Mar 02 Watch Markets Plunge After Government Adds Billions to AIG Rescue Stocks tumbled after the government expanded aid to struggling insurer American International Group and the company reported a huge quarterly loss. Analysts examine what this could mean for the broader financial outlook. Continue watching
Mar 02 Government Expands AIG Rescue, Stocks Slump By PBS News Hour The federal government said Monday that it would give floundering insurer American International Group access to an additional $30 billion in U.S. taxpayer money as part of a newly revamped rescue plan. Continue reading
Mar 02 Do Slum Kids Stand a Chance in Our Global Economy? Question/Comment: A few years back, I made a documentary about an Indian high-tech firm that was offering free Internet access to semi-literate slum children in Delhi, The Hole in the Wall. Now it turns out that project was the real-life… Continue reading
Mar 02 Weekly Poem: 'Salvage' Poet Laureate Kay Ryan recently sat down with Jeffrey Brown to talk about her work and her role as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. That conversation will be posted here soon. Much more about Ryan can be… Continue reading
Mar 02 Why Don't We Offer Earlier Retirement Incentives to Open Up Jobs for the Unemployed? Question/Comment: Someone must have already considered this idea for the economic stimulus, but I haven’t heard anything about it: Why don’t we offer earlier retirement incentives for people still working at retirement age because they want to get their maximum… Continue reading
Feb 27 What is the Process for Reprivatization of Banks? Question/Comment: If the banks are nationalized and become healthy again, what is the process for reprivatization? Do stockholders on record as of the date of nationalization have any priorities when the banks are reprivatized? How did Sweden manage this process?… Continue reading
Feb 27 Watch Government to Take Larger Ownership Stake in Struggling Citigroup The Treasury Department and Citigroup announced a new plan Friday in which the government will take ownership in a larger portion of the company's stock. Washington Post reporter Binaymin Applebaum explains the move. Continue watching
Feb 27 Economy Shrank 6.2% at End of 2008, Fastest Since 1982 By Admin, PBS News Hour The U.S. economy contracted at a sharp 6.2 percent pace at the close of 2008, its worst showing since 1982, as exports plunged and consumers and businesses cut back spending. Continue reading
Feb 27 What Are "Targeted Jobs"? By Business Desk Question/Comment: Paul, can you explain what “targeted jobs” are? Are these something different from the type of jobs that people are losing now? It seems to me that $30,000 spent on retaining a librarian would have the same economic benefit… Continue reading
Feb 26 Watch Orszag Outlines Policy Priorities in Budget Blueprint White House Budget Director Peter Orszag details the new $3.5 trillion budget plan, explaining how the Obama administration will balance policy priorities and an anticipated $1.75 trillion deficit. Continue watching