Dec 10 What is Free Trade? Question/Comment: What is free trade? I know the simple answer, no tariffs. But if a government subsidizes the production of a product or provides subsidies to farmers isn’t this interfering with the intent of the process? Paul Solman: Free trade… Continue reading
Dec 09 Watch College Students Squeezed by Rising Costs, Less Aid More college students and their families are struggling to afford tuition at public institutions due to increasing costs and state funding cuts in education. John Tulenko of Learning Matters Television takes a look at the impact of rising higher education… Continue watching
Dec 08 Markets See Early Lift on Infrastructure, Auto Bailout Plans By Admin, PBS News Hour U.S. stocks enjoyed an upbeat opening Monday as investors reacted to President-elect Barack Obama's plan to launch an infrastructure spending package to boost job growth and news that a deal on bailing out Detroit's Big Three automakers may be near. Continue reading
Dec 05 Watch Economy's Stumbles, Obama's Cabinet Top Week's News Columnists David Brooks and Ruth Marcus weigh the news of the week, including rising job losses, the auto industry bailout and President-elect Barack Obama's latest Cabinet picks. Continue watching
Dec 05 Watch Soaring Job Losses May Signal Deepening Recession U.S. employers cut 533,000 jobs in November, the most in 34 years, pushing the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent. Columnist Steven Pearlstein and economist Lakshman Achuthan examine what the new job figures indicate. Continue watching
Dec 05 The Economy, Your Pocketbook and the Recession Paul Solman: Forgive me for not responding to questions for a few days, but among other things, I’ve been trying to analyze the results of poll posted here recently: How is the Economy Affecting Your Pocketbook? Click on “Comments”… Continue reading
Dec 05 U.S. Employers Slash 533,000 Jobs; Unemployment Rate Jumps to 6.7% By Admin, PBS News Hour U.S. employers cut 533,000 jobs in November, the most in 34 years, sending unemployment up two-tenths of a point from October to 6.7 percent, the highest in 15 years, the Labor Department reported Friday. Continue reading
Dec 03 The Whole World is Drowning, How Long Before Somebody Turns Off the Faucet? Question/Comment: Yesterday I saw a TV ad for mortgages to people with no credit history, job or social security number. The whole world is drowning, how long before somebody turns off the faucet? Paul Solman: There’s got to be a… Continue reading
Dec 02 Are These Economic Problems Caused By Too Many People on Earth? Question/Comment: Is the final answer to all these economic problems the fact that there are now too many people on Earth? For example, how can U.S. labor make any money when Chinese workers will work for a nickel an hour?… Continue reading
Dec 01 Stocks Pummeled as Recession Becomes Official By Admin, PBS News Hour A group of academic economists confirmed on Monday suspicions that the troubled U.S. economy is in a recession, saying the economic downturn began in December 2007. Continue reading