Feb 18 At What Point Does Increasing Productivity Damage a Consumption-Based Economy? Question/Comment: At what point does increasing Productivity damage a consumption-based economy? Can this be discussed with respect to the recent historically high levels of productivity in “modern industrialized” economies with relatively inelastic labor pools? Paul Solman: Most economists will tell… Continue reading
Feb 18 GM, Chrysler Paint Dire Picture in Plea for More Federal Aid By Admin, PBS News Hour Nine weeks after automakers made their first plea to Congress for emergency aid, General Motors and Chrysler submitted new restructuring strategies and requests for additional federal funds that could bring the government's total tab to $39 billion. Continue reading
Feb 17 Watch Amid State Struggles, Calif. Faces Deep Budget Shortfall As the stimulus goes into motion, states around the nation are facing budget shortfalls. California is facing a particularly dire situation, with thousands of jobs on the line. Continue watching
Feb 17 Watch Obama Signs Economic Stimulus Package Into Law President Barack Obama signed the landmark $787 billion economic stimulus package Tuesday. Kwame Holman reports on the president's latest efforts to communicate his economic plans in visits to cities around the country. Continue watching
Feb 16 Watch Foreclosure Crisis in California Devastates Some Neighborhoods In California, one in 25 homes faces foreclosure. Areas such as Inland Empire, known as "the affordable Orange County," are particularly hard-hit. KCET's "SoCal Connected" program reports on the crisis. Continue watching
Feb 16 Watch Referendum Results Empower Chavez to Continue 'Socialist Revolution' Venezuelans voted to lift a two-term constitutional limit on the presidential term, allowing Hugo Chavez to run for office again in 2012. Analysts discuss what this means for the future of Venezuelan politics. Continue watching
Feb 16 Watch States Hope Stimulus Will Boost Sagging Local Economies With state officials scrutinizing the stimulus plan for funding they hope will revive regional economies, four business writers examine what the real impact may look like. Continue watching
Feb 16 Watch Global Markets Sputter as U.S. Focuses on Stimulus The economy continued its decline, with Japan reporting a worse recession than in Europe and America. Tom Bearden gives an update on the world economic outlook. Continue watching
Feb 16 Why Won't Banks Lend Money? Editor’s Note: Paul recently answered “Five Good Questions” on the economy for the PBS Engage blog. You will also be able to find those answers here on the Business Desk all week. Question/Comment:… Continue reading
Feb 13 In Case You Missed It: Society's Ability to Weather Crisis Largely Depends on Leaders' Positions By Business Desk As the country struggles through an economic crisis, Paul Solman talked to author Jared Diamond about his book “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” on Friday’s NewsHour. Read the transcript here. // ]> // ]]>… Continue reading