 |
| 2012 MAY
May 25, 2012
Ahead of Memorial Day Travel, a Timely Drop in Gas Prices
Nearly 35 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles this Memorial Day weekend, according to the American Automobile Association. Drivers will find the average price of gas is down 14 cents a gallon from this time last year and 25 cents since the end of March. Judy Woodruff reports.
   
| |
 |
| May 25, 2012
Is Long-Term Care Insurance a Good Idea?
Viewer Nancy writes to economics correspondent, asking: "What happens to long-term care insurance in the new health care? I have paid for long-term care for over 10 years. My Board Certified Elder Law Attorney told me it was my 'best decision.' Was it?"
| |
|
| May 24, 2012
Do You Get Back All Your Money From a U.S. Bond?
Viewer Sam Katz asks: "Even though government bond prices fluctuate daily, wouldn't you get back your original investment if held to maturity plus interest along the way?"
| |
|
| May 24, 2012
Man vs. Machine: Will Human Workers Become Obsolete?
Part of his series on Making Sen$e of financial news, Paul Solman has been showcasing the future of technology from a recent conference run by a California think tank -- things such as 3-D printing of prosthetic legs and iPhone heart tests. But the conference also resurfaced an age-old question about the future of human workers.
| |
|
| May 24, 2012
For This Military Town, a Memorable Memorial Day
Patchwork Nation has an update on the economic picture in Hopkinsville, Ky., a Military Bastion community. Thousands of service personnel from nearby Fort Campbell are back from overseas deployments -- and spending money in local businesses.
| |
|
| May 23, 2012
Facebook's 'Botched' IPO: What Went Wrong and Why?
Just four days after it went public on the stock market, Facebook became the center of intense attention Wednesday -- both on Wall Street and in Washington -- as shares hit $32, well below the initial offering price. Jeffrey Brown, Dartmouth's Anant Sundaram and Rob Cox of Reuters Breakingviews discuss what went wrong.
| |
|
| May 23, 2012
If Greece Were a Binge Drinker
Economics correspondent writes a pair of responses to his austerity/stimulus post of a few days ago, which he notes illustrates the current conflict in economic ideology quite nicely.
| |
|
| May 22, 2012
Does It Ever Make Sense to Dip Into Your 401(k)?
"If an emergency situation arises, does it ever make sense to pull money from a retirement fund such as a 401(k) rather than going into credit card debt to keep from going into the red? The fear of short-sightedness is paralyzing," writes a viewer in a Q&A for economics correspondent Paul Solman.
| |
|
| May 21, 2012
Is It Better to Save or to Spend?
A meditation from economics correspondent Paul Solman on the center-stage question facing the U.S. and Europe: stimulus or austerity? In economic jargon, Keynesian or the Austrian School? In plainer terms, save or spend? But which is the right answer?
| |
|
| May 18, 2012
News Wrap: Greece Uncertainty, Austerity Top Agenda at G-8 Summit
In other news Friday, leaders of some of the world's largest economies began gathering at Camp David in Maryland for the G-8 summit. Also, German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested Greece hold a referendum on staying in the eurozone, according to a spokesman for Greece's caretaker government.
| |
|
| May 18, 2012
Post IPO, What Are Facebook's Challenges Now?
The public sale of Facebook shares on Friday didn't soar as some had expected. Margaret Warner talks to Arvind Bhatia of Sterne Agee and Rob Cox of Reuters' Breakingviews about what Facebook needs to do to keep its audience and advertisers.
| |
|
| May 18, 2012
Why Not Raise Taxes Instead of Interest Rates to Reduce the Deficit?
A viewer writes in, asking when inflation comes around, why not raise taxes instead of interest rates, which could be used to reduce/eliminate the deficit, which would help the economy so you could raise taxes even more in what appears to be a positive feedback loop?
| |
|
| May 17, 2012
Geithner: Again With the Debt-Limit Debate? 'I Don't Understand it'
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told Jeffrey Brown during a factory tour Thursday in Baltimore that he couldn't understand why the debate over the federal debt limit is back again. They also discussed how regional Federal Reserve bank boards are established and how President Obama will campaign about jobs and the economy.
| |
|
| May 17, 2012
Exclusive | Geithner: 'I Don't Understand' Why Debt Ceiling Debate Is Back
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told the PBS NewsHour's Jeffrey Brown during a factory tour Thursday that he couldn't understand why the debate over the federal debt limit is back again.
| |
|
| May 17, 2012
Aren't We All Better Off if Fannie, Freddie Forgive and Forget?
Paul Solman often answers your questions on economic news. Thursday's query: Wouldn't investors and Freddie Mac be better off if mortgage principals were reduced, rather than leaving foreclosed homes to rot?
| |
|
| May 16, 2012
Why Isn't There a Single World Currency?
Wednesday's reader query for economics correspondent Paul Solman: Why do economists maintain separate currency values by region or countries when everyone should be playing on a level/moral playing field?
| |
|
| May 15, 2012
How Europe's Turmoil Rattles World Markets
Greece's political turmoil intensified Tuesday amid calls for fresh elections. Ray Suarez gets the latest from reporter John Psaropoulos. He then turns to Fred Bergsten of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and Nicholas Burns of Harvard Kennedy School for more analysis on the economic impact worldwide.
| |
|
| May 15, 2012
On the Brink of Insolvency, Greece to Hold Fresh Elections
Nine days after voters divided sharply over drastic austerity measures, Greece teetered toward insolvency and the prospect of yet another round of elections. Other European nations braced for the fallout and worried yet again about the future of their common currency. Ray Suarez reports.
| |
|
| May 15, 2012
FBI to Probe JPMorgan Practices After Trading Loss
At an annual shareholders meeting in Florida Tuesday, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon apologized for the company's recent losses and survived a pair of shareholder votes on his pay and job responsibilities. Judy Woodruff discusses the turmoil -- including news of an FBI inquiry of the company -- with Dawn Kopecki of Bloomberg News.
| |
|
| May 15, 2012
Are U.S. Wages Enough to Live On?
A viewer from Australia writes in about minimum wage in the U.S., and whether Americans can survive on $10 (or less) an hour.
| |
|
| May 14, 2012
Unemployment: Addressing a Worsening 'Human Disaster' in U.S.
Some 5 million Americans have been looking for work for more than six months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jeffrey Brown speaks with Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research and Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute who say the "human disaster" has potential generations-long effects.
| |
|
| May 14, 2012
News Wrap: Greece Tries Again to Form New Government, Fears of Euro Exit Grow
In other news Monday, rival party leaders in Greece began a last-ditch effort to form a new government while European leaders faced the growing possibility that Greece's days in the eurozone might be numbered if it rejects austerity measures. Also, plans to close some 600 U.S. post offices have officially been put on hold.
| |
|
| May 14, 2012
JPMorgan Says Farewell to a Top Executive Amid Fallout From Huge Losses
After news broke last week of $2 billion in trading losses, JPMorgan Chase had its first major casualty Monday when CEO Jamie Dimon disclosed the retirement of longtime executive Ina Drew. Margaret Warner and Bloomberg News' Dawn Kopecki discuss the case and the debate it has spurred over financial regulation.
| |
|
| May 14, 2012
Worried About Retirement? An Excellent Free Video Tool Debuts
From economics correspondent Paul Solman, a suggestion for those pondering retirement: a new interactive video tool that's short, easy to use, cheesy at times but extremely insightful.
| |
|
| May 11, 2012
After JPMorgan's Huge Loss, Is More Regulation Needed?
