Category Archives: Politics

Republicans Just Don’t Get It

Financial FAQs There is a reason why it has taken so long to emerge from the Great Recession. And the Republican leaders of the House and Senate with their new majorities exemplify why we have barely emerged from it. They … Continue reading

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California’s Budget Surplus Leads to Credit Upgrade

Popular Economics Weekly A day after voters passed Proposition 2, which creates a “rainy day fund” to cushion the state budget from future economic downturns, major credit-rating house Standard & Poor’s on Wednesday upgraded California’s general obligation bond rating. S&P … Continue reading

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Jobless Rate Falls to 5.8 Percent—Why be unhappy?

Financial FAQs Weekly Nonfarm payroll jobs advanced 214,000 in October after gaining 256,000 September and 203,000 in August. Net revisions for August and September were up 31,000. The unemployment rate dipped to 5.8 percent in October from 5.9 percent in … Continue reading

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Bullies, Not Government Is the Problem

Financial FAQs Weekly Even though the U.S. economy grew by a 3.5 percent annual rate in the third quarter, boosted by a surge in exports and the biggest jump in federal spending in five years, Democrats don’t seem to be … Continue reading

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Government Spending Boosts Q3 GDP

Popular Economics Weekly WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. economy grew by a 3.5 percent annual rate in the third quarter, fueled by a surge in exports and the biggest jump in federal spending in five years, screamed one headline this … Continue reading

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NRA Uses Gun Violence to Maximize Profits

Financial FAQs How can we believe the National Rifle Association opposes gun violence when every mass murder committed with guns is answered by the NRA’s call to buy more weapons? There have been 3 mass killings by crazed gunmen just … Continue reading

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California’s Fracking Controversy

Financial FAQs Santa Barbara voters have an upcoming ballot measure that bans all forms of enhanced drilling techniques, including steam injection and fracking, and it is getting national attention. Fracking supporters tout the huge boost in national oil and gas … Continue reading

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Fannie/Freddie, Home Prices in Good Shape

The Mortgage Corner Government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac brought in a combined second-quarter net income of $5 billion, nearly half of the $9.3 billion the two made in the first quarter of 2014, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s … Continue reading

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IMF Report—Europe Is Becoming Japan

Financial FAQs The International Monetary Fund doesn’t want to say it outright, but its latest World Economic Outlook shows more stagnation of the European and Japanese economies, and the possibility of a third EU recession since 2008. Could the EU … Continue reading

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Employment Report Won’t Cause Fed to Raise Rates

Financial FAQs Unemployment falls below 6% for first time since 2008 as U.S. adds 248,000 jobs said today’s MarketWatch headline at the release of the Labor Department’s September unemployment report. But it won’t be enough to push Janet Yellen’s Federal … Continue reading

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