Jan 24 The Pain in Spain Falls Plainly from Merle’s Brain By Elizabeth Shell The first of this week's series of posts from the ever-melodic, ever-economic Merle Hazard debuts today: a ditty on the plight of Spain. Continue reading
Jan 20 Desolate Detroit: The Forsaken City By Elizabeth Shell In its heyday it boasted nearly two million people; the world's premier industry (autos); the world's most popular music (Motown); and perhaps the country's most prosperous black middle class. But Detroit's population is down 50 percent; so are wages in… Continue reading
Dec 09 Good Ideas to Save the Economy Can Have Unintended Consequences By Paul Solman Paul Solman answers questions from NewsHour viewers and web users on business and economic news most days on his Making Sen$e page. Here's Thursday's query: Name: Fred Damato Question: Would this work to jump start the economy?… Continue reading
Dec 09 Good Ideas to Save the Economy Can Have Bad Unintended Consequences By Elizabeth Shell Name: Fred Damato Question: Would this work to jump start the economy? Give all citizens (with incomes up to $250,000) the option to withdraw some or all of their retirement savings tax free if they pay all cash for a… Continue reading
Dec 03 Breaking Down the November Unemployment Numbers By Elizabeth Shell Unemployment rose little in November, with the official rate edging up slightly from 9.6 percent to 9.8 percent. The government's broadest measure of unemployment stayed steady at 17 percent. This figure includes the unemployed plus all who are only marginally… Continue reading
Dec 02 Watch Fed Disclosure Sheds Light on Scope, Risk of $3 Trillion Safety Net The Federal Reserve has released documents detailing $3.3 trillion worth of emergency efforts to prop up failing banks, Wall Street firms and large companies during the height of the financial crisis. Jeffrey Brown breaks down the new disclosures with Neil… Continue watching
Nov 30 Tool$ Tuesday | The Bush Tax Cuts By Paul Solman Today's Tool$ Tuesday is another look at how the tax cuts might be implemented. This Bush Tax Cut tool comes by way of the Tax Policy Center, a much-appreciated think tank in today's hyper-polarized environment. Continue reading
Nov 30 Tool$ Tuesday | The Bush Tax Cuts By Elizabeth Shell Today's Tool$ Tuesday is another look at how the tax cuts might be implemented. This Bush Tax Cut tool comes by way of the Tax Policy Center, a much-appreciated think tank in today's hyper-polarized environment. Continue reading
Nov 23 Watch Banks, Regulators Battle Over Scope of New Financial Reform Law Judy Woodruff looks at how banks and regulators are grappling over how to enact the new financial reform law. Deborah Solomon of The Wall Street Journal has more details on how the new regulations are taking shape. Continue watching
Nov 19 Joe Nocera’s Economic ‘Hall of Shame’ By Paul Solman "We titled the book 'All the Devils are Here'," said Joe Nocera's co-author, Bethany McLean, "because in the wake of the crisis there has been this search for a simplistic answer. Ah! Fannie and Freddie, they must be the… Continue reading