Working our way out of this mess: 

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Gregoire has economic recovery ideas -- The governor emerges from a closed-door brainstorming session with some of the area's top business, labor and higher-education leaders to deliver a rapid-fire report on ways to help the state's economy. She stressed that her proposal -- to be unveiled in mid-January -- will focus on creating jobs, improving the state's transportation system and ensuring an educated work force.

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- Governor vows big push of stimulus plan -- "Now is the time for us to invest in putting people to work," Gregoire says. "I'm not looking forward to the March (revenue) forecast. This (economic stimulus plan) is to stop the hemorrhaging and get us on the road to recovery."

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Recession gives green light to nation's infrastructure needs
(Neal Peirce column) -- Even as America plunges into recession, a shaft of light has appeared: a once-in-a-generation opportunity, driven by a popular president-elect, to mount a massive program to rebuild our nation's infrastructure. Economists often denigrate infrastructure projects as too slow to combat recessions. But it's becoming clear the current recession is so deep that people will just pocket any rebate checks or other quick cash. The time for serious infrastructure projects, covering an extended recession, has arrived. And lots of projects are "shovel ready" or close to it.

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- U.S. infrastructure: Beyond concrete (editorial) -- With many of his ideas for a public works program, Obama is going beyond just pouring concrete. Investments in energy efficiency, modern schools and information technology offer hope for longer-term prosperity.  

Local news: 

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- 'Hybrid' plan to replace viaduct offered -- A combination of surface streets and tunnels, possibly with tolls, could be the best way to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, say business and downtown representatives (and the ML King County Labor Council).

►  At TheNewsTribune.com -- Boeing, SPEEA at odds in Wichita -- Talks are at a standstill in talks aimed at producing a new contract for some 700 Boeing engineers and technical workers. 

►  In today's Olympian -- State employee health care data may be breached -- The HCA is notifying participants in the state's Uniform Medical Plan in 2006-07 of a possible personal-data breach involving former pharmacy vendor Express Scripts, which led to an extortion threat.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Community Transit expanding service -- The agency hires more drivers as it adds a new "swift bus" route along Hwy 99. (Now, if only they could settle their contract.)

►  In today's News Tribune -- Tacoma police in line for big raises in 2009 -- A proposed contract calls for a 6.2% hike, and sets the stage for a move to 12-hour shift schedules in 2010.

►  In today's Columbian -- Mielke's long fight succeeds -- By 209 votes, the Republican former legislator has won a photo-finish recount against Pam Brokaw for county commissioner.

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- Two Port of Seattle managers quit in wake of fraud findings -- They resign after an investigatory report finds 10 instances of civil fraud committed by port employees.

►  Today from AP -- Census shows state is richer, better educated than rest of U.S. -- 'Nuff said.

Legislative news:

►  From AP -- State pushes new jobs program -- State officials were in Yakima on Monday to push the Shared-Work Program, which allows workers to collect partial unemployment benefits to balance the lost pay from cuts in hours. The program is seeing a marked increase in interest from businesses struggling to stay afloat and retain trained workers in a recession.

►  In today's Columbian -- State fiscal challenge is also opportunity (column by AWB's Don Brunell) -- Elected officials have a choice to make. If they retain the current pay scale and benefits in union contracts, they will have to cut jobs and slash programs -- or they can renegotiate those contracts and lay off fewer workers. (The all-purpose corporate fix-it: Pay people less!™)

►  In today's Olympian -- Gregoire plans not to borrow in budget -- She plans to submit a balanced budget that does not include borrowing, even though state law would allow that.

►  In today's Bellingham Herald -- Sen.-elect Ranker gets two key posts as freshman legislator -- He has been named the vice chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources committees.

►  In today's Columbian -- State economic development leader stepping down -- Juli Wilkerson is retiring from the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Realtors accused of campaign violations in support of Rossi, McKenna -- The PDC alleges the Realtors illegally coordinated campaign spending with Rossi and McKenna. The complaint also says the Realtors did not properly report some expenditures during the last three weeks of the race for governor. Almost $1 million in spending is at issue.

Where's the WORKERS' bailout?  

►  In today's NY Times -- Talks fail to end sit-in at closed factory -- The layoff of 250 workers at Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago with only three days’ warning and without pay the workers say is owed to them has drawn the attention of politicians, numerous union and workers’ rights groups and scores of ordinary people, who arrived at the plant offering families toys, food and money. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (who has problems of his own this morning) plans to suspend all state business with Bank of America, Republic Windows’ lenders. Workers say Bank of America, the recipient of $25 billion in federal bailout money, forced the factory's immediate shutdown and is blocking payment of owed wages and vacation pay.

►  In today's LA Times -- First $350 billion of bailout fund almost gone -- Just $15 billion is left, so Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson may ask for more. Most of the funds have gone to banks. 

►  In today's LA Times -- 38 more AIG executives get retention payouts -- AIG, which received a federal rescue package of more than $152 billion, has said it will eliminate executive bonuses but still plans to pay "retention incentives" that double or triple some managers' salaries. The incentives range from $92,500 to $4 million for employees earning $160,000 to $1 million.

►  At CNN.com -- Citing bailout, union wants to organize bank workers -- In an email obtained by CNN, a member of SEIU's Private Equity Project outlines initial discussions to organize bank workers "since the banking industry is now being infused with billions of taxpayer dollars."

►  From The Rude Pundit -- Chicago factory sit-in: A real protest (warning: PG-13) -- This is a shot across the bow to Congress, a way of saying, "This is the way corporate America has been treating your constituents for years. While you're giving AIG enough to fund a small nation, how about tilting our way for a little while?" And if they don't listen, let's hope the next protests and the ones after that are bigger and more widespread. 

Other national news: 

►  In today's Washington Post -- Battle deepens over union organizing -- Business and labor groups are intensifying their battle over a measure that would make it easier to organize unions, offering a preview of what is certain to be one of the earliest and hardest-fought legislative battles in the new Congress. Says Employee Free Choice Act opponent, shameless corporate whore and all-around jackass Rick Berman: "People would be pressed into joining unions without having an opportunity to say no. Unions would collect billions of dollars in dues that they would use to hijack the political process for as far as the eye can see."

►  In today's LA Times -- House Democratic leaders unveil plan to aid Big Three automakers -- It calls for $15 billion in emergency funding with oversight from an appointed "car czar" monitor. 

►  In today's NY Times -- Washington takes risks with auto bailout plans -- Not since Harry Truman seized America’s steel mills in 1952 rather than allow a strike to imperil the Korean War has Washington toyed with nationalization, or its equivalent, on this kind of scale. Obama may be thinking what Truman told his staff: “The president has the power to keep the country from going to hell.” (The Supreme Court thought differently and forced Truman to relinquish control.)

►  In today's NY Times -- Workers pay for debacle at bankrupt Tribune -- Sam Zell, chief of the 161-year-old company that just filed for bankruptcy protection, literally mortgaged its employees’ future to pursue what one analyst called “a childhood fantasy." He financed much of his buyout of the company by borrowing against the future of his employees’ pension plan.