Shares in JPMorgan Chase fell 9 percent Friday on news that the bank lost $2 billion over six weeks due to "self-inflicted" mistakes. Jeffrey Brown, The Wall Street Journal's Liz Rappaport, Michael Greenberger of the University of Maryland School of Law and consultant Bert Ely discuss the details and calls for more regulation.
| |
|
| May 11, 2012
The 'Safest Investment' for Americans
Paul Solman writes, "In response to our post on the benefits of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, this arrived from the eminent finance guru from Boston University, Zvi Bodie. It was Zvi who convinced me to invest a significant portion of my retirement portfolio in TIPS when they first were offered back in the '90s."
| |
|
| May 10, 2012
'The Scream': For Love or Money?
Economics correspondent Paul Solman writes about the auction price of "The Scream," asking if it was a steal? A scam? "You could have made -- or lost -- a fortune on an artist who has always commanded the highest prices, in life and death. How sure, then, is any investment in art?"
| |
|
| May 9, 2012
News Wrap: Postal Service Drops Plans to Close 3,700 Locations
In other news Wednesday, the U.S. Postal Service abandoned a plan to shutter 3,700 service locations. Under the new plan, more than 13,000 rural mail facilities may have to cut back hours of operation but no locations will close. Also, a key adviser to presidents Kennedy and Johnson, Nicholas Katzenbach, has died.
| |
|
| May 9, 2012
Hot TIPS on Where To Invest
Making Sen$e readers regularly ask about Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, which correspondent Paul Solman has long said are his own preferred investment vehicle.
| |
|
| May 8, 2012
Is the IRS Sexist When It Comes to Child Care?
Economics correspondent Paul Solman addresses the following question from a reader: "I'm a working mom, and after paying yet another year's worth of nanny taxes and related expenses, I'm frustrated by what seems to be the very sexist treatment of these costs under the tax code."
| |
|
| May 8, 2012
Is the IRS Sexist When It Comes to Child Care?
From a reader: "I'm a working mom, and after paying yet another year's worth of nanny taxes and related expenses, I'm frustrated by what seems to be the very sexist treatment of these costs under the tax code."
| |
|
| May 7, 2012
Stand-Up Comedian Baratunde Thurston on 'How To Be Black'
Baratunde Thurston seemed like something of a wonder: a stand-up comedian via Sidwell Friends and Harvard. And when you read Thurston's new book, "How to Be Black," or note that he works for The Onion, you realize that he's so gregarious and funny, a stand-up career appears not just apposite but almost unavoidable.
| |
|
| May 4, 2012
For New College Grads, Jobs Outlook Better but Far From Great
After a promising start earlier this year, U.S. job growth slowed for a third month in April with just 115,000 jobs added and the unemployment rate dipping slightly to 8.1 percent. Jeffrey Brown discusses the numbers and outlook for college grads with Brandeis University's Catherine Mann and Drexel University's Paul Harrington.
| |
|
| May 4, 2012
Slim Job Growth in April, But Fewer Americans Reporting They Worked
While official unemployment figures dropped slightly to 8.1 percent and the economy added 115,000 new jobs in April, U-7 rose. 26.72 million of our fellow Americans -- 16.62 percent of the workforce -- is now un- or underemployed. That's up from 26.6 million and 16.55 percent last month.
| |
|
| May 3, 2012
Measuring Worth, $1 at a Time
Paul Solman frequently answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news. In Thursday's query, a reader asks, "exactly how much is $1 worth today?"
| |
|
| May 2, 2012
Nobel Laureate Robert Merton: Is U.S. Job Growth Happening in Vietnam?
MIT finance professor and Nobel laureate Robert Merton shares his thoughts on the economy in a new, occasional series we're dubbing "The Nobel Economist's Inbox."
| |
|
| May 1, 2012
After the Fall: People, Banks 'Still Cautious' on Credit, Debts
In another discussion in our series After the Fall that examines what's changed and what hasn't since the 2008 financial crisis, Jeffrey Brown discusses consumer and marketplace attitudes toward credit and debt with Adam Levin of Credit.com, James Chessen of the American Bankers Association and Kathy Kristof of CBS MoneyWatch.
| |
|
| May 1, 2012
From the Subprime to the Ridiculous
In Tuesday's reader question to economics correspondent Paul Solman: Can holders of devalued stock be considered "underwater", just as homeowners are who owe more than what their house is worth?
| |
|
|
|
| APRIL
April 30, 2012
How Apple, Other Tech Companies Take Advantage of U.S. Tax Code
Apple paid a collective tax rate of 9.8 percent around the globe in 2011 while Wal-Mart paid 24 percent, according to a recent New York Times investigation. Jeffrey Brown, the Times' Charles Duhigg and economist Martin Sullivan discuss how Apple uses offices in Nevada and elsewhere to minimize its taxes and maximize profits.
| |
|
| April 27, 2012
Student Loans: the Politics, Pitfalls and Payoffs
Ignoring a veto threat by President Obama, House Republicans voted Friday to extend a 2007 provision that halves the rate on Stafford student loans, but the parties are split on how to pay for it. Jeffrey Brown, George Washington University's Sandy Baum and author Anya Kamenetz examine the political debate over college tuition.
| |
|
| April 26, 2012
Downloadable Gun Parts, Personalized Bioterror: the Downside of Innovation
Through innovation and technology, California think tank Singularity University aims to push the frontiers of progress. But what happens when high-tech advances end up in the wrong hands? Economics correspondent Paul Solman raises some disturbing questions as part of his ongoing reporting series, Making Sen$e of financial news.
| |
|
| April 26, 2012
How Speculators Affect Gas Prices
Paul Solman frequently answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news. In Thursday's query, one reader asks about the role of speculation in oil prices while another asks us to revisit B Corp criteria.
| |
|
| April 25, 2012
After the Fall: How Has Wall Street's Behavior Changed?
When Dodd-Frank regulations went into effect in the wake of the financial crisis, the intention was to create new oversight and reduce systemic risk. Part of our After the Fall series on what's happened since the meltdown, Jeffrey Brown and guests discuss how Wall Street has changed since the financial catastrophe.
| |
|
| April 25, 2012
Do We Need Government Intervention to Create More Jobs?
Wednesday's reader query to business and economics correspondent Paul Solman: Could a capital gains tax holiday create immediate jobs, or does this situation call for federal infrastructure works projects?
| |
|
| April 24, 2012
After the Fall: Have Government Programs Helped Ailing Housing Market?
Underscoring ongoing struggles years after the mortgage meltdown, the National Association of Realtors reported March home sales fell more than 7 percent. Part of a new series called "After the Fall" on what's happened since the financial crisis, Judy Woodruff and guests discuss what's clouded an already unstable housing market.
| |
|
| April 24, 2012
Latest U.S. Home Prices Show Your Largest Asset May Be Withering Away
If you're one of millions of Americans who look to their home as a source of financial fallback in retirement, Tuesday's price data will not reassure you. Overall, we're back to late 2002 price levels, and down a full 35 percent since the housing bubble's high in summer 2006.
| |
|
| April 24, 2012
Voters Focus on Economy, but Candidates Are Silent on Solutions
For the past year, we've been hearing from analysts that this election is going to be about the economy. The fate of the presidential race has rarely been seen as being so directly tied to a set of economic indicators. And yet, as the general election begins, the amount of economic talk coming from the two contenders is light.
| |
|
| April 23, 2012
Social Security Slated to Run Dry in 2033, Trustees Warn
Social Security will exhaust its trust fund in 2033 -- three years earlier than previous projections, the program's trustees announced Monday. Ray Suarez, Nancy Altman of Social Security Works and the Heritage Foundation's David John discuss its long-term health amid a retiring baby boomer population and a weakened economy.
| |
|
| April 23, 2012
Sunshine, Composting Toilets and Rainwater: Recipe for a Top Ten Green Building
A back-woods classroom is using storm water and a composting toilet to achieve near-zero waste production. A government building in Iowa is capturing rain for use. Following our "do good" business reporting in B Corps and how to turn a building sustainable in "Bein' Green," we're highlighting the AIA's ten best green projects.
