Nov 29 Doesn’t Social Security Pay For Itself, Since it’s Taken Out of My Paycheck? By Elizabeth Shell The following email comes via the PBS Ombudsman: Name: Phyllis Koch Question: I am constantly frustrated as I listen to your interviewers and commentators talk about deficits/budgets/where to cut and always including Social Security. Social Security is always mentioned… Continue reading
Nov 25 Economic Justice for Struggling Homeowners – And The Rest Of Us? By Elizabeth Shell Editor's Note: Is it JUST to bail out homeowners? Mortgage modifications help homeowners stay put. But is that fair to those of us who bought when the market was high, and yet continue to meet our contractual obligations? Paul Solman… Continue reading
Nov 24 What Does Justice in the Foreclosure Crisis Look Like? By Elizabeth Shell An amended answer today to a question answered imperfectly (or worse) last month. The email, from Bruce Temple, was in response to one of our stories on the foreclosure crisis and read as follows: In tonight's episode you asked… Continue reading
Nov 19 The Confidence of Ben Bernanke in Germany By Elizabeth Shell "The Fed chairman's message, though scholarly in tone, was unusually blunt," wrote the Wall Street Journal, "laying blame for inflationary pressures in emerging markets and for tensions over currencies on countries like China." The Financial Times underscored another… Continue reading
Nov 18 Joe Nocera’s Hall of Shame By Elizabeth Shell "We titled the book 'All the Devils are Here'," said Joe Nocera's co-author, Bethany McLean, "because in the wake of the crisis there has been this search for a simplistic answer. Ah! Fannie and Freddie, they must be the… Continue reading
Nov 17 Economics is Missing A Funny Bone | An Interview With ‘Merle Hazard’ By Elizabeth Shell The [Fed's announcement](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/11/fed-slow-growth-disappointing-will-engage-in-second-round-of-quantitiative-easing.html) of another round of so-called "quantitative easing" (QE2) is much in the news. Basically, it's an announced commitment to create $600 billion dollars or more of new "Federal reserves" - i.e., U.S. dollars - and [pump them… Continue reading
Nov 16 Was Ireland’s Financial Crisis Predictable? He told you so. Ken Rogoff is one of this page's favorite economists. Long known for being ahead of the curve, Rogoff was a National Master of chess at age 14 and dropped out of high school… Continue reading
Nov 15 How Would YOU Balance the U.S. Budget? By Paul Solman The Sunday Times recently featured an exercise that it might make sense for all Americans to try, and certainly members of Congress pressing to balance the budget- Budget Puzzle: You Fix the Budget. And, if you prefer to get… Continue reading
Nov 15 How Would YOU Balance the U.S. Budget? By Elizabeth Shell The Sunday Times featured an exercise that it might make sense for all Americans to try, and certainly members of Congress pressing to balance the budget- Budget Puzzle: You Fix the Budget. And if you prefer to get out… Continue reading
Nov 12 Passing the Buck: China, Dollars and Debt Editor's Note: A bit more about the interplay between Chinese currency and U.S. debt. First, a simple graphical explainer as to how the Chinese government gets so many dollars in the first place, using Ford Motor Company and… Continue reading