Blakeney Schick

Last week we spoke with New York Gov. David Paterson about his effort to negotiate a new site for Park 51, the proposed Islamic cultural center and mosque — one that's further away from Ground Zero. Hundreds of people rallied at Ground Zero this weekend; some were there to support and some to protest the center. We hear your responses to Paterson's comments.

Lucille from Florida says:

People forget the reason this country began. The Pilgrims came because they were escaping religious persecution... This is a basic right to worship where we want. Islam did not kill people on 9/11. Radical al-Qaida terrorists did. Big difference.

On Tuesday, Florida's voters head to the polls to vote in primaries for U.S. Senate and governor. Sergio Bustos, state politics editor at The Miami Herald, and Kate Zernike, reporter for our partner The New York Times, describe how the races have been shaping up and what we can expect on Tuesday. Plus, we'll find out what the Sunshine State can tell us about the national political mood.

On Wednesday, General Motors filed for a public stock offering that would enable the federal government to start selling its stake in GM. Currently, the federal government holds 61 percent of the car company. A year ago, the car-making giant was looking at bankruptcy... in the second quarter of this year, they announced a $1.3 billion proffit. Has the government succesfully turned GM around?

Earlier this month, Congress passed $26 billion in stimulus spending, $10 billion of which was aimed at rehiring public school teachers who had lost their jobs because of budget cutbacks. The Department of Education estimates that between 100,000 and 300,000 people in public schools across the country have either been fired or risk losing their jobs because of budget cuts.

As college students head back to campus, a new report says almost two thirds of student loans at for-profit colleges are not being repaid. The statistic calls into question some for-profit programs' ability to prepare graduates for finding jobs, and the Obama administration has proposed cutting off federal loans to the programs with the worst repayment rates. About two-thirds of students in the class of 2013 said that they were concerned about their ability to pay for college.

With default rates at such a high, we're asking you: How have student loans affected your life in ways you didn't expect?

The U.N. estimates that as many as 20 million people have been affected by the massive flooding in Pakistan. People have lost their homes and their land, and there'a a high risk of water-born illnessess. Children are especially affected by illnesses like eye infections, scabies and diarrhea. Aid workers are faced with a huge job as they try to help the victims.

Lucia Ennis regional director for Asia at the aid organization Concern Worldwide describes the challenges of getting food and supplies to 250,000 victims of the floods in Pakistan, as waters spread to the south. She says the most important thing is to get clean water and food to the victims.

We look ahead at this week in news. It's the official beginning of shrimping season in Louisiana; Russia's grain embargo has just taken effect; the Obama administration tries to figure out how to approach mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; a judge's ruling effectively bans planting genetically modified sugar beets; and the Congressional Budget Office will release its budget outlook.

Yesterday, Gen. David Petraeus appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" to outline his thoughts on how the U.S.-led coalition can succeed in Afghanistan.