| |
|
| April 23, 2012
Sunshine, Composting Toilets and Rainwater: Recipe for a Top 10 Green Building
Following our "do good" business reporting in B Corps and how to turn a building sustainable in "Bein' Green," we're highlighting the AIA's ten best green projects. Browse through our slideshow to see 2012's winners.
| |
|
| April 20, 2012
Tech's Next Feats? Maybe On-Demand Kidneys, Robot Sex, Cheap Solar, Lab Meat
Optimists at Silicon Valley think tank Singularity University are pushing the frontiers of human progress through innovation and emerging technologies, looking to greater longevity and better health. As part of his series on Making $ense of financial news, correspondent Paul Solman explores a future of "exponential growth."
| |
|
| April 20, 2012
IMF's Lagarde: Global Economy Sees 'Dark Clouds on the Horizon'
As questions grow about the stability of the worldwide economy now that there are more troubling signs in Europe and mixed reports in the United States, the International Monetary Fund announced the 20 leading industrial and emerging nations have pledged $430 billion to help deal with Europe's problems. Judy Woodruff reports.
| |
|
| April 20, 2012
The Gap Between Tax Revenues and Government Spending
Paul Solman frequently answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news. In Friday's query, a viewer asks why services are cut while Americans continue to pay taxes.
| |
|
| April 19, 2012
Edward Luce: It's 'Time to Start Thinking,' America
"Unless America can address government's role in a more pragmatic light," British author Edward Luce writes, "it may doom itself to continued descent. Margaret Warner and Luce discuss his latest book "Time to Start Thinking: America in the Age of Descent," a sobering examination of the U.S. role in global competitiveness.
| |
|
| April 19, 2012
How Do Oil Speculators Cause So Much Grief at the Pump?
Paul Solman frequently answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news on his Making Sen$e page. Here is Thursday's query.
| |
|
| April 18, 2012
Citigroup Shareholders Assert Say Over CEO's Pay
Shareholders publicly rebuffed Citigroup Tuesday at an annual meeting, rejecting a $15 million CEO pay package. Margaret Warner discusses the implications amid a national debate over income equality with Anne Simpson of the California Public Employees' Retirement System and Russell Miller of Clearbridge Compensation Group.
| |
|
| April 18, 2012
Does the Fed Create Money Out of Thin Air?
The charge that a polity owes its economic problems to the government "printing" money in order to debase its value is probably as old as the institution of money itself. And the idea that "paper money" is fundamentally phony, as opposed to "hard" currency made of metal, has a similarly hoary past.
| |
|
| April 17, 2012
U.S. Tax Reform: What Could, Should Be Done?
With renewed talk of tax cuts and President Obama's "Buffett Rule," political maneuvering in Congress and on the campaign trail has turned toward the U.S. tax system. On this tax day, Jeffrey Brown discusses tax reform options with the Brookings Institution's Alice Rivlin and the Tax Policy Center's Donald Marron.
| |
|
| April 17, 2012
Getting the Laffer Curve Right
A viewer writes in with a question about the relationship between taxes and increased government revenues on today's Making Sen$e Q-and-A with business and economics correspondent Paul Solman.
| |
|
| April 16, 2012
Tax Day Tips: iPhone Apps and Your 'Buffett Number'
Tuesday is Tax Day, the deadline for sending your financial self-portrait to the IRS. For those still scrambling to get 1099s in order before 11:59 Tuesday night, we've rounded up some tips, calculators and a look at the president's own 1040 to help get you motivated.
| |
|
| April 13, 2012
The President's 2011 Tax Return
The Obama administration released the president's tax return Friday morning, four days ahead of the Tuesday filing date deadline. We've spent the day poring over the numbers and highlighted some of the interesting bits in our second-annual infographic of the first family's tax return.
| |
|
| April 12, 2012
More on Charles Murray and the Jobless Future
A reader asks business and economics correspondent Paul Solman whether the speed of development for advanced technology in the workplace speaks directly to the notion of a rising plutocracy, a class-related snob mentality, moral decline of the working middle class and socio-economic activism, such as Occupy Wall Street.
| |
|
| April 12, 2012
For Midwesterners: How Are You Faring in this Economy?
It's tax time again. While many Americans are rushing to meet this year's April 17 deadline, it's also a time when many take stock of their financial situation. What are you planning for your financial future? If you live in the Midwest, our public media partner, Changing Gears, wants to hear from you.
| |
|
| April 11, 2012
Indiana's RV Industry Starts a Comeback Amid Uncertain Economy
The all-electric Think car was supposed to help save Elkhart, Ind., from a languishing economy, but instead the area's longstanding RV industry is making a comeback and helping turn the economy around. Special correspondent Elizabeth Brackett of WTTW Chicago reports on some economic hope for an area hid hard by unemployment.
| |
|
| April 11, 2012
The IRS Versus a New Yacht: Will Raising Taxes on the Rich Cost Jobs?
Making Sen$e reader Jeff Gallishaw asks economics correspondent Paul Solman if it's myth or fact that jobs will not be created if taxes are raised on the wealthy.
| |
|
| April 10, 2012
Is Education the Answer to Job Creation?
A reader sends in a question about the impact of higher productivity and increased innovation on the availability of jobs. He asks economics correspondent Paul Solman to weigh in on whether better education helps -- through better preparedness -- or hinders -- because of ever-increasing innovation -- that availability.
| |
|
| April 9, 2012
Mind the Gap: Why Adding 120,000 Jobs Isn't Good News
Just how long will it take to get employment back to pre-recession levels of 5 percent, and make up for all the jobs lost? To find out, use our recovery calculator, 'When Will Employment Recover?'
| |
|
| April 6, 2012
The Unemployment Paradox: Why Job Seekers, Employers Aren't Connecting
The U.S. job market appears to have a paradox: Many job seekers say they're desperate for work while many employers say they can't fill open positions. Are workers being too picky? Are employers being too cheap? Correspondent Paul Solman explores what's behind the disconnect as part of his Making Sen$e of financial news series.
| |
|
| April 6, 2012
Weaker U.S. Jobs Report Prompts More Questions Over Size of Labor Force
New jobs numbers released Friday showed unemployment ticking down to 8.2 percent, the lowest since January 2009, despite only 121,000 jobs added in March. Judy Woodruff and The Economist's Greg Ip discuss what's behind the weaker-than-expected report and why many Americans appear to be dropping out of the labor force altogether.
| |
|
| April 6, 2012
Unemployment Rate Dips to 8.2% as 120,000 New Jobs Are Added in March
The online headlines sum up the just-released March unemployment numbers: "Job Growth Loses Steam," announced the Wall Street Journal. It all adds up to what many not-so-secretly fear: "an indication," as the Journal put it, "that momentum could be slowing."
| |
|
| April 5, 2012
JOBS Act: Debating the Benefits for Startups, Risks for Investors
President Obama signed the JOBS Act Thursday and called the law -- aimed at helping startup firms raise capital -- a "game-changer." Opponents said the law rolls back investor protections. Jeffrey Brown leads a debate on the the law's intentions and risks with CareCloud's Albert Santalo and Columbia Law School's John Coffee.
| |
|
| April 5, 2012
A 'Bubble' Media Diet: The Daily Show, M*A*S*H and the PBS NewsHour?
In Tuesday's post, we featured viewer emails responding to Charles Murray's bubble quiz. In letting them know their emails would be highlighted on Making Sen$e, one responded with an interesting summary of his life and thoughts on what the quiz might mean.
| |
|
| April 4, 2012
News Wrap: Internet Giant Yahoo to Lay Off 14 Percent of Staff
In other news Wednesday, Internet giant Yahoo announced that it will lay off 2,000 employees as part of a plan to redeploy resources and boost revenues. Also, a barrage of tornadoes Tuesday damaged or destroyed 650 homes in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. No deaths and only a few serious injuries were reported.
| |
|
| April 4, 2012
Are Strategic Defaults the Housing Crisis' Culprit?
