Feb 10 Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme? Social Security cards. Photo via Wikimedia Commons. Paul Solman answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news here on his Making Sen$e page. Here's Friday's query: Gwynn Pealer: I thought I understood Social Security, but… Continue reading
Feb 09 Does Greater Equality Make Societies Stronger? Graphic by the PBS NewsHour, based on the cover of "The Spirit Level." Paul Solman answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news here on his Making Sen$e page. Here's Thursday's query: John… Continue reading
Feb 08 Is Our Economy Basically Just a Game of Monopoly? Photo by foreverdigital via Flickr. Paul Solman answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news here on his Making Sen$e page. Here's Wednesday's query: John Feuille: Most of us have played Monopoly. You set… Continue reading
Feb 07 Does the U.S. Tax Imports? The Arsos container ship is unloaded at the Port of Miami in Florida; Photo by Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Marc Whitehead sends the follow-up question below after reading Paul's thoughts on tariffs from early January: If we… Continue reading
Feb 06 Rate Raters, Casino Traders and the Greek Debt Problem Standard & Poor's Headquarters in Lower Manhattan. Photo by B64 via Wikimedia Commons. Paul Solman answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news here on his Making Sen$e page. Here are a trio of queries… Continue reading
Feb 03 Unemployment Dips to 8.3%, Lowest Rate in Three Years Recruiter Esther Aranza reviews job seeker Andrew Jack Jr.'s resume during a career fair in Texas. Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Bloomberg via Getty Images. By Paul Solman and Elizabeth Shell. The unemployment rate continued to trend downward Friday, reaching… Continue reading
Feb 02 Widening the Underemployment Pool – And Those Who Calculate It Photo by Matthew Staver/Bloomberg via Getty Images. 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… Continue reading
Feb 01 How Much Does Uncle Sam Spend on Foreign Aid? NewsHour image by Vanessa Dennis. Sources: State Department, USAID. Paul Solman answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news here on his Making Sen$e page. Here's Wednesdays query: John E. Tucker asks: Could reducing U.S… Continue reading
Jan 31 No Recovery in Latest U.S. Housing Data Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images. By Paul Solman and Elizabeth Shell The monthly housing data released Tuesday by Standard and Poor's Case-Shiller Index came with sparse good news. Home prices have declined yet again, continuing their wobbly down-up-down… Continue reading
Jan 30 Does the U.S. Actually Benefit From Free Trade? Image by Yagi Studio/Getty Images. Paul Solman answers questions from the NewsHour audience on business and economic news here on his Making Sen$e page. Here is Monday's query: Doug Clymer asks: What is the benefit -- if any… Continue reading