarks on rape and polls that show President Obama in the lead.

Should Congress fail to pass a balanced budget by the end of 2012, America could face serious repercussions. Gwen Ifill talks to the Congressional Budget Office's former director Alice Rivlin and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget's Maya MacGuineas about why budget reform talks need to shift to policy, not politics.

Mickey Edwards, former Republican congressman, rails against political division in Washington in his new book, "The Parties Versus the People." Edwards talks to Judy Woodruff about his suggestions to reform party hostility and create "one congress serving one country."

Rainier Scholars, a Seattle non-profit, is trying to curb high school drop out rates. Taking the long-term approach, they identify students with high barriers to higher education and ask them -- some as young as 10 -- to commit not just to finishing high school, but to graduating from college. Hari Sreenivasan reports.

The political context of the Pussy Riot trial extends far beyond the walls of the courthouse, where three members of a Russian punk band were each sentenced to two years in prison. Margaret Warner talks to Columbia University's Stephen Sestanovich about the broader implications for opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and National Review editor Rich Lowry discuss the week's top political news, including how having Rep. Paul Ryan as the GOP vice presidential candidate has energized the Republican base, the debate of Medicare on the campaign trail and continuing calls to release Romney's tax returns.

Since the 1960s, the State Department has sponsored young foreigners for temporary, low-wage summer jobs in the U.S. But with high youth unemployment, some believe the program takes summer jobs away from American youth. So is the program's motivation truly 'good will' or a source of cheap labor? Paul Solman reports.

The three members of Pussy Riot were smiling today as a Russian judge announced a guilty verdict on charges of hooliganism for an anti-Putin performance in a Moscow cathedral. Each member was sentenced to two years in prison. Jonathan Rugman of Independent Television News reports.

There were two more "green on blue" attacks by Afghan troops on U.S. and coalition forces. And the U.S. military saw active-duty and veteran soldier suicides in July double since June. Jeffrey Brown talks to Time magazine's Mark Thompson about the situation in Afghanistan, and the increase in suicides.

Pew Research Center's Project For Excellence in Journalism released a report that found the Obama campaign posts on social media platforms four times more than the Romney campaign. Judy Woodruff talks to the Daily Download's Lauren Ashburn and Howard Kurtz, who say more engagement doesn't guarantee a two-way conversation.