A reader contends that strategic defaults are the main reason the housing crisis keeps getting worse, but economics and business correspondent Paul Solman has a different take.
| |
|
| April 3, 2012
Why Auto Sales Surge Even as Gas Prices Rise
Auto industry sales jumped 6 percent in March with almost 1.4 million new cars and trucks sold -- the highest number since 2008, according to new reports released Tuesday amid Detroit's $200 million deficit. Gwen Ifill and David Shepardson of The Detroit News discuss what's behind the continued surge in sales.
| |
|
| April 3, 2012
Your Thoughts on the Bubble Quiz
A bevy of emails have inundated our inbox since we first posted Charles Murray's popular quiz, "Do You Live In a Bubble?" and its attempt to ascertain users' socio-economic status (and that of their parents) in 25 questions based on lifestyle, pop culture and habits. Paul Solman addresses a portion of these emails here.
| |
|
| April 2, 2012
Where to Find Our Economic Inequality Coverage
A viewer's question about where to find a particular segment leads to the creation of an entire guide to our inequality reporting.
| |
|
| April 2, 2012
Economic Inequality Series: A Guide
Paul Solman has been covering economic inequality for nearly 25 years as part of his business and economics reporting for the PBS NewsHour. His recent series has looked at the shrinking middle class and how the U.S. compares to the rest of the world, among other topics. Here, a rundown of our series to date.
| |
|
|
|
| MARCH
March 30, 2012
The Mega Millions Lottery: to Play or Not to Play?
Weighing the pros and cons of buying a Mega Millions lottery ticket, Paul Solman writes that when the payout is greater than the total bet -- because of past losses that build up in the pot -- the game can be a good bet, mathematically speaking.
| |
|
| March 30, 2012
Higher Gas Prices: the Varied Impact Across Patchwork Nation
No one likes paying more for anything, but there's something special about gasoline. It's a price increase that's very hard to avoid, and it's directly tied to one of the nation's central tenets: the ability to move freely across the city or across the country.
| |
|
| March 29, 2012
Where Does Temp Work Fit Into Underemployment?
An attorney asks economics correspondent Paul Solman if his temp work is counted as 'underemployment.'
| |
|
| March 28, 2012
Does Europe Face a Corporate Takeover?
A reader asks whether the EU's inability to deal with its debt crises might lead to corporatist capitalism replacing European democratic capitalism.
| |
|
| March 27, 2012
High-Tech Illinois Company Looks to Bridge Workers' 'Skills Gap'
WTTW Chicago reports on an Illinois company trying to fill highly skilled, high-tech jobs and why other advanced-manufacturing companies are facing similar problems as parents and students shun manufacturing jobs over perceived stigmas and concerns about the long-term viability of the industry in America.
| |
|
| March 27, 2012
U.S. Home Prices Still Going Down
From their peak in July 2006, home prices have crashed 34 percent and the average U.S. home price is down to a level last seen around December 2002 and January 2003, according to a report released Tuesday morning by S&P/Case-Shiller.
| |
|
| March 26, 2012
Does the Federal Reserve Have Too Much Power?
Is it reasonable for the Treasury to create all the U.S.'s money, instead of the Federal Reserve playing such a major role? Paul Solman addresses a reader's concern.
| |
|
| March 23, 2012
Doctor's World Bank Nomination Signals Renewed Development Focus
President Obama announced on Friday that he was nominating Jim Yong Kim, president of Dartmouth College, to become the next president of the World Bank. Ray Suarez examines the selection.
| |
|
| March 22, 2012
Charles Murray: U.S. 'Class Society' Is Losing its 'Exceptional' Characteristics
Since our coverage of Charles Murray and his new book, "Coming Apart," received a strong reception from viewers and online constituents who took Murray's "Do You Live in a Bubble?" quiz, we felt obliged to offer more of my too-long-for-broadcast interview with him.
| |
|
| March 21, 2012
Charles Murray on Downton Abbey, Smoking During Pregnancy
Recently, the Making Sen$e team traveled to tiny and picturesque Burkittsville, Md., to interview author Charles Murray at home about why he thinks America is coming apart. We thought we'd share more of the interview here, and especially some of the more provocative things Murray had to say.
| |
|
| March 20, 2012
Author Charles Murray: Elites Should Teach Working Class How to Live
The super-educated upper class is out of touch but it could teach lower classes better ways to live, according to conservative lightning rod Charles Murray. As part of his series on Making Sen$e of financial news, Paul Solman speaks with Murray about his new book, "Coming Apart," which examines America's "class society."
| |
|
| March 20, 2012
Author Charles Murray on Bubbles, Marriage and 'Coming Apart'
Is white America coming apart at the seams? How sharp is the cultural divide? Why does it matter? What might we do about it? Tuesday, in a departure from traditional practice, we debut the full broadcast-ready version of our story with Murray (and a skeptic) here at Making Sen$e before it airs on the NewsHour.
| |
|
| March 19, 2012
Greg Smith Isn't the First to Leave Goldman Sachs Over Morals
Former Goldman Sachs "executive director" Greg Smith wrote what just about everyone on earth should - and probably did - already know: Wall Street puts its own interests far ahead of its clients'.
| |
|
| March 16, 2012
We Built This City on Debt 'n' Entitlements: Stockton Faces Bankruptcy Threat
As cities across the nation increasingly become mired in financial crises due to pensions, health care costs, debt and overspending, correspondent Spencer Michels profiles one city making efforts to avoid bankruptcy: Stockton, Calif.
| |
|
| March 16, 2012
Stockton, California: the Most Miserable City?
Poor Stockton. Last month, Forbes Magazine named the California town the most miserable city in the U.S. Now it's on the verge of bankruptcy. Stockton's problems may be particularly grim, but they're the same ones facing more and more American cities and communities.
| |
|
| March 16, 2012
So You Live in a Bubble, Now What?
We saw a lot of responses to the quiz "Do You Live in a Bubble?" There were some common themes, so we sent some of them to Charles Murray, author of the book "Coming Apart," where the quiz originated. Here are his thoughts.
| |
|
| March 15, 2012
Fictional Thriller Tackles Dangers of High-Frequency Trading
Part of his series on Making $ense of financial news, economics correspondent Paul Solman spoke with author Robert Harris whose fictional take on Wall Street, "The Fear Index," stresses the dangers of algorithm-driven, high-frequency trading.
| |
|
| March 15, 2012
After Goldman Sachs Resignation, Assessing Wall Street's 'Moral Fiber'
Wall Street was abuzz after Wednesday's very public resignation by a Goldman Sachs executive -- a New York Times op-ed piece taking issue with its business practices. Judy Woodruff discusses recent criticism of Wall Street culture with Georgetown University's James Angel and the University of Maryland's Michael Greenberger.
| |
|
| March 15, 2012
What You Need to Know About Goldman Sachs
On Thursday's show we'll look at how Goldman Sachs operates and where it fits into the larger culture of Wall Street. First, though, a roundup of reporting on the firm by business and economics correspondent Paul Solman.
| |
|
| March 15, 2012
Pew Study: Young Adults OK with Moving Back Home
Returning to the nest after college and even into the thirties is becoming increasingly more common, but also less stigmatized. Young adults who live with their folks are cheerful, upbeat even, about their choice.
| |
|
| March 14, 2012
Do You Live in a Bubble? A Quiz
The new upper class, according to author Charles Murray, live in a social and cultural bubble. And so he includes this 25-question quiz, covering beer to politics to Avon to "The Big Bang Theory," to help readers determine how thick their own bubble may be. You can take it here.
| |
|
| March 13, 2012
Was Charles Darwin the Father of Economics as Well?
