for more, we're joined by micheline maynard, a contributor to forbes.com and former detroit bureau chief for the "new york times," and by bill ballenger, editor of "inside michigan politics." welcome to you both. mickey maynard. first, this has all happened very quickly. what precipitated this right now. >> there were two things that happened, judy. first of all in november there was a ballot proposal that unions floated that would have outlawed right-to-work. it would have put that into the state constitution. that proposal failed because it was proposed at the same time as a lot of constitutional amendments. people just sort of cast one vote against all of them. the second thing that happened was republicans gave up some seats in the house and senate. it will still be a republican majority in january but it will be smaller. if right-to-work was going to happen this lame duck republican-controlled legislature was where it was going to happen. >> woodruff: bill, in a state that voted by ten points for president obama in november, it's a state that is striking a blow for right-to-work. ho

bill ballanger and micheline maynard. >> thank you, judy. >> suarez: still to come on the newshour, egypt's worsening political crisis; pennsylvania democrat allyson schwartz; a settlement in a money laundering case; a chinese artist's first american exhibit; and privacy worries over mobile apps for kids. but first, the other news of the day. here's hari sreenivasan. >> sreenivasan: u.s. exports dropped in october by the most in nearly four years, and the trade deficit grew nearly 5%. the commerce department said the gap topped $42 billion. stl, wall reet managed to make some gains. the dow jones industrial average added 78 points to close at 13,248. the nasdaq rose 35 points to close at 3022. russia is resisting the latest u.s. appeal to help force syrian president bashar al-assad out of office. that word came today in the russian newspaper, "kommersant." it said moscow is convinced assad will not go voluntarily, no matter what pressure is applied. meanwhile, u.s. defense secretary leon panetta said chances of the syrian regime resorting to chemical weapons may be easing. he spoke during a