Jun 04 Which Taxes Offer an Opportunity to Be Progressive? Question: What other taxes offer an opportunity to be progressive besides income and inheritance taxes? Paul Solman: Great question. I hope school is still in session. One alternative tax would be a progressive… Continue reading
Mar 30 Will We Still Reject Materialism After the Downturn? Question: I enjoyed your recent interview with Robert McElvaine. (Editor’s note: Watch the interview below.) His thesis that the downturn will lead us away from consumption as a way of life to what really matters is interesting. Am I… Continue reading
Mar 27 Watch Historian Discovers Positive Lessons, Community Values From Great Depression Great Depression historian Robert McElvaine found that economic downturns can lead people away from conspicuous consumption to a more community-oriented way of life. Continue watching
Jan 28 Why Should We Call Them Economists if They Couldn’t Predict the Economy’s Fall? Question/Comment: If economists cannot see that an economy that is two-thirds consumption based with consumer debt rising and savings falling is not completely unsustainable, why don’t we call them idiots instead of economists? Some would call it mercantilism. Paul Solman:… Continue reading
Dec 29 Where Should I Spend My Hard Earned Money? Question/Comment: Ok, so being a good dog, I need to keep spending to help the economy. What are some of the best things to spend my hard earned, devalued money on? Paul Solman: That’s a very interesting question and not… Continue reading
Jul 26 Watch Dow Jones Industrial Average Suffers The Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered its second worst day of the year earlier this week. Financial expert Thomas Lawler and market economist Diane Swonk discuss the dip and its relationship to the national economy. Continue watching
Oct 18 Watch Essayist Reflects on America’s Coffee Fixation The National Coffee Association found in 2000 that 54 per cent of the adult population of the United States drinks coffee daily and that among coffee drinkers the average consumption is 3.1 cups of coffee per day. Essayist Julia Keller… Continue watching