What does the work of Charles Darwin have to do with economics? As part of his reporting on Making Sen$e of financial news, Paul Solman talks to Robert H. Frank, author of "The Darwin Economy: Liberty, Competition, and the Common Good," about the connection between economics and the father of evolution.
| |
|
| March 13, 2012
How Uncertainty, Speculation Factor Into Gas Prices
Ray Suarez discusses what's behind rising gas prices and what could help bring them back down with the American Enterprise Institute's Kenneth Green and Daniel Weiss of the Center for American Progress.
| |
|
| March 13, 2012
How Does the U.S. Deficit Affect Me?
A reader asks, "How does the $15.49 trillion deficit in this country affect individuals? Does it mean that the Treasury is printing money that isn't worth the paper it's printed on?"
| |
|
| March 12, 2012
Why Am I Paying So Much at the Pump?
Despite the basics of supply and demand, Paul Solman explains there are a few more pieces that make up the price puzzle of a gallon of gasoline.
| |
|
| March 9, 2012
Spitzer: Richest Americans Would Likely Still Work Facing 60% Tax Rate
Despite myriad tax collections -- from income to Social Security, the U.S. still has a budget deficit of $1.3 trillion. In this Need to Know excerpt, Ray Suarez and a panel of experts including former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer examine specifically how the country could raise more money while making the tax code fairer.
| |
|
| March 9, 2012
Jobs Report Shows 'More Momentum,' but Unevenness Seen in U.S. Recovery
New jobs numbers released Friday showed more than 142 million Americans at work in February, the most since January 2009, but the unemployment rate stayed put at 8.3 percent. Ray Suarez discusses the latest numbers and general trends in hiring with Brandeis University's Lisa Lynch and Mesirow Financial's Diane Swonk.
| |
|
| March 9, 2012
227,000 New Jobs Added While Unemployment Holds at 8.3%
Healthy job numbers arrived Friday. Why then, you may ask, did the official unemployment rate not fall, but hold steady at 8.3 percent? The answer appears to be fairly straightforward.
| |
|
| March 8, 2012
How are Small Businesses Affected by Changing Taxes on the Wealthy?
Paul Solman looks at what happens when taxes are raised vs. lowered on the wealth and on small businesses to answer a reader's question.
| |
|
| March 7, 2012
What Do Fewer Workers Mean for the U.S. Economy?
"Since we look at the unemployment rate as a proxy for the economic strength and contribution of workers,' a read3er asks Paul Solman, "should we also consider this offsetting factor" of a shrinking workforce?
| |
|
| March 6, 2012
Are Credit Default Swaps Casinos in Disguise?
Today's reader question for Paul Solman: Who is insured if an insurance company has sold multiple credit default swaps on a now-in-default bond?
| |
|
| March 5, 2012
What Is Bernanke Doing About the Fed's Stockpile of U.S. Debt?
Paul Solman answers a reader's question about what the Federal Reserve plans on doing with all the U.S. government debt it owns.
| |
|
| March 3, 2012
BP to Pay $7.8 Billion in Gulf Oil Spill Settlement
BP says it has reached a $7.8 billion settlement with lawyers representing thousands of plaintiffs who were affected by the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The settlement does not include civil charges from municipalities like Alabama and Louisiana.
| |
|
| March 2, 2012
Can Family-Owned Firms Compete?
Paul Solman answer's a readers question about family-owned corporations like SC Johnson competing against joint stock companies.
| |
|
| March 1, 2012
California Grapples With High-Speed Rail Debate
There's a big battle going on throughout the country, but especially in California, over whether to build very expensive high-speed rail systems. In these tough economic times, how can anyone justify sinking billions of public dollars into a fast train?
| |
|
| March 1, 2012
Will Brown's Vision for High-Speed Rail in California Stay on Track?
Gov. Jerry Brown wants California to build bullet trains. Correspondent Spencer Michels reports on whether a massive and costly high-speed rail project, now underway in a state flooded with budget cuts, will ever be completed or worth its cost.
| |
|
| March 1, 2012
Bein' Green: Easier Than You Think
"It's not that easy, bein' green," Kermit the Frog first lamented in 1970. We became interested in greenness during research for a story on B Corps: given companies that are interested in becoming certified as a B Corp are already socially and environmentally minded, a good number of them work in various types of "green" spaces.
| |
|
|
|
| FEBRUARY
Feb. 29, 2012
Benefit Corporations Aim to Make a Profit -- and a Positive Impact
Seven states have passed legislation officially recognizing companies with a conscience. Called benefit corporations, or B Corps, the firms strive to make a positive impact on society while also turning a profit. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports as part of his Making Sen$e of financial news series.
| |
|
| Feb. 29, 2012
Rich Shopper, Poor Shopper and the End of Economic Mobility
According to Harvard business professor Robert Putnam, the immobility gap is "about to fall off a cliff.""
| |
|
| Feb. 28, 2012
New Lows in U.S. Housing Prices Bode Ill for Economic Recovery
Tuesday's house price numbers are bad -- real bad. Not only have overall indicators dropped to their lowest levels since the housing crisis began in mid-2006, the figures were worse than predicted and cast a shadow over news that the economy is turning around.
| |
|
| Feb. 28, 2012
Michigan's Auto Industry Workers, Republicans at a Crossroads
If you want a sense of the challenges Mitt Romney and the GOP have in Michigan, you could learn a lot from standing on the corner of Mound and East 9 Mile roads here in suburban Detroit.
| |
|
| Feb. 27, 2012
What Would Happen if the U.S. Government Collapsed?
A viewer asks Paul Solman what would would happen to the financial system in the event of a total collapse of the U.S. government.
| |
|
| Feb. 24, 2012
Viewer Gives Paul Solman a 'Hat Tip'
Paul responds to viewer Bob's advice that he lose the fedora.
| |
|
| Feb. 23, 2012
In Towns All Over U.S., Small Green Economic Shoots Spotted
As Patchwork Nation travels the country during campaign season visiting communities we have watched for four years in some cases, a clear trend is developing: The economy often seems to be coming to life.
| |
|
| Feb. 23, 2012
The Financial Answer Man: Carl Richards Takes Your Questions
A while back we asked you to submit your most pressing personal finance questions so that I could put them to Carl Richards, the sketching, New York Times-blogging, financial literacy-teaching author of the excellent money manual, "The Behavior Gap." The questions poured in.
| |
|
| Feb. 22, 2012
Why Banks Are Getting Haircuts
Paul Solman answers a viewer's question: If a home mortgage is a contract, why, in these times, are the banks not taking a haircut along with the borrowers?
| |
|
| Feb. 21, 2012
As Gas Prices Rise, White House Goes on Offensive, Defensive
With President Obama taking heat from the GOP over rising gas prices, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney worked Tuesday to shift blame and tout domestic energy exploration efforts. Judy Woodruff discusses the political implications of $3.58 a gallon with The New York Times' Michael Shear and John Kilduff of Again Capital.
| |
|
| Feb. 21, 2012
Boomer Babies 'Boomerang': Happy Homecoming? Or Are Grads Giving Up?
The boomerang business is booming. Ever since our story on "accordion families" and "boomerang kids" ran last week, personal testimony has been coming in over the transom. We'll share a sample of it with you. Please feel encouraged to add your own to the community of comments.
| |
|
| Feb. 20, 2012
Illinois Gov. Quinn Outlines State's Budget Priorities
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn recently sat down with NewsHour correspondent Ray Suarez to outline his plan for building a stronger, more competitive state economy. Quinn delivers his annual budget address on Wednesday.
| |
|
| Feb. 17, 2012
What Do 'Mama's Boys' Have to Do With the Euro Debt Crisis?
