"It's the economy, stupid." That was the sign taped up on a wall at Bill Clinton's campaign headquarters as a reminder of the most important issue in real people's daily lives. Unfortunately, as the worst recession in decades drags on, no reminder is needed. The Labor Department reported Friday that national unemployment hit 8.9 percent in April, the worst in more than a quarter century. Factor in those laid-off workers who have given up looking for jobs or settled for part-time work and the rate was 15.8 percent. In Washington, a bill offering help for homeowners struggling to make mortgage payments was approved and senators geared up for a debate on credit card abuses.

Help for Homeowners The Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would expand federal efforts to prevent mortgage foreclosures, shield mortgage service companies from lawsuits if they participate in federal loan modification programs, and give renters of foreclosed properties at least 90 days' notice before eviction. The bill, however, did not include a Sanders-backed provision that would have allowed bankruptcy judges to modify the terms of primary mortgages.

Credit Cards "It looks like Sen. Bernie Sanders has again tapped into some of the economic misery and frustration that ordinary Americans are feeling, this time at the hands of credit card companies. He has compiled constituent emails into a booklet ('Enough Is Enough') and is distributing it to Senate colleagues. In a floor speech, Sanders said, 'The stories that came in were heartbreaking, they were appalling, and they really spoke to the greed and the callousness of many of these financial institutions,'" John Gregg wrote in the Valley News. To read the column, click here. To take our poll on credit cards, click here.

Food Safety Margaret Hamburg, President Obama's nominee for Food and Drug Administration commissioner pledged during her Senate confirmation hearing to reform the agency and rehabilitate its public image. Sanders asked her about the Saturday morning glut of commercials for sugary breakfast cereals. Hamburg noted the importance of appropriate labeling when it comes to foods. "I think it is very important that the government lead the way with communicating critical information, in terms of establishing guidelines and standards, and in many cases, mandating certain kinds of activities, helping consumers to better understand the substantial risks they're being exposed to is important, and labeling of products is important," she said.

Pentagon The Pentagon failed to bill American Insurance Group and other major insurance carriers for millions of dollars in medical care provided to private contractors injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon's inspector general. The report comes as Sen. Bernard Sanders announced a hearing later this month on the government's system of purchasing private insurance to cover contractor injuries and deaths in war zones, according to the investigative journalism project ProPublica. To read more about it, click here