Aug 12 Watch Fed Decision Signals Optimism for Economy The Fed decided Wednesday to keep short-term interest rates at a record low to help stabilize the economy. Jeffrey Brown speaks with a Washington Post reporter about the economic outlook. Continue watching
Aug 06 Are Credit Card Companies Raising Rates to Repay the Government? Question: I received a call from my sister this morning asking me for help regarding her credit card debt. According to her bank and credit card issuers, they are raising their credit card interest rates because they have to pay… Continue reading
Aug 05 Should We Have Dealt With ‘Too Big to Fail’ in the 1980s? Question: If you go back and look at the recession of 1982, you will see that the Fed bailed out large banks mainly due to bad LDC loans. I think the precedent of moral… Continue reading
Jul 17 Watch Obama Calls for Action on Health Care Amid Cost Concerns Saying "now we've got to get over the finish line," President Barack Obama renewed his call Friday to lawmakers to hammer out health care reform legislation. Betty Ann Bowser recaps the week's developments, including new concerns on the plan's costs. Continue watching
Jul 13 Is California Printing Its Own Money? Question: Is California printing its own money? Paul Solman: Funny you should ask. The State of California Franchise Tax Board website currently features this statement: “We will accept registered warrants…towards the payment of tax liabilities.” State taxes, of… Continue reading
Jun 16 Why Doesn’t the Government Simply Give Households Lots of Money to Stimulate the Economy? Question: One of the most popular suggestions I’ve heard for stimulating the economy is the federal government should give every household one or two million dollars. Would that work or would it create hyperinflation? Paul Solman: Let’s not be profligate… Continue reading
Jun 02 Geithner in China: How Is China Weathering the Economic Crisis? By Business Desk Question: How is China weathering the economic crisis? And does China want to remain the United States’ largest creditor? Paul Solman: With Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in Beijing for the past few days, the financial world has been watching and… Continue reading
May 29 How Might GM’s Bankruptcy Work? Question: How might GM’s bankruptcy work? Paul Solman: For answers, I can’t improve upon this exchange with Wayne State law professor Laura Bartell, whose interview we’ll feature in our GM bankruptcy story, slated to run on Monday’s NewsHour. This… Continue reading
May 28 Which New Deal Projects Have Ended Up Costing a Bundle Down the Road? Question: I recently watched your report on the Newshour about New Deal infrastructure projects in St. Louis. You mentioned the New Deal brought us the Triborough Bridge in New York, but you didn’t mention that it is currently one… Continue reading
May 27 A Final Thought on the Andrews-McArdle Affair Paul Solman: The blizzard of response to the Andrews/McArdle affair has thinned to a flurry, but flakes keep coming, affording me an opportunity to respond to the persistent inclemency and continue the multi-logue, a first for this page. Continue reading