This isn't just a candidate for chart of the day or even chart of the week. Hedge fund manager Boaz Weinstein, founder of Saba Capital and former co-head of credit trading at Deutsche Bank, presented this at a conference on the Eurocrisis, as reported on the Business Insider website.
| |
|
| Feb. 16, 2012
A Spanish Love Story of Family, Work and Emigration
In 2010 I visited Spain and stayed with Ana and Jose. Their family formed the basis of a story on the Spanish housing crisis. We replayed a few moments of that story the other day in a discussion of "accordion families" and "boomerang kids." Ana saw the story and sent us her reaction.
| |
|
| Feb. 15, 2012
The Astonishing Trend in Income Gains for the Very Rich
I began reporting on this trend back around 1990, when the PBS NewsHour was still The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, and the red line (the top 1 percent) had yet to achieve liftoff. It's astonishing to see what's happened since.
| |
|
| Feb. 15, 2012
President Obama's Rise Fueled by Improving Economy
With the economy showing signs of life, so too are President Obama's re-election hopes, according to a poll released Tuesday by the New York Times and CBS News. The president's overall approval rating has climbed to 50 percent, up five points from the beginning of the year.
| |
|
| Feb. 14, 2012
'Accordion' Families Expand for Boomerang Kids, 'Parasite Singles' to Move Home
In her new book, "The Accordion Family," sociologist Katherine Newman examines why more young adults in the world's wealthiest countries are returning home to live with their parents -- a phenomenon that Paul Solman has come across repeatedly in his reporting on global economic problems as part of his Making Sen$e series.
| |
|
| Feb. 14, 2012
Boomerang Kids: When College Grads Move Back Home
Rather than finding an apartment with friends or buying a home of one's own, sociologist Katherine Newman tells us she has found that after graduation, more and more 20-somethings are returning to live with their parents.
| |
|
| Feb. 13, 2012
Greece Plunges into Turmoil After Austerity Vote
After a vote on austerity measures by the Greek Parliament on Sunday inched the country closer to a second bailout, violent protests erupted once again in the streets of Athens. James Mates of Independent Television News reports on lingering obstacles to a resolution of the E.U. debt crisis.
| |
|
| Feb. 13, 2012
Covering the Eurozone's Financial Crisis
The 17-country monetary union known as the eurozone finds itself on precarious footing 13 years after the currency came into existence in 1999. European countries drowning in debt. Governments enacting austerity programs. Unemployment rising. Follow all of NewsHour's coverage of the eurozone financial crisis here.
| |
|
| Feb. 10, 2012
Italy: Amid Eurozone Crisis, 'Going the Greece Way' Would Be Disastrous
Languishing amid the eurozone crisis, all of Italy is hurting and under pressure from international creditors to bring down its massive national debt. Margaret Warner reports from Milan on an economy so big that a default could bring about the collapse of the entire euro system.
| |
|
| Feb. 10, 2012
Greece Reels as Government OKs More Austerity Measures
As Greece signed off on a new round of austerity measures in exchange for another bailout, European finance ministers said the cuts may not be enough. James Mates of Independent Television News reports on the start of a two-day strike over the cuts.
| |
|
| Feb. 10, 2012
Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme?
Security was originally designed as a "pay-as-you-go" system in which each succeeding generation of workers is supposed to take care of the last. all workers are charged a "payroll" tax, as are their employers. (The employee half has been suspended again until Feb. 29.) That money is supposed to provide for today's retirees.
| |
|
| Feb. 9, 2012
In Bailing Out Greece, Germans Eye 'Functional, Surviving Euro'
European Union finance ministers said Thursday Greece would have to make even more austerity cuts to receive bailout money, even if there is a new government. Margaret Warner reports from Germany on how citizens of the continent's richest country feel about the EU's latest debt relief package for Greece.
| |
|
| Feb. 9, 2012
What Greece's Latest Cuts Mean for Workers, EU
Greek political leaders reached a much-anticipated agreement Thursday on yet another round of austerity cuts. Jeffrey Brown and John Psaropolous of the blog The New Athenian discuss implications for Greeks, the country's economy and its relationship with the continent.
| |
|
| Feb. 9, 2012
Austerity Plan Might Ease Greece Out of its 2-Year Debt Crisis
After weeks of negotiations, Greece's political leaders wrapped up a controversial agreement Thursday on yet another round of austerity measures. Though the deal received some praise, Germany said it fell short while workers in Greece took to the streets to protest more spending cuts. Jeffrey Brown reports.
| |
|
| Feb. 9, 2012
Big Banks, 49 States Reach $25 Billion Deal Over Foreclosure Abuses
Even as foreclosed homes -- casualties of the housing bubble -- still litter the American landscape, federal and state officials announced Thursday a $25 billion deal between 49 states and five mortgage giants designed to give relief to homeowners and hold banks accountable for abusive practices.
| |
|
| Feb. 9, 2012
Does Greater Equality Make Societies Stronger?
"Could you please talk to Richard Wilkinson or Kate Pickett about income inequality?" A reader writes to Paul Solman. "According to them, social mobility tends to be stronger in more equal societies, which contradicts Richard Epstein's views about inequality being an incentive for growth."
| |
|
| Feb. 8, 2012
Brzezinski: U.S. Should Work With Russia, Turkey to Solve Global Problems
Zbigniew Brzezinski says that as American power declines relative to other countries, and China's influence grows, the United States can no longer dictate to the world, or be "the determining player of everything that is important on the global scene." Jeffrey Brown speaks with the author and former national security adviser.
| |
|
| Feb. 8, 2012
Amid Eurozone Crisis, How Germany Became Europe's Richest Country
As European debt crisis negotiations approach the 11th hour on yet another bailout for Greece, Margaret Warner reports on some of the people behind the economic success of Germany -- Europe's richest country.
| |
|
| Feb. 8, 2012
America's Agricultural Success: A Well-Kept Secret?
Amid all the worry about how long it will take the economic recovery to kick into high gear, there's a little-noticed sector that's doing very well: American agriculture. Farm sector earnings hit a record last year, with farm income rising just above $100 billion.
| |
|
| Feb. 8, 2012
Is Our Economy Basically Just a Game of Monopoly?
Most of us have played Monopoly. You set up the board, deal out the money, roll the dice and play until one person collects so much of the wealth that the other players can't buy anything, or pay rent, or pay utility bills. The game stops. But is the correct purpose of regulation is to keep the game going as long as possible?
| |
|
| Feb. 7, 2012
Italy's Premier Mario Monti: Time to Focus on Growth in Europe
In an interview with Margaret Warner in Rome, Italy's Premier Mario Monti said now is the time to start focusing on "how collectively we can achieve more growth in Europe." Monti also said "old phantoms" of resentment between the North and South of Europe had reemerged in light of the euro zone crisis.
| |
|
| Feb. 7, 2012
Protests in Greece Take Aim at Europe's Demands for More Cuts
Protesters in Greece took to the streets again Tuesday, expressing anger over Europe's demands for more spending cuts and tax increases. James Mates of Independent Television News reports on the unpopular new round of austerity measures then Margaret Warner sets up her interview with Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti.
| |
|
| Feb. 7, 2012
Does the U.S. Tax Imports?
Marc Whitehead sends a follow-up question after reading Paul's thoughts on tariffs from early January: If we put a 15 percent tariff on all imported goods, how much money would that tax generate each year?
| |
|
| Feb. 6, 2012
Rate Raters, Casino Traders and the Greek Debt Problem
Here are a trio of queries for Monday, including who rates the raters, stock exchanges turning into casinos and Greece's debt issue.
| |
|
| Feb. 4, 2012
Greece's Moment of Truth
The Greek government declared Saturday that it had reached partial agreement with its euro area creditors on a $170 billion bailout package. But a gulf of differences remains, with only a day of talks to go.
| |
|
| Feb. 3, 2012
Unemployment Drops to 8.3%, but It's 'Premature to Do Handstands'
New job numbers released Friday showed the U.S. job market surged in January as the unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level in three years. Jeffrey Brown, Macroeconomic Advisers' Joel Prakken and Georgetown University's Harry Holzer examine the numbers and assess what some good news means for the longer-term U.S. recovery.
| |
|
| Feb. 3, 2012
Tuesday on the NewsHour: Italian Prime Minister on the Financial Crisis
As European countries continue to struggle with how to resolve the region's financial crisis, one of the key voices in that effort is set to make an appearance on Tuesday's NewsHour.
| |
|
| Feb. 3, 2012
Unemployment Dips to 8.3%, Lowest Rate in Three Years
The unemployment rate continued to trend downward Friday, reaching 8.3 percent, the lowest rate in three years. We calculate U-7, our own more inclusive statistic, to be down to 16.9 percent for January. That's the lowest we've seen since we started tracking the figure in January 2010.
| |
|
| Feb. 2, 2012
Poverty and Politics: How Strong Is Safety Net for Poor Americans?
