It’s our pre-election program, but there are very few races on the Chicago ballot this time. Charlie Meyerson (independent journalist and blogger, Northwestern University) and Curtis Black (Newstips.org) talk about the upcoming  referenda covering public-employee pensions and the push for an elected school board.

We also find some time to talk about media issues. It’s the first day for the new Tribune digital edition, complete with limited paywall. And Charlie recently posted a thoughtful piece about the important role Twitter played in coverage of Hurricane Sandy, so we debate that for a while.

Also on the program: Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s invisible campaign and the (perhaps momentary) recognition in the public debate that perhaps our planet’s climate is changing. Curtis paraphrases Bill McKibbon: We have one party that’s owned by the oil and coal industry, and one that’s terrified by it.