Nov 09 Midterm Election Proved Don’t-Tread-On-Me Individualism in WEIRD America As to the midterm election last week, the following is prompted by an academic paper urged upon me by several top psychology professors, for reasons having nothing to do with the voting to come. The paper, by psychologists Joseph Henrich,… Continue reading
Nov 08 The Fed’s Latest Move: Monetary Debauchery? By Elizabeth Shell Forgive me for not answering a question today, but posting a note about the Fed. Its decision last week: to purchase a further $600 billion of longer-term Treasury securities by the end of the second quarter of 2011, a… Continue reading
Nov 05 October Job Numbers Raise Reader Questions By Elizabeth Shell A flurry of questions today about the October job report from NewsHour's Facebook and Twitter. In response, a flurry of answers. ........................................................................................................................................... Janet Vetter: The economy added 150,000 jobs but the unemployment rate remained the same? What is… Continue reading
Nov 03 Midterm Election Pitted Keynesians Vs. Hayekians, Again "It's the economy, stupid." Bill Clinton, 1992 "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" Ronald Reagan, 1980 "Defeat the New Deal and its reckless spending."Alf Landon, 1936 "Hoover we trusted, now we're busted." FDR campaign,… Continue reading
Nov 01 A Side Note on Herbal Supplements Name: Dick Levinson Question: While I admire your intelligence and integrity, your recent piece on herbal supplements omitted a critical piece of information that your viewers should know. It is no accident that consumers are at the mercy of… Continue reading
Oct 29 Readers Express Doubt in Boston Community Capital A trio of related emails to answer today. First: Name: James Tracy Question: Having watched your program tonight on Boston Community Capital’s efforts to save homeowners from foreclosure, several conclusions seem obvious. Both the homeowner/borrower and… Continue reading
Oct 28 Foreclosure Issues Elicit Strong Debate Name: John Magill Question: In response to your Oct.14 article on foreclosures and specifically the woman who may lose her New York home but had taken $500,000 out of it. I know she had a $6,000 water main break… Continue reading
Oct 27 Your Mortgage Questions Answered: Consumer Lawyer Max Gardner Editor’s Note: In Show Me the Mortgage, Paul Solman talked to “the dean of the bankruptcy bar,” North Carolina lawyer Max Gardner about the faulty and possibly fraudulent paperwork mess banks are being accused of. Gardner agreed to… Continue reading
Oct 25 Nightmarish Stories of Mortgage Modification Woe The idea that bank paperwork can weigh you down is nothing new. But the foreclosure cases we've come across lately sound downright Kafka-esque. A homeowner trying to modify her mortgage is told to fax documents to a certain department. Soon… Continue reading
Oct 22 Would Unemployment Drop If Wages Were Tied to a Firm’s Profits? Name: Dr. Morris Weinberger Question: Could unemployment be ameliorated by using the “short” method of reducing employee salaries instead of wholesale firings? How much of an impact would use of “shorting” have in reducing national unemployment??… Continue reading