Presidential candidates have loaded recent stump speeches with references to wealth, taxes and "the very poor." Jeffrey Brown explores the role of poverty this election year with Lawrence Mead of New York University, Angela Glover Blackwell of the advocacy group PolicyLink and Barbara Perry of the University of Virginia.
| |
|
| Feb. 2, 2012
Widening the Underemployment Pool - And Those Who Calculate It
More signs that the U.S. economy may not be headed into a strong recovery just yet: unemployment was at 8.6 percent in January, with underemployment up to 18.7 percent. But wait a minute. Those of you that watch unemployment numbers (and this page) closely will surely note that we're a day ahead of ourselves.
| |
|
| Feb. 2, 2012
Facebook Moves to Sell Stock and Go Public
Facebook, the place where 800 million people share photos, dating status, likes and dislikes, has taken the first steps towards becoming a public company, which means that soon anyone with enough cash can own a share of Facebook itself.
| |
|
| Feb. 1, 2012
Facebook IPO: Putting a Value on Social Media Giant
Facebook, the world's leading social media service, filed papers with the SEC Wednesday to raise $5 billion and take the company public. Jeffrey Brown discusses its business model, its growth potential and some interesting revelations in the IPO paperwork with Nate Elliott of Forrester Research and Wired magazine's Steven Levy.
| |
|
| Feb. 1, 2012
HUD Secretary Donovan: 'We Need to Do More' to Help Homeowners
President Obama called the housing crisis "massive in size and scope" Wednesday as he described his latest proposal that would let homeowners with private mortgages refinance into government-backed loans. Judy Woodruff discusses the $5 billion to $10 billion plan with Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan.
| |
|
| Feb. 1, 2012
How Much Does Uncle Sam Spend on Foreign Aid?
Today's audience question for economics correspondent Paul Solman: Could reducing U.S foreign aid be used to help the Department of Defense reduce military spending?
| |
|
|
|
| JANUARY
Jan. 31, 2012
How the Housing Market Could Shape the 2012 Election
A new Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Home Price Index showed U.S. home prices fell for a third straight month in two Florida cities, Miami and Tampa. Jeffrey Brown discusses the housing market's role this election season with The Wall Street Journal's Arian Campo-Flores and Jed Kolko of the real estate website Trulia.
| |
|
| Jan. 31, 2012
Most EU Members Back 'Fiscal Pact' to Ensure Discipline, Punish Violators
As European Union member states attempt to tackle their financial woes with a fiscal discipline deal, Gwen Ifill discusses the details with Margaret Warner, reporting from Stuttgart, Germany.
| |
|
| Jan. 31, 2012
News Wrap: Sub-Zero Cold Wave Crosses Central, Eastern Europe
In other news Tuesday, the death toll neared 60 in a sub-zero cold wave across Central and Eastern Europe as temperatures dropped to -17 degrees Fahrenheit in some places. Also, the Food and Drug Administration approved a drug called Kalydeco for use by 1,200 patients with a rare form of cystic fibrosis.
| |
|
| Jan. 31, 2012
No Recovery in Latest U.S. Housing Data
While mortgage interest rates are at literally at an all-time low, housing prices are back in line with income levels and the gap between the cost of owning vs. renting has closed substantially in many areas, there's still a general lack of confidence.
| |
|
| Jan. 30, 2012
At EU Summit, a New Focus on Growth, Not Just Austerity
Margaret Warner speaks with Jeffrey Brown from the European Union summit in Brussels, where there's a new emphasis on the need for growth, not just austerity measures, to keep the continent from facing another recession.
| |
|
| Jan. 30, 2012
Protests Against Austerity Measures Greet EU Members in Brussels
In their 17th meeting in two years, leaders of 27 member states of the European Union reconvened in hopes of taming an economic crisis that threatens to entangle the continent in another recession. Margaret Warner reports from Belgium's capital on disagreement over austerity measures, both on the street and in the summit.
| |
|
| Jan. 30, 2012
Is All Government Spending 'Stimulus'?
Paul Solman answers the following question from our audience: If the stimulus program of 2009 was included in the federal budget and the budget was not subsequently reduced, did we in effect get an equivalent stimulus program, or more, in 2010 and 2011?
| |
|
| Jan. 30, 2012
Does the U.S. Actually Benefit From Free Trade?
Paul Solman answers a question about the benefit of free trade agreements.
| |
|
| Jan. 30, 2012
Does the U.S. Actually Benefit From Free Trade?
A viewer asks: What is the benefit -- if any -- of our free trade agreements?
| |
|
| Jan. 27, 2012
In 'Money Shot,' Poet Armantrout Reacts to Financial Crisis in Verse
Rae Armantrout's poetry finds its place at the intersection of the public and the private. Armantrout won the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Pulitzer Prize and was a finalist for the National Book Award for her 2009 collection, "Versed." Poems in her latest book, "Money Shot," speak to the economic downturn.
| |
|
| Jan. 26, 2012
In an 'Age of Austerity,' How Scarce Resources Could Shape U.S. Politics
In a time of scarce resources, plans to cut deficits and reduce spending can develop into campaign issues. Judy Woodruff and Tom Edsall, a longtime Washington Post reporter who's now a New York Times columnist and journalism professor, discuss how austerity could shape and define American politics this election year and beyond.
| |
|
| Jan. 26, 2012
How Many Manufacturing Jobs Can U.S. Realistically Maintain?
As President Obama and GOP presidential candidates talk about reviving the U.S. manufacturing sector in hopes of creating jobs, how realistic is that goal in the face of continued outsourcing and machines filling jobs once held by humans? Ray Suarez speaks with three experts about the challenges and demand for skilled workers.
| |
|
| Jan. 26, 2012
Could Greece Fire Off a Global Credit Freeze?
These days, the fear is that institutions that sold insurance on Greek debt -- Greek credit default swaps -- will be obliged to pay up if Greece were to officially default. And that they won't be able to meet that obligation, leading to global credit freeze 2.0.
| |
|
| Jan. 25, 2012
Is There's a Big Relief Rally Under Way?
Some might be expecting comment on the State of the Union here, but really, I don't see much point. I've been listening to these speeches for decades now, and they are not policy proposals so much as articles of faith. Rather, Europe.
| |
|
| Jan. 25, 2012
Debating Obama's Vision for the U.S. Economy
In his State of the Union Address Tuesday night, President Obama spoke about his economic goals for the country. Gwen Ifill discusses the broader points, including fairness, taxes and American manufacturing, with Heather Boushey of the Center for American Progress and Douglas Holtz-Eakin of the American Action Forum.
| |
|
| Jan. 24, 2012
Is 'Hot Money' Responsible for the Financial Crises?
'Hot money' -- capital moving quickly into and out of a country --- is the topic of today's Q-and-A, and whether it's part of the reason why there have been so many financial crises in the last 30 years.
| |
|
| Jan. 23, 2012
Watchdog-in-Chief Richard Cordray Outlines Plan to Clean Up Consumer Lending
Economics correspondent Paul Solman examines the controversial appointment of Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Paul quizzes the tough-on-crime former Ohio attorney general and former "Jeopardy" champ about his appointment's legality, his plans to police financial firms and some Bible trivia.
| |
|
| Jan. 23, 2012
Why Are Banks Ditching Foreclosed Homes, and What's the Euro Worth?
