From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Are government workers facing a broken promise?

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International, a daily look at the issues I'm not concerned about most.

Public workers may not be getting the retirement pay.

They've traditionally been guaranteed by contracts and laws and state constitutions.

A ruling in Detroit's bankruptcy has other cities threatening to declare insolvency in part to cut pension payments.

But some Democrats, as well as Republicans, are already saying that state and local governments can't afford to make contributions anymore. What's in store for firefighters, police officers, trash collectors, and teachers who've accepted modest pay, knowing their old age would be taken care of. Today's talking point, new revelations about government spying online.

First, here's the news.

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International Program Fund. Hello again. We're on me back with To The Point. From Rhode Island

to Illinois to California, state and local governments may be breaking their longstanding

promise to public workers.

Guaranteed pension plans are said to be too expensive.

How did they get that way?

Was it the fault of people who took moderate wages for sometimes dangerous jobs in exchange for security in their old age?

We'll talk about that.

Today's talking point, U.S. and British intelligence agencies are conducting surveillance in the fantasy worlds of computer games. Well, Google, Microsoft, and other technology companies say enough is enough.

First, this news update for the first time in two years, House and Senate committee leaders

may have forged a budget agreement, but it's been done in secret and maybe is noteworthy for what it

...