Feb 26 Paul Solman Moderates Debate on Higher Education and the Economy Editor’s note: On Friday evening, Paul will moderate a Miller Center Debate on higher education and the economy. The panelists will debate whether the the U.S. workforce needs a dramatic increase in the number of college graduates in order… Continue reading
Feb 24 Did the Government Used to Break Up Companies for Being Too Big to Fail? Question: In the ’50s and ’60s, big companies were broken up if they became too big — like Ma Bell into the regional baby bells. GM was on the threshold of being broken up. I guess this was the federal… Continue reading
Feb 23 Is Front-Running Considered Insider Trading? Question: I’ve been a Paul Solman groupie for some years now, but I think your recent piece on front-running was the best ever. Why, under the law, is front-running not considered insider trading? Paul Solman: There IS a… Continue reading
Feb 22 Why Is There So Little Mention of Toxic Assets? Question: Why is there no more mention of “toxic assets?” Does Goldman Sachs have any toxic assets on their balance sheet? Paul Solman: Well, Goldman was SELLING toxic assets like mortgage-backed securities to… Continue reading
Feb 19 More Comments on the Goldman Series Question: Do you really consider the Follow-up on Front-Running piece true journalism? Or, is it possibly just gossip? Do you consider using Goldman Sachs 2009 profit statements a perfect example of where that company always makes its money?… Continue reading
Feb 18 A Defense of Goldman Sachs Question: I must take exception to your two pieces on Goldman Sachs (Part I and Part II). Let us concede up front that Mr. Blankfein’s formulation of Goldman doing “God’s work” was a bit ham-handed at best, but… Continue reading
Feb 17 How Can the Unemployment Rate Go Down if Jobs Are Still Lost? Question: C-Span reports that in January, the unemployment rate declined by 0.3 percent, yet also that 20,000 jobs were lost. If jobs were lost how could the unemployment rate decline? Paul Solman: Technically, it actually… Continue reading
Feb 16 How Does the Current Deficit Compare to Past Deficits? Question: How does the current deficit compare to past deficits as related to the economy as a whole? Is this really a historically large deficit when adjusted for inflation? How different is it really, especially when you consider huge executive… Continue reading
Feb 15 Is the Problem the Size of Banks or Their Interconnection? Question: Is the problem the size of individual banks or their interconnection? One problem that was mentioned during the bailout was that if one bank went down, it would take the rest with it. So if the banks were smaller,… Continue reading
Feb 12 A Follow-up on Front-Running Paul Solman: In the wake of considerable reaction to last night’s Goldman piece in what my mother derisively called “cyberspace,” a brief anecdote, before all is forgotten in the wake of tonight’s Goldman II. Forgive me if I’ve mentioned… Continue reading