Two questions today from reader Barb Weismann: one, on foreclosed homes and what banks are doing with them; and the second, looking at why the value of the euro is still besting the U.S. dollar even while the euro zone is in economic danger.
| |
|
| Jan. 20, 2012
Stand-up Economist Signs Off From China and Thinks About Its Future
In this final edition of our "Man in Beijing", stand-up economist Yoram Bauman ties up his China miniseries with thoughts on the future for the so-called "Communist" country.
| |
|
| Jan. 19, 2012
In Chapter 11 Filing, Kodak Tries to Develop New Vision for Survival
Eastman Kodak, a once-powerful American brand now struggling to stay relevant in an increasingly digital world, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Thursday. Hari Sreenivasan discusses the film pioneer's news with Julie Philipp, news director of WXXI Public Television in Rochester, N.Y., where Kodak is headquartered.
| |
|
| Jan. 19, 2012
Villaraigosa: Washington Must Be Smart About Cuts, Investments in U.S. Cities
Bracing for a new federal budget, hundreds of U.S. mayors sought meetings in Washington this week. Their message: don't let cities fall through the cracks. Ray Suarez discusses the challenges local governments face amid a national debt crisis with Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles and Danny Jones of Charleston, W.Va.
| |
|
| Jan. 19, 2012
Rejected Keystone XL Pipeline Project at Top of Congress' Agenda
House Democrats and Republicans picked up where they left off at the end of 2011, bickering about the creation of jobs or the lack thereof. President Obama rejected the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline that Republicans said would create more than 20,000 jobs.
| |
|
| Jan. 18, 2012
How Big a Role Do Private Equity Firms Play in U.S. Economy?
As private equity firms gain more attention this election season, Judy Woodruff discusses whether private equity activity is more focused on short-term profits or the long-term health of companies with The Riverside Company's Stewart Kohl and author Josh Kosman.
| |
|
| Jan. 18, 2012
Richard Cordray: From 'Jeopardy!' to Controversial Presidential Appointment
Paul Solman talks to Richard Cordray about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Republican opposition, his record on being tough on crime, and 'Jeopardy!'
| |
|
| Jan. 18, 2012
The Not-So-Bad Times in Nashua, N.H.
There are signs that the economy is indeed stirring to life -- or at least showing signs it is not completely dead -- and if you look closely you can see indications of those returning vital signs in Nashua, N.H.
| |
|
| Jan. 17, 2012
Bonuses Shrink as Wall Street Reacts to Crawling Economy
As members of the Occupy movement sought answers on Capital Hill Tuesday, reports also circulated that bonuses on Wall Street will be lower this year. Judy Woodruff discusses what the declining dollars mean with financial writer William Cohan and compensation consultant Brian Foley.
| |
|
| Jan. 17, 2012
The Rich are Getting Richer and the Poor, Poorer - 'We Know, Paul!'
A pair of Making Sen$e-commenters about two of our recent pieces.
| |
|
| Jan. 16, 2012
Submit Your Personal Finance Questions, Get 'Simple' Answers
Investments, trading, retirement planning, high-level finance and dealings: complicated, mathematically intense stuff best left to the pros, right? Not necessarily, according to financial planner-turned-New York Times blogger Carl Richards, who is taking personal finance questions from the NewsHour audience.
| |
|
| Jan. 13, 2012
Records: Federal Reserve Officials Foresaw, Joked About Housing Bubble in 2006
Newly released transcripts from the Federal Reserve's 2006 meetings reveal the extent of what Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues actually knew as the country was about to hit the cusp of the financial crisis. Ray Suarez discusses the board's detailed conversations with The New York Times' Binyamin Appelbaum.
| |
|
| Jan. 13, 2012
The Strange, Animal-Killing Side Effects of Tax Policy Changes
I don't want to jeopardize my family because I tried to make the country a better place."
Arthur Laffer, economist to Ronald Reagan and famous for the Laffer Curve theory, which we explored on Wednesday's NewsHour in 'Taxes: How High is Too high?', had reason to be concerned.
| |
|
| Jan. 11, 2012
How Are Tax-Rate Adjustments and Government Revenues Related?
Paul Solman considers a readers question about tax-rate adjustments: "If tax rate adjustments did not affect revenue very much, did that have to do with simultaneous adjustments in deductions and exemptions?"
| |
|
| Jan. 11, 2012
Taxes: How High Is Too High?
Economics correspondent Paul Solman explores the question of just how high U.S. tax rates should or shouldn't be and examines the relationship between economic activity and tax rates. It's part of his ongoing reporting series, Making Sen$e of financial news.
| |
|
| Jan. 10, 2012
Does the Desire to Make More Money Increase Economic Inequality?
Today's reader inquiry is about making money: "If people were only driven by making money, why did Steve Jobs keep Pixar private when it wasn't making money? If you've made your first billion, why would money drive you anymore? You can't spend it all and obviously it can't buy good health and long life."
| |
|
| Jan. 9, 2012
Could the U.S. Follow in the Eurozone's Footsteps?
Paul Solman answers a reader's question about whether the U.S. could fall into the same economic fate as the eurozone.
| |
|
| Jan. 6, 2012
Unemployment Dips to 8.5%, but How Is Overall U.S. Recovery Going?
A surge in December hiring pushed the nation's unemployment rate to 8.5 percent, the lowest it's been in three years. Jeffrey Brown discusses the meaning of the most recent jobs report with Mesirow Financial's Diane Swonk and Mark Vitner of Wells Fargo.
| |
|
| Jan. 6, 2012
Unemployment Dips to 8.5%, Lowest Rate in 2 Years
Friday's unemployment figures are positive all around. The official unemployment number dipped to 8.5 percent, a rate the economy hasn't seen since early 2009. And our own measure of unemployment, U-7 (which celebrates it's one-year anniversary Friday), dropped to 17.12 percent, the lowest since we began tracking the number.
| |
|
| Jan. 5, 2012
How the U.S. Auto Industry Picked Up Speed in 2011
With nearly 13 million cars sold, 2011 turned out to be the strongest year for Detroit's major automakers since the financial crisis hit in 2008. Margaret Warner discusses just how that 10 percent increase came to be with David Shepardson, who covers the auto industry for The Detroit News.
| |
|
| Jan. 5, 2012
Could a Higher Import Tariff Pay for Medicare and Get the U.S. Out of Debt?
If we put a 15 percent tariff on all imported goods, how much money would that tax generate each year? How long to pay off the national debt if spending was halted at current levels? Could it make Social Security solid for the next 50 years?
| |
|
| Jan. 4, 2012
Laughing at Macroeconomics: A Cartoon Introduction
Unemployment rates, inflation, exchange rates -- all familiar topics for readers who frequent this page. Normally, these are no laughing matter. But cartoonist Grady Klein and stand-up comedian Yoram Bauman (who should also be familiar to those who come here often) have teamed up to draw giggles out of the dismal science.
| |
|
| Jan. 3, 2012
Should Our Economy Run Like a Cardiovascular System?
We hear a lot about supply-side economics. What about demand-side economics?
| |
|
| Jan. 3, 2012
Laughing at Macroeconomics: The Cartoon Introduction
Unemployment, inflation, poverty, exchange rates, monetary policy - everything that makes economics the 'dismal science' is made laughing stock with the macroeconomics edition of Yoram Bauman and Grady Klein's "Cartoon Introduction to Economics."
| |
|
| Jan. 2, 2012
Instead of 'Fairness' in the Tax System, Why Not Emphasize Results?
Paul Solman answers questions from NewsHour viewers and web users on business and economic news on his Making Sen$e page. Two questions today are on the issues of taxes and 'fairness.'
| |
|
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
