Nov 25 Student Questions: A Global Currency and Getting Out of a Recession Editor’s note: This week, the Business Desk continues to feature questions from students in three high schools around the country. Question: Would the world economy be better if all countries used the same currency? — Kevin, senior, Carle Place… Continue reading
Nov 24 Student Questions: Obama’s Economic Policies Editor’s note: This week, the Business Desk continues to feature questions from students in three high schools around the country. Question: What changes has President Obama made to American economic policy? — Anthony, senior, Carle Place High School, Carle… Continue reading
Nov 23 Exactly Who Is the FDIC? Question: Exactly who is the FDIC? Who sits on the board? Who do they answer to? What crystal ball do they use to make their decisions? What authority, if any, do they have over… Continue reading
Nov 20 Should the Gov’t Anchor Its Economic Rescue to the Middle-Class Homeowner? Question: I remember a person, whom I believe was an economics professor at Columbia University, who during the financial crisis proposed that the government anchor their financial rescue strategy to the middle class homeowner, rather than government investment in ‘too… Continue reading
Nov 19 Who Regulates the Student Loan Industry? Question: Who regulates the student loan industry to stop the practice of gouging young people with excessive interest charges added to their principal when they “defer” payment …the govt doesn’t pay the interest and the loans mushroom. Paul Solman: As… Continue reading
Nov 18 Did Tax Cuts Create U.S. Jobs? Question: The Bush tax cuts put billions in the hands of corporations and other businesses with the hope that they would create U.S. jobs, especially manufacturing jobs in the United States. Did this actually happen or did much of that… Continue reading
Nov 17 What’s the ‘Next New Thing’ to Solve the Jobs Crisis? Question: Hi Paul. If it’s going to take a “new thing,” a la the Internet, to pull us out of the unemployment funk, what do you think it is ? Paul Solman: When I receive a query like this,… Continue reading
Nov 16 Why Didn’t the Gov’t Bail Out People Instead of Banks? Question: I have never understood why it would not have been more effective to have “bailed out” people directly, and banks indirectly, by giving money to people instead of banks. The money would have necessarily have had to move… Continue reading
Nov 13 Seven Questions for Sheila Bair Editor’s note: Ask and ye shall receive. We received some excellent and provocative questions for FDIC Chair Sheila Bair in response to our request here on the Business Desk. Thanks to everyone who… Continue reading
Nov 11 Ask the FDIC’s Sheila Bair Your Questions Paul Solman: We’re interviewing Sheila Bair, head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, this Friday. And she’s agreed to answer your questions as well as mine. Her answers will be posted here on the Business Desk in a special… Continue reading